Expectations are high as the holiday season is around the corner. Usually, businesses wait the whole year for the holiday season, so that they make the most out of the opportunity. In any normal year, it is seen that businesses go overboard to make the holiday season profitable. Tracking recent spending, according to Statista, shoppers spent over $750 billion during the 2020 holiday season. In fact, business owners who don’t take the time to prepare for holiday shoppers may find themselves at a disadvantage. And, in India, there are so many festivals that need different ways of celebration. And, this is taken up enthusiastically by businesses in India year after year.
So, it makes us wonder how 2020’s holiday season will be like as the year comes to a close. It is that time when consumers are looking to end the year on a grand note by purchasing gifts for everyone in their family and friends too; on the other hand, retailers are looking to end the year on a positive note by making up on the sales lost during the rest of the year.
But this year was different from last year too. With the unprecedented pandemic hitting the world, the question that arises is – how to engage and market to pandemic-driven consumers? How is it possible to boost sales during holidays in this pandemic-stricken world? So what will your business do to make sure your products are top-of-mind?
To beat the pandemic woes, here are some ways your business can get a boost to increase holiday sales this season.
• Special offers & discounts: Offer special discounts to your most loyal customers on the items they buy the most. Remember, it usually costs a lot more to acquire brand new customers than to retain the ones! So if you only really reach out to them, make sure it’s during the holiday season.
• Send emails to your customers: Since the new normal is ‘digital’, it will be a good idea for any business to retain email addresses and some basic information on their customer base’s sales history, and then, it’s great to send personalized emails. Personalize the email with a suggestion for an item you think they would like based on their order history, and tell them why. Email segmentation based on your customers’ history or personal details is a powerful tool. This approach ensures your customers that you really do appreciate their loyalty; and it works well for a holiday marketing campaign but is also a great strategy anytime.
• Cross-sell: The months leading up the holidays are a great time to cross-sell; to suggest items that go with the product/services your customers are already purchasing. Depending on their previous purchase, this year, you can suggest a matching item. Like hairdressers can cross-sell a salon-quality shampoo and conditioner. Cross-selling is a great way to add value to the client, and to increase holiday sales.
• Offer free shipping or special deliveries: Don’t hesitate to think out-of-the-box to increase holiday sales. Everyone loves a surprise! What if a premium spa package and a spa kit were delivered with a bouquet of flowers or a box of chocolates? How you craft the customer experience around their purchase can make a big difference in how willing people are to pay for shipping costs or wait longer than they’d have to.
• Send special cards/gifts to current and past customers: Maybe staying in touch and top-of-mind is as simple as wishing your customers a ‘Happy Holiday’ and thanking them for their support! Customers love to know that they are appreciated.
• Be COVID-conscious and plan accordingly: Since COVID had created roadblocks for many businesses, a good amount of rethinking needs to be done. Retarget your existing customers and try to focus on your niche market. Expose your top-selling products/services. Give your website a festive look, and optimize everything for the Mobile media. Leverage user-generated content and plan a targeting content strategy. Create a vibrant social media presence. In fact, all attempts must be made to build a customer base well before the ‘sale’ season.
Ultimately, make sure that you use this opportunity to end the year strong. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted millions of entrepreneurs nationwide, forcing almost all to change how their business operates. While the holiday season is always critical to businesses, the 2021 holiday season is an opportunity to end a tense and challenging year on a high note!!
By taking advantage of the holiday rush, your business can maximize sales before the year-end, plus enter 2022 on a positive note!!
Avtar Madan
Himanshu
Shree Lahiri
