All year round, you work hard to keep your business afloat. You’ve done all the correct things so far, but now it’s time for the most important part of your business: holiday sales! But how do you get people in the door? How do you encourage them to buy?
The holidays are an enchanting time for everyone, but they can also be incredibly stressful if you don’t plan everything beforehand. With all of the stress that comes with running a business, it can be easy to forget some simple tricks that will help your sales skyrocket in just a few short weeks.
If you want to skip ahead of your competition and ensure your success, there are several little tricks that will help boost your holiday sales without breaking the bank or taking up too much time. Well, fear not because we have just what the doctor ordered. Here are a few clever ideas to get started:
Offer holiday specials for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and throughout December.
When it comes to holiday shopping, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the busiest days of the year. Buyers will be looking for amazing deals so this is your chance to go above and beyond what you would usually offer your customers.
It can be really tempting to wait until Black Friday hits to run your sales specials but it’s even more tempting if those specials aren’t good enough. Think about what you can do that will really get people excited and then work backward to create a plan for the entire holiday season. Try having three different events throughout December, each with its own unique sale items, discounts, and special offers.
Be creative and include new products you’ve been meaning to launch.
The more offers you can make, the more invested your customers will feel in your business. The easiest way to get them hyped for the holiday is by making sure they know about all of the amazing deals you’re offering throughout December.
People are always looking for new products and services so why not try releasing one just in time for the holiday season? You’ll be surprised at how swiftly a new product can take off.
By including something like a new line of products, you’ll give your customers something to look forward to. Simply saying “we’ve got a surprise up our sleeves, make sure you come back in December!” will give your customers something to get pumped about.
Add some holiday cheer by adding festive music or decorations to your storefront or website.
The holiday season is about spending time with loved ones so there’s no better time to show off your family photos or kid’s Christmas cards than throughout this season. Showing your customers who you really are will go a long way towards boosting their confidence in your business.
And who doesn’t love holiday music? Whether it’s a holiday jingle or a song from their favorite Christmas movie, adding some festive tunes will go a long way towards creating the perfect holiday experience.
Make sure you take the time to update the look and feel of your website before Christmas rolls around. This is a great way to use your product images, videos, and layouts but give them a festive look for the holidays. If you have no time to prepare, you may look for free video resources online that can help you quickly update the look of your website.
Use social media channels to market your products and services.
Social media is easier than ever to access and that means you should be making the most of it this year. With solely a few clicks, you can create your own marketing campaigns and easily target different demographics. Use social media to share deals, specials, and even your personal photos for a more human touch.
Some of the most popular companies use Facebook and Twitter all year round but they also make sure to announce upcoming deals on their pages, too. Make certain you take the time to really interact with new customers on these sites. It can be a great way to get people engaged with your brand and to make sure they know exactly what holiday events you’re holding.
Offer a discount on your products to give customers an incentive to buy now.
Some of the busiest shopping days aren’t just during this time of year. Many people are looking for deals all year long so by offering a discount on your products you can help encourage buyers to spend their money now instead of waiting until they have more cash. That way, they can take advantage of your special sales event and still get a great deal on something they can use.
If you’re unquestionably good at what you do, people will be willing to spend their entire holiday budget on your products and services. Most customers are just trying to find the best deals out there, but if you can persuade them that your business is worth more than any other, they won’t resist.
Offer free shipping for orders over $100 (or any other amount) during the holidays.
This will encourage people to spend a little extra in order to get free shipping. After all, who wouldn’t want to save on their shipping fees? Plus, it gives your customers an incentive to purchase more than what they originally wanted. If you go this trail, be sure to mention the discount early so that buyers know about it well in advance.
People are often delighted when they receive discounts on products just for doing something simple like following your social media pages. You can even advertise these promotions directly to existing customers through email marketing so they don’t need to pay full price in their next purchase.
Have contests on social media where people can win prizes if they share about your business.
You’ll get a lot of new customers if you let them know how easy it is to get free money or prizes by simply sharing about your business on social media. This gives people an incentive to find your page and will encourage them to do so without even thinking twice. You can ask for retweets, pin your giveaway to Pinterest, or even encourage people to create their own coupon code on Facebook.
People love sharing good deals with their friends and family so if you make it easy for them, they’ll share your product information with everyone they know. This is a great way to get more customers who can help boost sales in the long run.
Keep track of inventory and be sure you have enough of what people want.
You should also keep track of which products are selling the fastest and adjust your inventory as you go. This will give you a better concept of what products people want most so that way, they sell out faster and more easily. That way, you can restock your inventory and avoid losing sales simply because you didn’t have enough of an item available.
This is especially essential for online retailers who rely on their websites to make sales. If you happen to run low on some of your most popular items, you can warn buyers about it so they know not to wait until the last minute in case the item doesn’t come back in stock.
Create holiday-specific content that will be relevant to readers at this time of year.
Marketing your brand online is one way to get more customers to notice you, even during the busy holiday season. Create blog posts that talk about gift ideas, fun events around town, or other relevant things for this time of year. You can ask your customers to share your posts on social media, too, in order to get more people interested.
There are a lot of new customers out there right now who will need some information about how to celebrate the holidays. Share recipes, make recommendations for holiday events in your area and answer any questions people might have about these festivities.
Here are some more ideas to help you get started:
- Fun Holiday Activities with the Family
- What to Wear on Christmas Eve or Day
- Holiday gift ideas for friends and family members on a tight budget
- The Best Holiday Movies to Watch
- Holiday Decorating Ideas for Your Home
Add a countdown timer to your website so customers know how much time they have left to order.
This is another good idea for online retailers who rely on their websites to make sales. Simply add a countdown timer somewhere visible so that customers know how much time they have left in order to place an order before the holidays are over. Make sure you advertise this prominently so everyone knows about it when browsing your website, too.
This may seem like a little touch but it can really make a difference in terms of how many sales you get from your online store. Countdowns are a great way to encourage more people to shop and encourage those who are on the fence about making a purchase.
Summing It Up
With the holiday season just about to happen, there is no better time to start thinking about how you’ll maximize your sales this year. Whether it’s through adding a snowman in your store or an engaging social media push, these little tricks will help you make more money and keep customers satisfied.
Be sure you fully understand all of the holiday marketing strategies out there so that you can focus your energy on the ones you know will work for your business. Use these simple tips to get started with holiday marketing and get ready for a successful holiday season.
