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Although Christmas is still months away, this is the time that every business needs to start thinking about their holiday promotions and campaigns. The holiday season is a great time to capitalize on extra spending and earn bigger sales than you’ll see at any other point in the year. But with every other company trying to do the same thing, how do you set yourself apart? Whether you provide a product or service, whether you’re in the food industry or the entertainment industry, we have some helpful tips on how to implement an effective holiday marketing strategy this year.
Service Businesses
During the season of gifting, it can be hard to find your place in the holiday rush as a service-oriented business. However, there are some key ways to capitalize on the giving season as a company that provides services rather than products. One such way is to offer BOGO promotions or discounted prices. This will get people in the door as they’re enticed by the initial discounts, and if they’re impressed by the service they receive, they could convert into loyal customers and repeat sales all year long.
Offering gift cards that cover one free service experience is also a great way to incorporate yourself into the giving season since holiday shoppers can purchase the service for a loved one as a gift. Discounted follow-ups, free upgrades, and “recommend a friend” programs are also great promotional strategies for earning more sales that can convert into recurring customers.
Whatever strategy you decide to utilize, make it clear that it’s a limited-time promotion that’s only available during the holiday season. Limited-time promotions are more likely to inspire customers to act quickly and take advantage of the opportunity.
Product/Retail Businesses
If you’re a retail or e-commerce business, the holiday season is by far your biggest time of year for sales. It’s an exciting time, but one that requires an abundance of advance planning. With every other retail company launching new products and promotions to capture the holiday shopper’s wallet, you need to find a way to stand out in a crowded sea of businesses.
If you sell your products online, utilize social media, PPC, and SEO to increase your page views and sales conversions during this time of year. Using targeted keywords will help you appear higher in search results, which will maximize your viewership and your income.
Another way to get customers’ attention to create limited edition, seasonal items. Seasonal items create demand because of their limited availability. Consumers feel pressured to purchase more impulsively if they know that there’s a chance the product will be unavailable to them later. This impulse purchase factor means that it will be easier to convert sales – and it allows you to convert them at a higher price point.
Entertainment & Event Businesses
The holiday season comes second only to summertime when it comes to events. From carnivals to concerts and Christmas markets, there’s no shortage of fun events to attend around Christmastime. If you host events or entertainment specials, you can take advantage of the holiday season to increase your company’s success as well.
If your event is specific to the Christmas season, make sure to get ahead of the competition and advertise your event early. Start promoting your event months beforehand so that you can be one of the first on people’s radar. As people’s social calendars fill up and their bank accounts empty, they’ll be less likely to buy tickets to your event. If you get out ahead of the competition, they’ll be more likely to commit to your event and purchase tickets.
Another great way to attract visitors is to offer discounted tickets, such as season passes. Bundled tickets, 3 for 2 discounts, and season passes are all tactics that will encourage people to purchase and will help your sales increase overall. It will also encourage people to visit multiple times, which benefits you in several ways. Not only does it mean you’ll make more on initial ticket sales, but it will also keep your event looking busy and it will cause people to spend more inside the event, earning you even more money in the long-term as they continue to visit throughout the season.
If you’re a business looking to capitalize on the holiday season, but you’re not sure how to get started, let IDG Advertising help! We have an expert team of SEO analysts, copywriters, designers, web developers, and more that are all ready to help you succeed. Give us a call today at (714) 221-4377 for more information about our services and pricing.
