Prepare For Holiday Promotions

As the holidays quickly approach, it’s time to talk promotions. How do you plan on connecting with your customers this season? Finish the year strong, and start your promotion planning early so you can come out on top in 2016.

Determine Your Holiday Objectives

What are your goals this year? What did you struggle with last year? Pay attention to weak spots, as those areas are likely in need of a little extra TLC. Also, which holidays are you planning on participating in? There are far more than you think, but we’ll get to that later. Once you have determined your holiday promotional goals, it’s time to strategize.

Plan. Plan. Plan.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin

This is where planning early comes in to play. Like our good friend Ben once said, without planning you will fail. That’s why this holiday season it’s important to plan, strategically that is. Like any marketing campaign, have your promotions coincide with each holiday. There are always the obvious shopping holidays such as, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday that you should certainly take advantage of. Additionally, there may be some other holidays out there that are a little less well known. For example, ever thought to run a sales promotion for Green Monday on December 9th? What about for Free Shipping Day on December 22^nd? I know what you’re thinking, yes these both exist. Basically, if the holiday fits with your business model, take advantage of this new opportunity and start planning now, before it’s too late. The holidays are a busy time for everyone, so now is the time to get organized for your upcoming promotions.

Think Like Your Customers

In order to make the lives of your customers’ easier, it helps to think like one. Ease them through the stress of the holidays by implementing holiday promotions that will fit their needs. For example, focus on discounting big selling items, or offering a percentage off of the total price spent. These promotions are sure to be appreciated, because they are applicable to a wide range of customers.

One thing to note, do not neglect your existing customers. Meaning, acknowledge that they have taken advantage of a previous Black Friday deal. Don’t disrespect them by discounting the same product more than it already was after the original sale. Keep those special, once-a-year sales exactly that, special.

What About Freebies?

Everyone loves the word Free. Free giveaways are not only a great way to collect leads, but it has the ability to create product awareness for next to nothing. Incorporate free giveaways into your strategy. In order to free up your time, use a vendor like Rafflecopter  or Viralsweep. Both of these tools have your customers perform tasks such as “like” Facebook pages, or “follow” a Twitter account in order to be entered into a specific contest. In addition, they facilitate with selecting a winner and rewarding the winner accordingly, saving you from a potentially daunting, time-sucking process.

Be Authentic

When it comes to generic sales promotions, things can get a little dry. At this time of year where everyone is promoting their products for the holidays, it’s especially important to do what any marketer should do, and that’s achieving authenticity. Brainstorm and make the ordinary, extraordinary. The more unique and engaging your content is, the more likely people will remember your business. For example, REI is making a huge PR splash with their #OptOutside campaign. For those of you who are unfamiliar, REI is closing their stores for Black Friday this year. Essentially they have chosen a very creative way to get everyone’s attention, and they may even get more sales because of it. Most importantly, do what fits best with your business. REI’s plan may work for them, but it’s certainly not made for everyone.

About Bigfin.com

Bigfin.com LLC is an industry leader in online advertising, SEO and custom web design. Our holiday promotional services include optimized Micro-Targeted Ads with built in retargeting technology, e-commerce web designs, as well as social media advertising on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn and other social outlets. Looking for mobile website solutions or help with search engine marketing? Contact us online or by phone at (425)822-8200.