Christmas is everyone’s favorite
time of the year. People spend quality time with their loved ones expressing
their gratitude to all the wonderful things of this world. The season also sums
up all we have done in the year. This begs the question for all businesses
around the holidays. The question is how do businesses channel the emotions and
holiday spirit of the consumers to sell as much products or services as possible.
For consumers, it may be a time
to relax with their families going shopping or eating out but for businesses,
it is the busiest time of the year. So much so, that 80 percent of revenue is
generated in 20 percent of the year which usually kicks off just before
Halloween all the way to New Year’s Eve. All the events in between this time
period consist of targeted real-time marketing for Christmas.
Retail stores and restaurant
owners devise multiple Christmas promotions during the holidays. Since the
season is busier than the whole year, they also have to dedicate a lot of man
power and financial resources to manage operations efficiently. For instance,
people prefer to dine out more during the holidays nowadays so businesses need
to market the menus and outlets to draw them in at any time during the day.
Moreover, retail sale generated almost $1.3 trillion in 2017 so you can imagine
exactly how important the season is for businesses.
The world has moved on from $5
gift cards and .99 pricing strategies. Now, business have to go the extra mile
as customers look to get as much value as they can with limited spending range.
So here are a few ideas to get you to work and make the most out of the season
ahead.
1.
Seasonal
Products
Seasonal products are a hit in
any part of the world. Special occasions call for special items that do not
normally work all year round but are a must have during the holiday season. For
example, what would you buy during the Christmas season; a simple garden Gnome
or a Santa Claus garden Gnome? A restaurant can offer a “the more the merrier”
limited buffet for all menu items during the month.
2.
Deadline
Promotions and Bonuses
Limited time bonuses add value to
your product deals. They encourage people to think about your offers more
seriously and respond to the call-to-action before the deadline. It makes them
think that this product offers them value which they cannot get unless they act
right away. You probably see this in electronic stores with limited time
products. For example, the limited time Spider man edition PlayStation was
available for hardly 2 weeks before it sold out and the offer expired. You can
add different Christmas themed products or bonuses to your own items. Plus, it
also indicates that your business takes the holiday spirit very seriously.
3.
Christmas
Bundles
Bundles are great during the
holiday season especially when customers are looking to buy gifts to give to
their friends and family. A Christmas gift basket has been around for as long
as we can remember. Just make sure your products are in the basket along with
some Christmas themed items. Hell, add in toys, electronic items that fit or a
nice wine as complimentary items.
4.
Digital
Promotions
During the holidays, people are
not looking to just randomly buy products. They’re looking for inspiration,
motivation, visual attractions and festive promotions. Digital marketing is the
present and future of marketing even though traditional channels might seem
more attractive due to their physical presence. Most people look to get cozy
and shop from home online for their favorite products. This means that your
digital channels must be spot on. These channels include your website, social
media pages, emails and text blast. The
first step is to draw your customers to your website so get some advertising
and SEO going to make sure your website is on the search engine results. Then,
try to engage with customers using these channels sometimes even together. The
biggest perk of doing this is real-time promotion and sale your products based
on daily trends and not general descriptions.