Happy Tuesday retail minded friends. Now that summer is officially over, we are entering a new exciting part of the year. Everyone knows the second half of the year is dedicated to many of our favorite holiday such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Now I know it may seem a little early to be discussing these holidays, but as a product manufacturer or small business owner, it is never too early to started devising a marketing strategy which truly takes advantage of the holiday season up ahead. As you may already know, it takes weeks and even months of preparation before a marketing plan can be put into action, so even though late September seems a little on the early side, it is definitely better to be safe than sorry. It gives you time to perfect a marketing strategy which will maximize your profit during the highly opportunistic holiday season.
At Retailbound, we have drafted a couple of tips which we deem most important to take into consideration during the holiday season.
1. Offer a Promotion
Naturally, during the holiday season, consumers are far more likely to purchase a product, but to ensure increased units sold, it will help to offer some sort of special discount or promotion. By doing this, consumers are offered another motivation to purchase your product with 1. it being the holiday season and 2. yours being discounted. If you have an email database whom you send out a newsletter to or special promotions, be sure to send an email out informing your customers/followers of this promotion. Promote your limited offer on social media as well for maximal reach!
2. Get the Timing Right
You must be careful when you begin and end your promo. By starting it too late, you may loose your competitive edge against other companies who have already informed the public of a special holiday offer. If it goes too long, consumers may lose the sense of urgency to purchase, which may result in no purchasing at all. It is also important to remember that many consumers do their purchasing AFTER the actual holiday has passed, for example, Black Friday after Thanksgiving or those post-Christmas Day markdowns.
3. It is NOT the Time to Skimp on Marketing Expenditures
Have you or your business been considering paying for marketing on the internet, newspapers, or other media forms? The holiday season is a great time to do this! There are a variety of forms in which you can get your product into the minds of holiday shoppers. During the holiday seasons, a very typical online search term is something along the lines of: christmas gift for (insert title here). By listing your products on search engines with holiday related terms, you will increase the exposure of your product. You can also utilize banner advertising and targeting campaigns at people who have recently looked you up, either on your website or via search engines and social media.
4. Stay Inclusive
Make sure that your marketing appeals to all the different holidays that are occurring around this time of the year. Just like http://gradecam.com/grader/test-and-quiz/, which is available to purchase all year round, to help teachers make the work load easier Other features include creating tests/quizzes and marking assignments. Do not limit the availability for services. It can be risky to strictly mention Christmas in your marketing when there are a variety of other holidays occurring at the same time. You do not want to alienate a portion of your audience. By including all the different events occurring around this time of year, you can help boost your brand image by demonstrating to your market cultural awareness.
5. After-holiday Support
Even though you may be offering a sizable discount during the holiday season, it is important that your customer service remains helpful and professional. During the holidays there are a lot of returns, and it is important to be equipped to handle these returns. Remember, the transaction is not always over after the sale. You do not want to make it seem as if you are simply trying to get rid of inventory during the holiday season. Make sure to emphasize that your return policies will remain the same, despite the discounts during this holiday season.
Hopefully you can include some of these marketing strategies into your business this holiday season and experience success!
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