Holiday Marketing Strategies Unwrapped: Learn How to Boost Your Business for the Season
We loved seeing everyone on 10/1 at Holiday Marketing Strategies Unwrapped, the second installment of our Small Business Success Series in partnership with the Town of Mount Pleasant!
Jenny Dennis and Caroline Hendry of Trio Solutions, Inc. presented the following tips to help small businesses make the most out of this holiday season.
Get started early!
You’ll notice that larger retailers are starting to push holiday products earlier and earlier- meaning that customers will want to see what you are offering well before the holidays actually begin. Here is a suggested timeline to frame your holiday season:
Pre-Holiday Prep: September - October
Holiday Period: November - December
Post-Holiday: January
To mark the season, create a holiday-specific landing page and take seasonal images with your products.
Update your website, social media, and overall online presence
Claim your Google business page to streamline your online presence and make sure to update your hours of operation to reflect any changes for holiday hours. Also, ensure that your website is mobile-friendly with an easy check out process- keep in mind that 54% of holiday purchases will be made on mobile devices.
Decide what discounts you will offer
Free shipping, holiday specials, and returning customer deals draw attention to your products and services.
Utilize the power of influencer marketing
40% of Gen Z shoppers will use social media to search for holiday gifts, so tap into your networks to create influencer marketing partnerships.
Scrub and segment your email list
Because the holidays are a busy season for retail, this is a great time to ensure that your marketing is reaching its full potential. Filtering your email contact lists can make your analytics more accurate as well.
Use direct mail
Traditional marketing strategies like coupons, holiday cards, event invitations, and postcards are great ways to promote your business.
Try to get your products in a local magazine or online gift guide
This will help broaden your marketing audience.
Take advantage of Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday is the first Saturday after Thanksgiving, which is the perfect time to push your products and services after Black Friday, which is the day before.
Say thank you to loyal customers
This is the season of giving thanks after all! Stand out from the crowd by sending physical or digital thank-you cards to your loyal customers at Thanksgiving instead of during the traditional Christmas/Hanukkah card-giving time. This can help them feel appreciated by you so that your business can be at the front of their minds as they continue to shop.
Resources for further reading:
This Fall 🍁 Shop Small - AMIBA - American Booksellers Association