It’s no secret that
holiday advertising occurs way too soon (in my opinion) every year. However,
from a marketing standpoint, it’s a necessity. Businesses want to get their
products/sales/promotions to the public as early as possible to catch those
early Christmas shoppers and all the shoppers to follow. So what happens when
your business, whoops, didn’t start advertising around Halloween? Fear not! As
Christmas approaches, there are still things you can do to draw customers to
your business for their holiday shopping.
Ken Burke, founder and
CEO of MarketLive, conducted a survey of more than 1,000 consumers that
revealed many “merry methods” for marketers to capture those last minute
holiday shoppers.
First and foremost, keep
in mind the “mobile shopper”. This group of people is, well, just about
everyone. Burke’s study suggests that the accessibility of a company’s website
directly correlates to consumers’ perceptions of their business. Twenty-eight
percent of those surveyed said the quality of their experience on a company’s
mobile site always causes them to
consider purchasing from that specific retailer while 53% responded “somewhat”
or “very influential” to the same question. Tools such as the search bar and
store locator should be easy to use as they are the most frequently used
features by consumers. Lastly, it is imperative that businesses understand that
mobile users and desktop users do not have the same motivation while online
shopping. Burke says it well, “everybody thinks [they] have to provide the
exact same experience [as on a desktop] going forward, but the mobile customer
actually has different needs.”
Continuing with mobile
site opportunities, make sure these sites enable customers with enough
information that they can make purchase decisions while in-store. While
customers are in-store, there’s a good chance their smartphone is in-hand.
According to the study, 63% of customers are likely (or somewhat likely) to use
their smartphone in-store to access promotional codes while 54% of surveyed
respondents are likely (or somewhat likely) to look up product ratings and
reviews.
Businesses should offer
Wi-Fi to their customers in-store to provide them with a better and happier
shopping experience.
Maybe your business left
a sour taste in some customers’ mouths after last holiday season, no worries,
make amends! It’s not too late to gain back the trust of a customer; it just
takes a little effort. Try sending personalized emails apologizing and offering
a “special” deal for this holiday season.
The bigger the better,
right? Wrong. Burke suggests that retailers shy away from heavy discounts.
Instead, focus on customer service, convenience, reliability, and product
availability. His study shows that having products in stock and having guaranteed
online delivery always leads to
online purchases for 62% and 52% of respondents, respectively.
E-mail marketing is
proven to still be effective; yes, even in 2015. In fact, “55% of respondents
say they are highly likely to take advantage of retail emails revealing new
products or personalized product recommendations”. However, be careful to not
over-email. Burke says, “Make sure that when the consumer opens the email that
there’s a benefit… It could be a discount; it could be content; it could be something
that’s meaningful and relevant to them”.
With that being said,
segment your messages. Tailor messages to specific people. I, a 23 year old
female, have no interest in receiving offers/promotions/advertisements for
football gear or the newest most gruesome video game. Make sure relevant emails
go to each customer.
As the popularity of
social media becomes more and more popular, it would be easy to rely too
heavily on the medium. Burke suggests keeping social media as a channel for
inspiration and education. Show consumers new products, gift ideas, and sale
announcements, but don’t expect many sales to come from social advertising
alone.
Now, after you’ve done
all these last minute tricks to boost your holiday sales, begin preparing for
next year so you’re not stuck in the same last minute bustle. Happy Holidays J
No comments:
Post a Comment