Marketing Strategies for the 2014 Holidays!

Presents2The winter holiday season marks a period dedicated to love, kindness, and the charitable spirit. It is easy for business owners to lose sight of this because it also marks the start of the busiest time of the year for most in the gift industry. There is a season of hard work ahead of you, but if managed correctly, this season has the potential to be extremely rewarding. To help you off to a great start, we have collected a list of proactive marketing ideas that will give your business a signal boost and position you to reach the maximum amount of prospective customers.

Is Your Online Presence Ready for the Holidays?

Online marketing has become the most effective approach to get in front a retail shop’s most loyal customers as well as reaching new ones. With 46.7% of Holiday Shoppers swarming to the internet to jingle up their favorite finds (www.visualistan.com), it is beginning to become more of a necessity for smaller business to compete with bigger brands. New online tools are always emerging and it is becoming much easier to track customer habits and cater to them with a more personal touch.

To help with your online marketing strategies, we have put together some helpful tips and resources that should help make this holiday season your best one yet!

  • Can Your Customers Find You Online?
    In order to build a dominating presence in online search, make sure to claim your business on top local listing sites.  With so many consumers searching for businesses online, now is the time to claim your local listings and make sure they are up to date with the correct information on them.  Also, fill them with relevant information like special hours of operation or location, expanded holiday area of service, and more to improve the chance that consumers find and choose your business.

For more information about local listings, visit:
Local Listings 101: Why They Matter to Your Business

For more information about Local SEO, visit:
10 Item Local SEO Checklist for 2015

  • Look Sharp This Holiday Season
    Now that you are able to be found online and you have all of the correct information throughout local listing sites, take some time dress up your website.  The holiday season is the time you want your business to look extra-sharp!  After costumers find you online, you want to make sure your website is all up-to-date with fresh holiday promotions.  Create nice call-to-action buttons on your landing page, directing users how to save during your holiday sale or how to find that special gift for that special someone.  Don’t forget to remove out-of-date offers and old promotions featured in search ads, landing pages, and on main pages of your website.
  • The Social Shopper
    65% of shoppers tap into social media for that perfect gift.  What actions are you taking to prepare for the social holiday rush?  Use the season to reflect images of the holiday into your social media pages. Switch out your old cover photos with some fun holiday ones and show your customers that you are in the holiday spirit.  Create shareable posts with good information about seasonal offers, and also promotions that you are planning to run.
  • You Got Mail!
    Reach out to your online costumers and start driving traffic back to your e-commerce store, as well as let your loyal local customers know about special holiday events with effective email marketing.  With 91% of consumers checking their email on a daily basis, the holidays present a huge opportunity for email marketers. If you haven’t already started planning your email marketing campaigns, it’s time to get moving!

For more great info on Holiday Email Marketing, visit:
The Complete Guide to Holiday Email Marketing

For a complete Holiday Marketing Calendar, visit:
A Handy Holiday Marketing Calendar

 

Spread Seasonal Cheer (and your brands message) with Holiday Events

Events are your secret weapon to building lasting impressions with your customers and community this holiday season. As a small business, personable events give you an unique medium to position yourself as an category expert that excels in putting an intimate touch on everything your name is attached to; a fresh alternative to the faceless big box chain stores.

  • Throw Special Events:
    Engage your customer’s holiday induced cheerful nature by offering something more than just an opportunity to spend money; offer them a good time! Consider hosting your own special events and invite past customers, along with their friends and your community. Offer fun, stand-alone attractions that are enjoyable by shoppers and non-shoppers alike. The broader your appeal, the more participants you will have; thus the more brand awareness you will build! Call it a “Customer Appreciation Party” or a “Holiday Mixer.” In your advertising, you can mention the event, which can set you apart from other advertisers that only talk about buying. You are offering something to people in return, which can be a competitive advantage.
  • Sponsor Charitable Events:
    Show off your good nature by supporting a good cause and a worthwhile event. Communities are looking to band together during this time and usually need help doing it! For a small contribution, event organizers will allow you to be a sponsor and feature your company’s brand. Set up a demo table to show off or even sell merchandise! Although you may not make a lot of sales, these can be an excellent way to get contact information that allows you to market more directly to potential customers and prospects. Take some time to identify special events in your area, and sponsor a few. It’s a great way to promote awareness of your business. The more visible you are the better!
  • Make Donations:
    Remember that many non-profit organizations use this time of year to host events and raise funds for their causes. So find ways to donate that will promote your business. For example, if a non-profit is hosting an event where there will be a silent auction, consider donating a basket of your products. If a fundraising event is being held, find out how your business can be listed in the program in return for a monetary donation. You’ll be helping the organization and promoting your business at the same time.

Stand out this holiday season by communicating the value of your business through smart and effective means. Get creative. Think outside the proverbial gift box and make this holiday season the most engaging and profitable one yet!

Comments are closed.