Now that we’ve made it through Thanksgiving, you know what’s coming next … holiday shopping season. No matter what your business is, the holiday season is just about the most important and lucrative time of year for sales. Are you prepared for it? Do you have a good marketing strategy in place, to help you take advantage of the opportunity? Here are some inbound tips to get you ready for the holidays.
- Send Greetings. It’s always a nice gesture to send holiday greetings to everyone in your database, whether they’re regular customers, leads being nurtured or old customers you haven’t heard from in years. An e-card can be an interesting and unique piece of content marketing. It reminds them of your brand as they begin their holiday shopping, and it shows that you’re thinking of them too. If you’re certain of what holiday a particular customer celebrates (Christmas, Hanukkah, etc.) then include that in the greeting. If not, then just say “Season’s greetings!” or something similar. But include a personal message if you can, to help you connect with people.
- Give Gifts. Particularly for some of your more valued clients, offer some sort of customer appreciation, such as a discount on their next purchase, or some small free gift. Discounts are also important for your leads and newer customers as well. People are already in the shopping spirit, so knowing that they can get your product or service cheaper will help push them toward a sale.
- Make Suggestions. Compile a gift guide with suggestions of products and services that people can give, and who they might give them to. This can be especially useful if you sell something that’s not normally given as a gift, such as home remodeling services. Tell them how and why the things you offer do, in fact, make great gift ideas. Don’t limit yourself to your own products, either. Remember Miracle on 34th St.: the goal is to be helpful and get people what they want and need during the holiday season, rather than just telling them why your products are so great. People will be impressed by this and think better of your brand in the long run.
- Give Something Back. Marketing is great and sales are important, but don’t get too wrapped up in your own profits. Try to give something back to your customers and to the community, without worrying about what the percentage is in it. As mentioned before, discounts and helpful gift guides can be a nice gesture to your customers. You might also think about donating some of your products or profits to charity, or holding your own charity drive to help those less fortunate this season. It’s a great way of showing your customers and the community that you care about more than just profits. And it also feels really good to help others in need.
