Can you believe the holiday season is already upon us? If your business doesn’t have a holiday marketing strategy in place yet, it’s time to start developing your plan…now!
The 2020 holiday season will look a bit different compared to past years. Since people have been spending more time online due to the pandemic, online marketing will be crucial this year.
A recent Google study shows 71% of US consumers plan to do over half of their shopping online. And 66% of them want to shop more at local small businesses.
When holiday sales surge, so does the competition. Today, online shoppers are careful and smart, so how can you attract consumers and boost your holiday sales?
7 Tips to Boost Your Online Sales During the Holiday Season
1. Provide an Effortless Mobile Experience
Mobile e-commerce has grown at an unprecedented rate in recent years. Since over half of all online shopping is done on smartphones, your website must be optimized for mobile if you want to reach your maximum sales potential.
2. Use Social Media Ads
“The first rule of social media is that everything changes all the time. What won’t change is the community’s desire to network." – social media strategist Kami Huyse.
People spend most of their time online scrolling through social media channels. So, if you want to get noticed, invest in social media ads! Make sure your ads are optimized for mobile and conversion. As people are scrolling, they can stop on your ad and easily convert and purchase your product. Focus your social media budget on the channels where you know your target audience will see them.
In May, Facebook launched an eCommerce storefront, Facebook Shops, to help small businesses expand their eCommerce efforts. Facebook Shops makes it easier for your target audience to discover and shop for the products you offer.
With Facebook Shops, brands can create a mobile-first online store located on your Facebook Business Page and Instagram Profile and is accessible across both channels. You can upload your product catalogs, so Facebook and Instagram users can easily browse to save or order products directly in the app.
3. Include Promotions
Most people have faced significant financial challenges this year, so they’ll be looking for the best deals and incentives. That doesn’t mean you have to slash your prices, though. You can offer discounts on multiple items, a percentage off orders over a certain amount, or a free item when a larger purchase is made.
According to one recent survey, consumers ranked free shipping as a close second after price discounts. Limited-time flash sales with free shipping are a great way to create a sense of urgency and boost sales!
4. Embrace Email Marketing
During the holiday months, consumers are actively looking for the best gift deals they can find. And if they’ve given you their email address, it’s because they want to be notified of your sales and promotions.
To improve your conversion rate, develop targeted messaging for each of your customer segments. Welcome emails have open rates that are four times higher than bulk emails. Since 70% of customers abandon their carts before they complete the purchase, abandoned cart emails create an excellent opportunity to win them back. Make sure that any email you send is designed with mobile-first in mind.
5. Retarget Customers
A shocking 96% of customers leave websites without making a purchase. That means only 4 out of every 100 people who visit your site buy your product or services. In addition to email marketing, a remarketing ad campaign focuses on users that visit your site without making a purchase. It’s critical to find out what made a user leave your site, so pay close attention to your marketing strategy and your website’s usability.
6. Incorporate Customer Testimonials
Customer testimonials have a powerful impact on prospective customers, so use them on your website and in your marketing campaigns, including landing pages and ads.
Studies show that consumers rely on and trust reviews and testimonials now more than ever. Here are some statistics that prove how powerful customer reviews are:
- 92% of consumers read online reviews before purchasing
- 88% of customers say reviews influence their online buying decisions
- 88% of consumers trust online reviews and testimonials as much as recommendations from family and friends
- 97% of B2B customers cited testimonials as the most reliable type of content
7. Appeal to Emotions
Encourage consumers to make your business part of their holiday shopping by igniting holiday emotions from excitement to nostalgia. So, focus on the emotional appeal of your content when you’re creating your holiday marketing campaign. To help evoke powerful feelings, share inspirational messages on social media, or offer a behind-the-scenes look at how your company celebrates the holidays.
Bottom Line
Today’s online shoppers are careful and smart, so use these tips to make genuine efforts to attract them. Not only will you boost your sales during the holiday season, but you’ll also gain new followers and add more loyal customers to your base. Contact us today to learn how Impact Group Marketing can help you achieve these important goals!
For more helpful tips, check out Google’s new holiday hub for small businesses. It’s full of resources you can use to prepare for the busy holiday shopping season. You’ll find personalized recommendations to help you reach consumers across Google Search, Google Shopping, and Google Maps.