Time flies, and the holidays are just around the corner. Christmas carols are already taking over the radio, and after the madness of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the stress of Christmas shopping sets in.
Of course, consumers are only one side of the coin, because if there's someone who can benefit from this period, it's the merchants. Still not sure how to prepare for this sales season? Whether you have a physical store or an online shop, we have the best tips for you.
> Give life to your business with holiday design!
Garlands, colorful ornaments, confetti... Do you know what that means? You guessed it! It's time to add a festive touch to your store, whether it's physical or online. Start the 'decoration operation' by adding festive photos to your website and snowflake icons or Christmas garlands to your homepage, creating a special holiday collection.
Don't forget to ensure that your page is mobile-friendly, as more and more people are shopping from their phones or tablets.
For those with a physical store, grab your customers' attention by filling your shop with eye-catching and colorful Christmas decorations. Remember that sounds, music, and scents are also part of the shopping experience.
> Create a content calendar
Now that your business is "dressed for the occasion," it's time to create a plan. One of the best ways to kick off your marketing plan is to create a content calendar. That is, a day-to-day plan of all the content you will produce and publish during the holiday campaign period.
A content calendar is like that "to-do list" that helps you organize and indicates where to start to meet your ultimate goal: making your business shine. And remember, the more content you publish, the more chances your customers will be attracted to your business and end up making a purchase.
> Offer Christmas discounts
If the Christmas spirit is about giving, why not give a special promotion to your customers? Getting ahead of the holiday sales season is a gesture that will be very well-received by your customers and attract new buyers. You don't have to go all out; think of simple promotions like: Buy 2, Get 3, 50% off on previous collections, free shipping, etc. When planning these promotions, try to create a sense of urgency; limited-time offers activate the consumer and end up generating more sales.
Pro tip: Build anticipation around a specific product by adding a "special Christmas price" tag.
> Promote your business
Once you've decided on Christmas discounts, it's time to delve into the content calendar and prepare the rest of the marketing materials. There are two categories to consider: direct advertising and content marketing.
Direct advertising includes:
· Landing Pages: try creating a single page to show your special Christmas collection or promote special discounts. A page focused solely on that promotion and with no exit options. Focus on a clear goal.
· Paid Advertising: create appealing ads and target them to your audience to generate more sales. This topic can be a bit tricky if you're not familiar with certain techniques, but that's what we're here for, and we can help. You can even extend holiday offers to New Year's and Epiphany!
· Email Marketing: send a coupon to your customers or inform them about your latest blog post. Tell them about the latest promotions, holiday hours, and wish them happy holidays and a happy new year.
· Banners and Lightbox Windows: add a Christmas-themed banner or notify website visitors of an offer through an attractive lightbox.
Content marketing includes:
· Organic social media posts: engage with your followers on social media to make them feel there's a person listening behind the computer screen.
· Blog content: update your blog with holiday-inspired content.
· Your website: why not refresh some of the most critical sections? This is a good time to enhance the About Us page to truly captivate visitors.
Get Ready for the Rush
With the amount of traffic (physical or virtual) you'll have (hopefully), you need to be prepared for the influx of visits. This means taking care of all technical aspects to not disappoint your buyers. Here are some pointers:
Ensure you have enough inventory, especially your best-sellers!
Prepare packaging and shipping labels for the season.
Contact your shipping company in advance to ensure they can handle all shipments during the busiest time of the year.
Hire additional staff if necessary.
Provide Necessary Information
Even in 2023, some people still have doubts about the security of online shopping. There are a few things you can do to convey reassurance and security to your buyers.
Ensure that your contact information is prominently displayed on your website's homepage. Regularly update your "Frequently Asked Questions" page, clarify and prominently place your return policies, and add shipping information to product pages.
Set up automatic email notifications confirming shipment so that buyers know when their package has been sent. Include a tracking number for each order to reassure them that their gift is on the way. The more information you provide, the more trust you'll inspire. Consider adding customer reviews or testimonials and a press section to showcase media mentions.
Enter the Next Phase!
We don't want to spoil the excitement, but your business isn't the only one vying for attention this Christmas. Try thinking "outside the box" to optimize your exposure and attract as many customers as possible. How can you achieve this? Here are a few ideas:
Contact customers with a large following on their social media and invite them to write an article on your blog.
Partner with a business that complements yours and organize a fun campaign together.
Boost your social media by organizing mini-contests or posting creative videos.
Pay a bit more attention to optimizing your website for search engines (SEO).
Analyze and Optimize
Preparing your business for the holiday season in advance gives you time to optimize the development of planned actions as they unfold. Tools like Google Analytics and Facebook Insights will provide insight into how your content is performing. Since you're a genius and prepared everything in advance, you'll have plenty of time to experiment and improve.
Implement subtle changes on your website from time to time, try different types of social media posts, or promote a different coupon, and observe which action resonates best with buyers. Act accordingly to enhance your strategies.
As 2023 comes to a close, paving the way for 2024, let's express gratitude for our lessons and approach the new year with the best of energy. It's crucial to understand that, as Peter Drucker said, "the only constant is change."
Happy Holidays to each and every one of you!
Wishes from the CKS Study Team, Communication Marketing & Design
