Believe it or not, the 2021 holiday season is just around the corner. It’s a busy yet opportunistic time for businesses to boost sales before the end of the year. As many companies are still trying to recover from the global health and economic crisis, the competition will be more challenging than ever before. Those that wish to come out on top will have to find creative ways to stand out and accommodate the needs of their target audiences.
If you’re a business owner concerned about boosting sales this holiday season, perhaps these suggestions will come in handy.
Traditional Marketing
Between the increased use of cookies and analytical software to track consumer behavior and the recent reports of data breaches, many consumers are becoming leary of digital marketing practices and online platforms. They’re being bombarded with advertisements on everything from their television screens to their social media newsfeeds. If you’re going to get recognized and rebuild trust with your target audience, you’ll need to go back to the basics by incorporating traditional marketing methods.
Take OOH advertising, for instance. What is OOH marketing? It’s outdoor or out-of-home marketing concepts like the use of flyers, billboards, transit signs, and more. By placing advertisements for your products and services in public places, you increase your exposure and attract your target audience without having to collect any information at all.
Price Products And Services Competitively
Consumers love to save money, particularly around the holidays. If you want to attract more customers and boost sales, you need to find ways to pass savings down to your target audience. Review sales reports from previous years to see which products or services were most popular. Then evaluate competitors’ price ranges in your industry or service area to see how much they charge.
Based on this information, determine whether you can match or beat their offers to bring in more business. If you can’t afford to lower your prices, another option would be to provide a pricing incentive for customers. If a customer buys a product or service from you that is cheaper elsewhere; you agree to match or beat their price.
Get Creative With Promotions
Having more affordable products or services won’t be enough to boost sales this holiday season. You’ll need to get a bit more creative with your promotional offers. You can offer online customers a discount for milestone purchase amounts like $50 or more. Free shipping promotions are priceless this time of year as well. Brick-and-mortar businesses can give out gift cards for customers that make large purchases. For instance, getting a $10 gift card for every $50 purchase is an attractive promotional offer. Customers can shop for what they need and give gift cards to friends and family as a present. It also works to the company’s advantage because they encourage larger purchases and get new business when recipients come and spend their gift cards.
Convenient, Stress-Free Experiences
The holiday season is stressful for the average person, both mentally and financially. As a business, finding ways to provide a convenient, stress-free experience can ultimately boost sales. So, ask yourself, how can you make your target audience’s shopping experience pleasurable?
You can offer your products and services online or start a curbside pickup service for customers that don’t like shopping in stores during the busiest season of the year. For customers that are worried about affording gifts this year, you can offer flexible payment plans. Allowing them to break their total balance into 2 or 4 bi-weekly installments reduces their stress and enables them to purchase gifts without breaking the bank.
During one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year, businesses large and small are gearing up to bring in more sales. If you plan to be successful, you’ll need to find creative ways to stand out from the masses. By using traditional marketing methods, pricing your goods competitively, advertising unique promotions, and providing a convenient shopping experience, you can draw in your target audience and end the year on a positive note.
