Christmas is right around the corner, and if there’s one thing consumers are looking forward to, it’s holiday shopping.
Consumer spending is projected to increase this Christmas season as most countries relax their tight restrictions.
However, if the past several years are any indicator, most business owners will be caught unprepared.
Because holiday sales account for over 20% of most small businesses’ annual income, it’s critical to start planning your holiday marketing approach as soon as possible.
Here are the top 6 marketing strategies for the holiday Season
- Audit previous holiday marketing campaigns.
- Identify Holiday Marketing Strategies That Worked in the Past
- Take note of the trends and events of 2021 (and how they’ll impact customer behavior).
- Be ready to react and adapt quickly.
- Avoid false urgency.
- Don’t forget about your existing customers.
6 Marketing Strategies for the Holiday Season
Audit Previous Holiday Marketing Campaigns
Auditing prior holiday campaign concepts give you a better grasp of your target market. When Halloween came, most
You can apply what you’ve learned about previous patterns and how they impacted your business to improve your holiday advertising strategies.
While carrying out your audit, keep in mind that the pandemic changed consumer spending and behavior. So, not all your campaign ideas will apply today.
Even though some countries’ lockdown measures have been lifted, there are still some limitations in place, which means that the majority of holiday shopping will most likely be done online.
Scan through your most successful previous digital campaigns to generate campaign ideas for the next holiday season.
Identify Holiday Marketing Strategies That Worked in the Past
Your business can have a successful holiday season if you use the correct holiday campaigns, techniques, marketing strategies, and innovations.
A well-thought-out marketing strategy can help you enhance revenue and client retention by enhancing customer relationships.
Here are some of the most effective marketing campaign ideas for increasing revenue and building long-term client relationships.
Personalize Your Website
Personalizing your website for Christmas customers is one of the most effective holiday marketing strategies you can do.
Enhance your website with holiday-themed themes.
When Halloween came, most businesses switched to a Halloween theme with plans to change it for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. And finally, switch to a Christmas theme in December.
Try out Video Marketing
Nothing conveys the holiday season better than a video.
The wonderful thing about video marketing is that you can use it to promote your entire business, not just individual products.
Major brands like Coca-Cola, Microsoft, and Amazon use video marketing to create campaigns that elicit emotions and delight customers.
As a small business owner, you won’t create video content on the same scale as these corporations. However, you can still come up with videos that your customers will love to share on their social media.
Offer Free Rewards
Holiday promotion ideas that you can choose from are plenty.
One such idea you may attempt is to offer free rewards.
Although the holidays are a time for giving, many shoppers nevertheless make purchases for themselves.
Free incentives encourage customers to spend more money with your business. Free delivery or free item(s) after spending a certain amount are examples of reward products you can provide.
Why not hold a competition and award a prize to the winner?
Encourage consumers to create a holiday marketing slogan and reward the person who comes up with the best one with a prize.
Take Note of the Trends and Events of 2021
Marketing is a high-paced industry.
Imagine coming up with a strategy today, only to watch it flop because the trend you based it on is no longer…well, trending.
Trends occur monthly, quarterly, and even yearly. They change how you interact, attract and market to prospective buyers.
Staying in touch with the latest events and trends of the year can help you fashion some fantastic holiday marketing slogans.
Avoid False Urgency
Buyers feel a sense of urgency throughout the holiday season as they hurry around trying to finish last-minute purchases.
Some businesses take advantage of this by using countdown timers, ill-conceived gifts, or discounts to create a false sense of urgency.
One thing the pandemic made clear is that consumers are quick to panic buy.
If you aren’t concerned with customer connections and are solely concerned about profit, go ahead and do what you must.
But the holiday season is more than just a time to make a quick profit. It’s the best time to bond with new customers and deepen existing relationships with old ones.
Customers who value their relationship with your brand are more inclined to make repeat purchases.
Rather than relying on countdown gimmicks to entice them to buy, give them a genuine reason to do so with benefits they’ll love.
You can also offer same or next-day delivery, product reservation, etc.
Don’t Forget About Your Existing Customers.
You can segment your audience into new and current consumers and offer existing customers time-sensitive incentives.
Run ads that offer up to 50% off on purchases to existing customers.
But make it time-sensitive, that is, set the offer to expire after a few days.
Rewarding existing consumers for their loyalty is another marketing strategy that works well.
Customers love feeling appreciated, especially during this busy period.
Appreciating them for their loyalty shows you value their business and don’t take it lightly.
You can show your appreciation to loyal customers by:
- Sending gift cards (print or e-cards) to them that offer up to 15% discounts.
- Inviting them to take part in private sales and exclusive offers;
- Sending personalized thank you cards.
Be Ready to React and Adapt Quickly
The holidays are the busiest time of the year, especially for retailers.
It’s natural for problems to occur when dealing with so many people. Your response to them can determine whether you have a successful holiday season.
How efficient is your customer service? Is it possible for them to answer quickly? Do they offer solutions or demonstrate how to resolve a problem to buyers?
Your customer care personnel must be prepared to answer any question and resolve any problem that customers may have.
Users talk. They share reviews and recommendations with their friends and family.
They will help market your brand through word of mouth if they are satisfied with your customer service.
If the reverse occurs, they may discourage future clients from coming by.
How’s your website coming along? What’s the speed? Do you have a team on the ground to handle any technical issues that may arise? Is it capable of handling many shoppers at once?
If you provide a delivery service, ensure your employees are ready to move once an item is set for delivery.
