Posted: 11th May 2015
If you run a gift or retail business, what sorts of things should you be thinking about in preparation for Christmas?
Start by thinking about your Christmas objectives. What do you want to sell? What are your bestsellers and what will you focus on this year? What lessons did you learn from last year and what resource do you have to throw at this?
How do you need to adapt your tone of voice to the Christmas market? If you sell Pashminas you’re probably selling to women most of the year, but come Christmas you’ll be selling to men. What do they need to know about how your product will make the perfect gift?
When will you start your Christmas campaign and what collateral do you need? Consider a microsite or adapting the design of your homepage to attract the Christmas shoppers. And don’t overlook the importance of printed literature. E-marketing makes promoting your product or service much simpler, but add a catalogue into the mix and you’ll see your success rate shoot through the roof – by up to 40%.
Plan ahead – all of this takes time. And a lot of it. Get planning now while you still have time, because as soon as the children go back to school Christmas will be in the air.
Bear in mind that pay per click search terms can cost you a more during the Christmas season as certain keywords become more competitive so try and come up with creative ways to promote your business. Consider improving the content of your site to attract and retain visitors.
Email marketing is going to be essential in maximising your chances of success – and now is the time to start building your list. Pop-ups offering incentives to visitors who leave your their email and first name are a great way to add quality data to your list – especially if you offer money off a first purchase and ask them to double-opt in.
And finally plan some tactical campaigns to add into your strategic marketing mix. Don’t stop doing the brand awareness marketing you’re already doing, but think as well about how you can promote your Christmas offering. All of this takes time, but it will be worth it.
More fantastic marketing and merchandising information from Fiona Humberstone at Flourish
