It might feel like the last holiday shopping season just ended, but there's no rest for the weary because this year's is coming up fast. Retailers depend on a strong holiday shopping season to bolster their annual revenues, and success requires a smart, well-planned holiday marketing strategy.

Even though the true start of the holiday shopping season is still months away, retailers can't afford to wait. They need to start strategizing now so there's time to prepare for a multi-pronged, engaging retail strategy. The time to prep is now, and we've put together a quick guide to help you get started.

The world of digital creative began back in the mid-90s when Wired invented the banner ad. According to HubSpot's chronicle of the beginning of digital ads, Wired devised a plan to set aside portions of its website to sell space to advertisers and charged them by the hour — not per click — for the chance to showcase ads on their website. These early days were a time of experimentation, and with such a small amount of the U.S. population online, click-through rates were high and banner ads seemed like the wave of the future.

Fast forward to today, and click-through rates for banner ads are less than one-half of one percent. Marketers care more about impressions, building up brand familiarity and gaining the trust of potential customers than just simple clicks. So, how did we get here?

Almost every business has some sort of digital marketing strategy. Even if you ignore the internet entirely, it's likely that your company is mentioned online in business directories and reviews, which means it has a digital presence whether you like it or not.

But there's a simple reason these companies are deepening their investments in digital media marketing: it works. Digital marketing's benefits are numerous and are reflected not just in performance metrics, but in how they can uplift other non-digital marketing. Here's a quick rundown of why every brand has something to gain from digital marketing.

When it comes to lead generation, two solid options have been at the forefront in recent years: Facebook advertising and Google AdWords. However, while marketers may want to try both of these tools and see what sticks, there are concrete trends marketers can use to make an informed decision about what service will best meet your lead marketing needs.

1. Budget Matters

The vast majority of lead marketing decisions begin with a look at the budget, and lead generation is no different. If you're working with a small budget, Facebook is typically your best option when it comes to the most bang for your buck. According to a report from AdEspresso and reported on by Search Engine Journal, the average cost-per-click during the third quarter of 2016 for Facebook ads was $0.28. During the same period, the cost-per-click of Google AdWords averaged $2.32, a WordStream report explained. However, while your budget might be your first concern, there are other factors to consider.

The world of higher education is filled with competition, not just among students hoping to gain admission, but among schools that want to be the first to attract the best and brightest to their campuses. Public, private and even for-profit schools are vying for attention from potential students, and have increased advertising budgets and education marketing departments to attract students.

This is actually a relatively new trend, as nonprofit colleges and universities previously only spent approximately 2 percent of their tuition revenue on recruitment, according to Inside Higher Ed. However, now that these higher education institutions are spending more than ever, let's look at some of the marketing trends currently used to attract prospective students.

While it's important to have a quality product and make smart financial decisions, a big mistake local digital companies make is thinking perception doesn't matter. In today's world, it's important for consumers to feel like they can trust your business, especially when you're a small or medium-sized business (SMB) serving a local community. This is where brand authenticity comes into play.

Sponsorships can be a great way to gain high levels of publicity and "in your face" brand awareness at all kinds of festivals, community groups or sporting events. But, is it worth it?

Let's take a step back and look at the industry sponsorship spending overall as an indicator of performance. eMarketer research shows that sports sponsorships themselves have grown by nearly 5% annually for the past 5 consecutive years and outpaced spend and growth over any other segment including entertainment, events and causes. The growth in this space, even as the advertising landscape has become more complex, points to a growing need to connect with the customer where they are. That theory is only supported by research from various sports sponsorship studies that point to what Nick Buchanan from B&T Weekly says "is one of the best ways to build a communication path toward consumers."

In today's digitally-focused world, it's tempting to devote the whole marketing budget to online campaigns in an effort to capture the attention of today's always-connected consumer. However, a report from the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) showed that such an approach might not be wise, as multichannel campaigns can improve purchase intent by 90 percent and brand perception by 68 percent.

What business doesn't want more leads? But wanting more is the easy part. Getting leads is hard work, and acquiring high-quality leads from strong prospects is even more of a hassle. Reaching leads means finding the right place to make yourself visible and available. There are a number of ways to do this, even on a small budget, but it takes careful planning and a strong understanding of your audience.

If you're up to the task, here are four methods for capturing new leads for your business.

The arrival of spring has an obvious impact on the mental state of consumers. Sunset moves to later in the day, ice begins to melt and snow gives way to green grass and flowers. You'll see people walking down the street wearing shorts before it's warm, and sitting outside at restaurants while still wearing jackets.

Spring has an effect on people, and businesses are smart to consider spring marketing ideas that capitalize on these changing behaviors. With consumers eager to get out of winter and move on to brighter days, brands have a chance to win new business by feeding into that spring mania, giving consumers the experience they're craving. Here are five ideas to get going: