Want some ideas to get you going? For 2022, consider using these 13 clever holiday marketing techniques!
1. Provide the best possible customer service
Even though it's a happy time of year, the holidays are also known for being stressful, particularly when it comes to shopping for gifts. However, you may reduce customer anxiety by giving them helpful advice on how to enhance their experience.
Consider a grocery store as an example.
To make Christmas cooking even simpler, your business may include content that gives straightforward seasonal recipes. Customers would be encouraged to buy more food from your store by this material, which would also provide them useful information.
You should concentrate on creating content for your company that speaks to both the demands of your customers and your goods or services. Consider how a piece of holiday content will benefit and assist your customers before creating it.
From a commercial standpoint, it's also important to describe how your items could benefit customers. But only if it makes sense should you urge people to have a look at your products. They won't become customers if you push readers to buy your goods or services.
2. Express gratitude to customers
Consumers might take a long time deciding what — and where — they want to spend their money when it comes to buying presents during the holiday season. Thus, even devoted and long-term consumers could purchase elsewhere this holiday season.
You must continue to be top-of-mind if your company wants to draw new and returning customers into your store. A great holiday marketing plan emphasizes thankfulness to keep customers committed and devoted to your business.
Show customers how important they are to your business. While there are several methods to express gratitude to customers, sending an email or a physical card are two simple actions that may encourage customers to do their Christmas shopping with your company.
3. Launch a marketing effort as soon as possible
When it comes to creating their Christmas marketing plan, too many companies put it off.
Before December even arrives, your target market should be considering your company and their Christmas purchasing. Your team must start working on its seasonal marketing plan early, preferably in August or September.
A Christmas marketing initiative might start far in advance of November or December.
While many shoppers choose last-minute purchases, other people search for presents in advance. Send out Christmas marketing and seasonal deals in advance to draw in this population. This strategy will encourage these early buyers to buy your goods.
4. Give away freebies
Even though many shoppers concentrate on buying presents, they are nevertheless drawn to the thought of treating themselves. Because of this, offering a free product or gift with purchase is such a potent holiday marketing tactic in 2018.
Utilizing this tactic, you may encourage customers to spend additional money with your business in addition to purchasing your goods. Offering a complimentary item with a $50 purchase, for instance, motivates customers to make larger purchases. Instead of spending $25 on merchandise, they overspend and spend $50.
If your business is unsure about giving out free gifts, you may make the gift include free delivery.
The holidays are a time of giving, and your customers want to sometimes be the ones getting gifts. When you can, draw attention to unique deals, discounts, and no-cost promotions to boost your sales during this season.
5. Your products on the web
A showroom may be a term you are familiar with. A customer visits a retail showroom to view a product in-person, which might aid them in making a selection. So why not use the Internet to implement this strategy?
Similar to showrooming, webrooming involves presenting your wares online rather than in person. Most of the time, a webroom enables customers to examine a product from every aspect, giving them the full experience of a physical showroom online.
It's a potent Christmas marketing technique, particularly for pricey products.
You need to get started as soon as possible if your business is interested in building a webroom for your items. Professional photographers and a development team are needed to build a webroom. This might take a few months of effort, depending on the size of your product range.
6. The results of embracing email marketing take a few months of effort
Your target market is always on the move throughout the hectic holiday season. Your ideal customer is busy running errands or finishing up their Christmas shopping, so they don't have much time for phone conversations, in-person interactions, or snail mail.
However, you can be sure that your target audience is checking their email.
Shoppers get a range of offers from companies during the Christmas season. Customers commonly check their email because of this throughout the busy Christmas shopping season. Email may help people save money in their quest to get the greatest offer.
During the holidays, pay special attention to engaging your readers. Send emails to your subscribers highlighting your deals, promotions, and seasonal product line. By educating and energizing customers, a straightforward email may go a long way toward increasing sales.
7. Encourage conversation
You have several channels to engage your audience, including your website, blog, and social media profiles. While your business may concentrate on engaging with customers during the Christmas season, it's crucial to do so all year long.
For instance, you may post a question on Instagram asking your followers what they are most looking forward to this Christmas season. After that, your staff may react to user comments with individualized remarks that users will remember.
Your team must reply to both good and negative comments, regardless of when you engage with your followers. If a person tweets anything unfavorable and your business doesn't respond, other followers and clients will take offense.
