E-commerce holiday sales are expected to increase by 16.6 percent this year, which has business owners and marketers alike pumped to make the most of the holiday shopping season. As we roll into the month of November, you should be thinking of a marketing campaign that will bring in new customers and boost sales as Q4 comes to a close. Below are the best practices for your 2014 holiday marketing campaign.
Make it Personal and Distinct
How does something go viral? It must be unique, evoke emotion and resonate on an individual level. You can be funny, serious or heartwarming, but make sure that you personalize the user experience and arm everyone with a unique piece of content they want to share. If you had a great campaign from last year, don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself while keeping the original idea intact.
Think Outside the Computer
More and more consumers are using their mobile devices to research, locate and purchase items without ever opening up their computer. You don’t want to lose out on this portion of the market, so your website should be easy to browse and engage with across multiple devices. In addition to having a responsive design, you may also want to consider building an app that can notify customers of special deals, hot products, free shipping and the ability to build wishlists.
Email is a Great Conversation Starter
You may want a flashy social-mobile-local campaign, but it’s important to give some attention to your email marketing strategy. Consumers are already in the mindset to shop and they are open to ideas. In fact, they’re waiting to hear what you have to offer them. Through email, you can reach out to consumers directly and attach incentives such as free shipping or discounts to boost holiday sales.
Get Your Employees Involved
By the end of the year, many brands have depleted their budget. If you don’t have a huge marketing budget, you don’t have to feel limited to what other big brands are doing. Your employees are the best influencers, and customers will trust what they have to say. Employees can share their top picks for gifts, suggest creative ways to use the products or upload custom images and videos.
The Holidays Are Not Just for Retailers
The holidays seem to be all about retailers, but there is room for other brands to make their mark too. Find a way to connect your service or products to the holiday season, even if it’s not apparent at first. For example, a cloud storage company could offer free storage for keeping holiday photos and short videos to send to relatives, while a marketing company could send out a pack of holiday gift card templates. These ideas work because they tie the company to the holiday season and reinforce their mission of making people’s lives easier.
