What to take away from holiday season marketing

The holiday season is the most exciting period for any marketer. It provides several unique opportunities for businesses to sell in innovative ways. You can’t help but notice how salesmen and retailers effectively convey their messages.

‘This Diwali, save up to 20%’ and even post-holiday season messages like ‘Why stop with Christmas and New Year’s? Enjoy the extended sale’ are eye-catching and can be pursued even though no festivities are going on.

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Savvy business owners know when to hit the bull’s eye all the year round. Here are a few guidelines to take away from this holiday season:

Market your return policy

Though return policies are highlighted during holiday shopping, people generally want to know if products can be returned if something doesn’t work out. Display your return policy prominently to tell customers what they may expect.

Try new angles

See what resonates with customers and then try new angles. Holidays are generally viewed as a time of opportunity. But truth be told, once you find a particular direction, you should try and maximise it throughout the year.

Use key words

Use keywords that have proven to create traffic. Relevance and competitiveness are to be noted here.

Give gifts to your best clients

Giving gifts to your best clients and customers builds a bond. Why play Santa only during Christmas? Be generous to people who deserve it at every instance.

Check where the crowd goes

Use posters and flyers to promote your campaign, especially in shopping areas and where the buzz starts.

Pay attention to variety

During a festive season, it’s smarter to think of your customer base in a global sense. Similarly if you want your business to flourish you need to cater to the needs of multiple people with different tastes.

Feature your speciality well in advance

If you intend to do something out of the box, make sure that you feature it on your blogs and social media channels weeks or even months in advance.

See how it can be measured

Just like how holiday sales are closely monitored to check the return on investment, ensure that all the sales are measurable. Based on the insights you can plan the year that follows.

Create urgency

Your marketing strategies should include time limited offers as well. This encourages customers to buy at the moment.

Teasers always work

Build curiosity amongst your customers to make them expect something great. Messages like “You are sure to fall in love with this…” are sure to keep customers waiting.

Include free delivery

Free delivery and shipping can increase purchase amongst customers especially for online stores. It is also a way to ensure retention.

Whether you run a mom and pop store, an online business, or a B2B company, these are a few ways to promote your business effectively throughout the year. Start planning early for the entire year, to market in a profitable manner.