8. Apply hashtags
You won't want to pass up the chance to connect with potential customers and influence existing ones on these platforms given that 81 percent of consumers have a social media presence. Make sure to optimize your social media marketing for the holidays if you currently do so.
How can you use social media as part of your holiday marketing plan?
Utilize hashtags on websites like Twitter and Instagram. On Facebook, you can use hashtags, but they're not as common or beneficial there. You should only use hashtags on sites that benefit from them, for this reason.
You may let people know about your specials and promotions by using hashtags. By creating a hashtag that customers may use when sharing a picture or status about your product, you can also promote user-generated content.
Additionally, hashtags are simple to recall, which helps potential customers remember the name of your business. You may attract new customers this holiday season who are shopping for the ideal present by using the correct hashtags.
Follow your industry's specific buying patterns for the greatest outcomes. What seems to be the top Christmas wish among your customers this year? To increase discussion about your company on Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms, use hashtags.
9. Make holiday advertisements
You may use this holiday marketing plan depending on your business and items.
If you're spending money on pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, you should concentrate on developing advertisements that have a seasonal theme in the ad language or the actual ad. To accentuate the festive season, your ad content can read, "Get the ideal present this season."
This approach may also be used to your content.
You may, for instance, write a number of blog pieces or social media status updates with a Christmas theme. A company may start a "Elf on the Shelf" series for their social media, while a supermarket might use their blog to feature dishes and decorations.
10. Retargeting clients
A startling 96% of visitors will abandon a website before completing a transaction. This indicates that just four out of every 100 visitors to your website make a purchase. However, you may alter that using email marketing and a remarketing ad campaign.
You may send a follow-up email to a customer who submits their email but doesn't complete the purchase, for instance. This email serves as a reminder to the reader that there is still an item in their shopping cart, which may persuade them to finish their transaction.
A remarketing ad campaign, in contrast, focuses on visitors to your website. But because that's a big audience, you may focus your advertising on a particular product page.
It's essential for your organization to comprehend each user's objectives, regardless of how you remarket your corporation. Try to determine why a person left your website. A consumer may have purchased your goods in certain circumstances, but your website made it almost impossible.
You must thus be mindful of both your marketing plan and the usability of your website.
11. Engage the emotions of the consumer
The holidays elicit a range of feelings, including enthusiasm and nostalgia. A clever holiday marketing plan plays on these feelings, which may persuade people to include your business in their Christmas buying.
Consider giving your content's emotional appeal more thought when you develop your holiday marketing plan. To elicit strong emotions, you might post motivational messages on social media or provide an inside peek at how your business celebrates the holidays.
12. Initiate a video marketing campaign
Since a minute of video is equal to eight million words, video marketing is a ground-breaking approach to Christmas advertising. Video reportedly aids buying decisions for 90% of consumers, which is very advantageous for your business.
In order to deliver your company's message in a manner that encourages visitors to learn more about your business, consider adding a video to your website, emails, or social media pages. Additionally user-friendly, videos make it simple for visitors to discover more about your items and their applications.
Create a YouTube channel for your company if you haven't already so that you may post your films there.
13. Promote your brand
Additionally, it's crucial for your business to market your brand throughout the Christmas season.
When you concentrate on promoting both your brand and your goods, you may make a lasting impact on customers. For instance, if your firm prioritizes creating environmentally friendly items, customers may be more likely to select you over a rival.
If your business provides excellent customer service, you can also leverage it as a USP for your brand. This form of USP not only exemplifies the ideals of your business but also what consumers may anticipate from you as a client.
Give your company's brand presentation more thought before the busy Christmas buying season. Increase your branding efforts to give consumers more of a reason to support your company, particularly as the holidays approach.
Prepared to create a joyous Christmas season?
With sufficient preparation, your team can create a unique Christmas marketing campaign that boosts your seasonal sales. When it comes to marketing your company this holiday season, your firm has a range of alternatives, from providing unique experiences to expressing thanks.
You lack the time to organize a Christmas marketing strategy.
WebFX is useful. We are the go-to option for companies all over the globe because to our more than 25 years of expertise and our team of more than 450 digital marketing specialists. Not to add, we have helped our customers generate more than $3 billion in revenue.
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Salty Red Dog Marketing, LLC is a marketing agency in Red Bank, NJ, Westport, CT, and everywhere in between. We service businesses with marketing strategies, digital marketing, social media, and consultations.
Contact: info@saltyreddogmarketing.com
Phone: NJ: (732) 783-4822 // CT: (203) 429-9671