Just about a month from now, the biggest holiday shopping weekend of the year will be happening. If your business is relying on this weekend, or even the holidays in general, to generate a good amount of sales, it’s crucial that you have a clear holiday marketing strategy in place.
Keep reading to learn what you should be focusing on.
Offering a Special Deal or Promotion
Most companies will tend to offer some type of promotion to encourage more sales during this time, whether it’s a discount, a bonus when you spend a certain amount of money, a limited offer, or something else. It’s vital that you know what exactly you’ll be offering during this time because all of your marketing initiatives will revolve around it.
Even if you don’t announce what the special will be right away, it’s important that you have it planned so that you can create content that will hype people up.
Optimizing an Ecommerce Site
There’s no doubt that how people shop will be different this year. People won’t be flocking to the stores at midnight like they normally do, not only because of CDC guidelines but also because most people won’t want to be near crowds, which means that having a dependable ecommerce site that’s mobile-friendly is huge.
Can your site support multiple users at once? Is it easy for website visitors to place an order? Does your website clearly communicate the promotions that are happening?
These are all important things to remember, as more and more people are going to turn to online shopping this year. If your website isn’t functioning the way that it needs to, it means that you could lose out on sales.
Ensure everything is in tip-top shape before this big weekend arrives!
Using Social Media
Plan teaser posts that let people know that something exciting is coming for the holidays and encourage them to join your email list (covered below) to learn more. You’ll also want to focus on more holiday-themed topics, such as gift guides, gift giving, etc.–as long as it’s relevant. Don’t corner yourself into just one social media platform–use all of the platforms that you have to increase awareness.
When you officially announce your promotion, hit it hard on social media! Never feel like you’re being too “pushy”–people need to see things multiple times before they act upon it. You may even want to consider running ads to help bring awareness to the offering so that people can instantly take advantage of it.
Sending Emails to Your List
Get people on your list and nurture them with newsletters! The best way to grow your list is to offer them some type of incentive–a coupon code, a free resource, an offer, etc. Let them know that they will be the first to know about any promotion by joining your list. When you officially start your promotion, you’ll want to consistently let your subscribers know about it.
Don’t shy away from sending multiple emails within the span of one weekend, either–people are going to be swarmed with messages over those few days, so you want to make sure that they see your messages, too!
Taking Advantage of PR
Gift guide season is here! Find ways to get your product or service included in applicable gift guides created by bloggers, influencers, publications, etc. so that you have the opportunity to reach a much wider audience. Backlinks do wonders for SEO, too.
If you’re unsure of where to begin, HARO is an excellent source for finding these PR opportunities and pitching your product or service. A quick Google search can also help you to find what you may be looking for.
Although these are just a few items to keep in mind, there are truthfully many more avenues you can consider with holiday marketing as well, but it all depends on your time and budget. I tend to recommend these ones because they’re quick and easy yet effective.
Have any questions about your holiday marketing strategy? Let us know below–but here’s to a successful holiday season!
