The holiday season is a time when consumers become bigger spenders than usual. As a result, companies and brands see the bulk of their annual sales come in by the end of the year. In the last couple of years, we’ve seen how tight the competition is regarding online marketing and sales. It’s mid-December, but it’s never too late to up your holiday marketing game. Here are a few tips that might help you.
Give gift suggestions
Many people wait until the last minute to buy gifts for friends and family. Help them by providing gift suggestions on your website, online eCommerce platforms, and emails. Put calls to action such as “Buy Now,” as well as shoppable links that will direct them to your website. Personalizing your gift suggestions would be more helpful using their previously purchased or carted items. Give discounts and incentives for bundled purchases.
Incentivize customer loyalty
While targeting new customers is a sound strategy, loyal and repeat shoppers still comprise most of your sales. So, do not take them for granted. Instead, keep connected with them and offer them special incentives, such as an exclusive sneak peek at a new product or a considerable discount.
Offer free shipping
A free shipping promo is always a good idea, whatever part of the year it is. However, it becomes more crucial during the holiday season, considering the bulk of items shoppers buy. When you offer free shipping, make sure that it’s clearly visible – even glaring – in your marketing materials. Highlight it in every post on your social media and every email you send to customers.
Use video marketing
A one-minute video would do wonders for your marketing campaign when done right. Tap into your customers’ emotions by launching a heartwarming short video with a relevant message. You can also humanize your company by showing some of your employees and having them share their most fond holiday memories. The bottom line is to use video marketing to establish your brand’s authenticity and give customers a good reason to patronize your products.
Prioritize customer success
Customer success means your shoppers can get their desired outcomes when using your products and services. A good customer success plan ensures that all your customers will return to you for holiday shopping. After all, they would want their friend and family to receive a tried and tested product this Christmas.
Help out and be a holiday partner
The holidays can be hectic and stressful for most customers. A good marketing strategy is taking some of the load off your shoppers. It can be a liquor delivery service with free recommendations. It can also be a free gift-wrapping service when you buy gift bundles or a minimum number of items.
Utilize paid social
The holidays are the best time to invest in paid social media – Tiktok, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Customers will find ways to avoid the holiday rush, so being visible on social media can he,p your marketing strategy. Personalize your ads according to your target audience and the platform in which your ads are. Study your customers’ preferences, interests, and past purchasing history. Use best practices in designing your ads.
Engage and encourage discussions
You can ask questions on your social media and let your customers react. It can be as simple as “what do you want for Christmas?” or nostalgic, like “what holiday dish from childhood do you miss the most?” When customers comment, make sure to respond gleefully and acknowledge their answers. If there are negative comments, make sure to respond as well. Deleting or leaving comments unanswered will give a negative impression.
Let your online shoppers “see” your products
One of the frustrations of online shopping is needing to see more photos of the items. There’s a showroom where they can see items up close for in-person shopping. For online shopping, you can launch a “webroom” where they can look at the item from every angle. You can include this feature in your Shopify development if you are on Shopify. This way, they get a clearer picture of what they are buying – for clothes, they can see the type of fabric, for example.
Go big on mobile
SMS and mobile marketing have been critical to eCommerce sales in the last few years. In fact, Adobe found that almost 90 % of sales during the holiday season of 2021 were done using mobile devices. Make your ads mobile-friendly and ensure that your store’s web design is optimized for mobile use. If you send out SMS, include links directly to your online store.
Final thoughts
Level up your marketing efforts for the holiday season. It’s not too late – many customers are last-minute shoppers, so take this chance to get your brand out there for them to notice. Follow the tips above to increase your chances.
