After this month, all the gifts will have been unwrapped (and maybe returned). The floor will have more pine needles than the Christmas tree. M&Ms will come in colors other than red and green.

But when the holiday season is over, your holiday marketing efforts should continue for just a little longer.

Over the course of the season, you'll (hopefully) gain new customers, as well as new leads who haven't yet purchased from you. With either group, following up after the initial contact is crucial for sales growth: 80% of sales are made after the fifth "touch" with the lead, according to InsideSales.com. And once you land a customer, according to the book Marketing Metrics, the probability of selling to them again is 60 to 70%.

When you automate processes to stay engaged with customers, that follow-up is guaranteed to happen every time.