The holiday season is inching closer, and it's crucial to start prepping a marketing campaign to take advantage of these key dates. Many businesses see a boost in revenue, customer engagement, and even brand loyalty around the holidays, thanks to sales and seasonal exclusives. Consumer spending is at a high, so make the most of the holiday rush by planning a marketing strategy for this year's final quarter. Let's take a closer look at the things you can do from Halloween to New Year's to drive business to your brand.
Start Early and Build Momentum
Starting early is a great way to ensure you're ahead of the competition this year, and October should be your launching-off point. This way, you can build momentum and fine-tune your messaging while preparing your campaign assets across your marketing platforms, from social media to email. This is also a pivotal time to segment your audience so that your brand is at the forefront when it comes time for holiday shopping.
Analyze past years' performance to get an idea of what worked and what needs reworking moving forward, and this will help guide your campaign to build excitement with potential customers. You can even include fun features, like countdown timers, special sneak peeks, or "save the date" promotions closer to key holiday shopping dates, like Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Leverage Social Media for Engagement and Sales
Social media has become even more profitable for brands, thanks to new shopping features in recent years. Utilizing Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest this holiday season is a wonderful way to engage customers with visually engaging and shareable content, and the shopping sections of these platforms also give customers a link to click through and purchase in one easy transaction.
You can also consider running seasonal-themed contests and giveaways to promote user-generated content on these platforms. This helps boost your marketing more organically, interspersed with your marketing campaign and paid ads to increase engagement. Try collaborating with influencers to expand your reach further and generate ideas for holiday purchases and gift recommendations, making the customer experience even more accessible.
Personalize Your Email Marketing
Sending mail directly to your audience's inbox is one of the most effective strategies this holiday season. Personalizing this messaging is essential, so segment your email list based on past purchasing behavior, geographic location, and demographic data for a more targeted experience that will resonate with each individual customer.
You can also get creative with your email campaigns, making them holiday-themed with exclusive discounts, limited-time offers, or flash sales to create a sense of urgency. Now is also a great time to incorporate abandoned cart emails and use visually appealing graphics, content, and designs for the holiday season, including gift guides and CTAs for your best seasonal deals.
Optimize for Mobile Shoppers
Did you know that more than half of holiday shoppers make purchases on their mobile devices? You could be missing out on a key demographic when you don't optimize your digital marketing campaigns for mobile.
Many shoppers are looking for an easy and quick shopping experience from their phones this busy holiday season. Double-checking that your website, landing pages, and checkout process aren't causing slow loading times, confusing navigation, or any issues at checkout will give your customers a more seamless experience and your business with higher sales and satisfaction rates.
Offer Flexible Payment and Shipping Options
To encourage more conversions, consider flexible payment options like Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services to give your brand a competitive edge. Many retail stores offer layaway during the holiday season, so this is a great chance to compete with other retailers in the same space. You can also try complimentary or discounted shipping rates with a clear deadline so customers know to act fast while attracting customers with the promise of a budget-friendly, flexible shopping experience.
Create a Sense of Urgency and Exclusivity
Nothing encourages sales like the fear of missing out or FOMO, and holiday shoppers are sure to respond to countdown timers, limited-time offers, or even low-stock notifications of their favorite items. These reminders can help push consumers to act more quickly, especially if your business offers exclusive discounts or early access to new products and savings to loyal customers. This boosts loyalty and repeat purchases, which is perfect for any marketing campaign.
Driving Holiday Shoppers to Your Business This Season
With the right strategy, your brand can capitalize on the holiday season’s heightened shopping activity and deliver impressive results. We understand the holiday season can be busy for shoppers and businesses alike, so Sales & Marketing Technologies is here to help. Our personalized marketing strategies can enhance your website, digital marketing, and so much more for higher sales, conversions, and engagement. To learn more, schedule a free consultation with us today!