19 November 2018 - Richard Shire
Christmas is a time for family, joy and increased online sales. More and more people are taking to the internet with their Christmas shopping list and if you want to make the most of this festive opportunity then we have some treats in store for you; read this post to open up 9 yuletide marketing ideas to boost your online sales this Christmas.
Snow, Santa, reindeers and perfectly wrapped gifts… can you add a Christmas theme to your branding, either on the products themselves or the marketing materials? Show your customers that you are in the festive spirit and that you have the perfect gifts/ accessories for their perfect Crimbo.
Your email list is a fantastic resource. Everyone on it has shown an interest or bought from you in the past so it is packed full of hot leads. Make sure you tell your subscribers directly about any seasonal offers or products you have and potentially provide exclusive deals to get them as a thank you for being loyal followers.
Black Friday and cyber Monday are the most obvious days to do promotions. Many people save their money and wait in anticipation for these dates with the sole intention of spending. This means you have a captive audience expecting great deals and you can be the business to provide them with what they want.
The process of retargeting is a very successful marketing strategy all year round but it is specifically effective at Christmas time because people spend a lot of time browsing before they buy. You have the power to show paid ads through Facebook or Google to anyone who has visited your website in a set time frame. This means you can remind them about your business, service or specific products before they purchase from another online store. You can also retarget people who have put a product in the shopping cart but not finished the purchase.
There is more to Christmas that overindulgence, it is also a time to show kindness and give to those less fortunate than ourselves. Creating a charity promotion, fundraising event or a simple collection allows you to genuinely help people while additionally raising the profile on your own business at a time when people are looking to spend money.
With so much financial pressure, most people have their eyes open for an opportunity to save money or win prizes. Launch a competition with a valuable prize and watch people flock to your business. It doesn’t have to be complicated, it could be as simple as a raffle or colouring in contest for the kids, it’s the prize that matters more than anything.
We bet you already know your impulse buy products; the low cost goods that people will purchase without thinking too much. At Christmas time these could even be stocking fillers. Place these impulse buys on your website in prominent positions so that they can be easily seen and bought quickly. Once they have added them to the cart, ensure the navigation of your site leads them to other higher value goods. If they have bought one product, they are more likely to buy more (especially if you include a deal on delivery).
Gift cards are big business now so consider if your products or services would work well given as a gift card. For those people who are hard to buy for this is the perfect option allowing them to do their own Christmas shopping but with the proviso it is within your business.
Never underestimate the power of the classic Christmas card. The amount we send has reduced significantly over the years and so you get the opportunity to really stand out. The addresses you have will only be for your current customers which means they are already a hot audience. Include a special discount code to encourage them to take action, get online and start spending with you again.
Here at Aspire Shire we help businesses by building websites that convert all year round. For a free consultation, contact us today.