During the holiday season, many small businesses often ask about what type of marketing strategies are best? How can your small business increase your sales during the holidays?
1. Increase Your Online Presence
During the holidays, it is often a great time to make your online store look seasonal. Think about how your online store could stand out. You can hire someone on Fiverr to create a holiday logo cheaply just by adding a snowman to your logo or a little mistletoe.
Even if you own a construction business or a plumbing business, make your online store look seasonal. A small amount of holiday cheer goes a long way. Show your customers that you are in the holiday spirit. It can also show them if you are offering a holiday gift or special.
Also, think about increasing your social media presence. Now is the time to show off your business on your social media site. How are your employees getting ready for the holidays? Show your holiday parties, your employees, and what you are doing to serve your customers better.
Ask questions to start conversations on your social media pages. For instance, ask them what they are most excited about for the holidays. Respond to the comments so that potential customers will see how friendly your staff is. Additionally, use hashtags and review other social media marketing strategies.
2. Offer Discounts and Holiday Specials
If you sell products, you could offer free shipping or include a small product for free if they make a minimum purchase. For a service business, include an extra service for free or at a discount. It is a great time to optimize your ad campaigns. Think about using seasonal keywords on all your posts to help your business show up in search results. Tailor your ads to your target customer that you defined on your business plan.
For example, if you are a janitorial business, you could market a special holiday cleaning price. Advertise what services are included for that cleaning. Use keywords like “Christmas cleaning special” or “holiday cleaning” in your online advertisement. You want to show up in search results if you are offering those specials.
Additionally, how can you help your customers be prepared for the holidays? Can you take something off of your customer’s to-do list? Holidays can be stressful for people, so think of strategies to ease your customer’s stress.
3. Increase Your Charitable Giving
A great holiday marketing strategy is to increase your charitable giving. Are you involved with a food bank during the holidays, or do you help homeless veterans? Whichever your preferred charity, think about posting on your social media and website. If you are going to donate a percentage of your sales to charity, you can post about that on your advertisements.
If you are not sure how to get started with a charity, think about your personal passion. Also, you could align your business mission with a charity. For example, if you use environmentally friendly products when cleaning, find a nonprofit that aligns with your products such as one that works on climate change. If you are a technology-based company, you may want to partner with a nonprofit that offers new technology to schools. Your business may want to help the homeless and veterans find jobs.
If you are working with a nonprofit, they can offer marketing opportunities for your business brand. Pay attention to the sponsor benefits that a nonprofit will attach to your contributions. When you begin to work with a nonprofit, negotiate your expectations and the coverage you will get for your business.
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4. Promote and Sell Gift Cards
Many people love to give gift cards and they can also help you attract new customers.
Gift cards are not only for a business that sells products. Gift cards can be used for almost every business. Many people would love to give a house cleaning to their elderly mom or a free mowing to their best friend. There are several ways to create gift cards. You can create regular gift cards, e-gift cards, or gift certificates for your small business. Your small business issuing the card may need to purchase cards from a vendor, a merchant bank, or your point of sale (POS) provider.
Be sure to review your state laws on gift cards. Research any applicable gift card laws in your area. For example, you may not be able to put an expiration date on your gift card.
5. Send Out Holiday Cards
A great holiday marketing strategy is to send out holiday cards with any specials or your new website address. It is a great time to send out mail to your customers. Share your news of your latest special or your partnership with a new charity. If you started a gift card program, note that in your holiday greeting card.
Think about your new approaches and goals for the next year. Is there a change that is coming soon for your business? Send out a personalized New Years Card. Express to them some changes that will benefit them. Maybe your customer service hasn’t been the best this year because of hiring shortages. Write a message to let them know your drive to ensure you will exceed their expectations.
The holidays and the end of the year are the time to thank your customers for their loyalty for the year. You may have special customers that have helped your business grow so consider a small gift for your top customers.
6. Combine Your Best Sellers to Create a Gift Bundle
Do you sell products or services that people seem to like together? For example, if you are a landscaper, could you offer a special holiday bundle package of leaf blowing and bush trimming? Be creative about your gift bundles. Could you bundle with another business that sells a product that would go along with your service?
If you sell products online, it may be easier to bundle gifts as a marketing strategy. You can look at your bestselling products and bundle them together. You can also create a deal every day for the 12 days of Christmas. Promote everything you do on your social media channels. Create Facebook ads as well.
7. Create an After Holiday Special
You don’t have to have a product to create an after-holiday special as a marketing strategy. After the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it is fun to spend gift cards or cash you may have received. Maybe that is when someone wants to try a new housecleaning service. A new business may have established goals for the new year to get a new janitorial service or a new landscaper. Market yourself for the new year.
If you do have inventory, this is a great time to sell off any extra inventory you may have incurred. Consider this time your clean-up time and run sales campaigns for after the holidays.
Also, show off how much you ended up giving to your charity because of your customer’s contributions. Show your appreciation with a free gift or service.
Create Holiday Marketing Strategies That Meet Your Customer’s Needs
To help you stay productive and focused on your marketing strategies, don’t let yourself get stressed trying every marketing strategy you research. Focus on those you can do and what will help you the most. By making your plans early, you will be less stressed.
For many businesses, the holidays can be a busy time. If it isn’t a busy time for your small business, think about what marketing strategies can help you now or later after the holidays. Also, get feedback from surveys or from those you trust. Maybe you never thought about gift cards or gift certificates for your business because you don’t sell a product. But think about those ideas for your service business. What could you do to serve your customers well and provide them with an exceptional service that meets their needs?
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