The holiday season is approaching quickly, and businesses are already bracing for a high volume of customers. (This year, people are predicting a successful holiday shopping season.) Preparing for the consumer influx is an arduous process for many companies, as it involves many steps and moving parts. It's important for enterprises to plan as much in advance as possible for the high-buying season. Here are three steps businesses can take to get ready for the holidays.
1. Make your website a priority.
Companies that run any portion of their business from a website need to make sure that the online pages are ready for the holidays. Prior to the busy season, businesses should address any regular flaws or problems their website encounters frequently. This step requires enterprises to perform any necessary upgrades to the system, including updates to online point-of-sale software. Even a small issue can shut an online store during a prime selling period, resulting in the loss of revenue for businesses.
A company's website needs to be able to make a good first impression on those holiday shoppers on the market for gifts, especially if the business is an online-only enterprise, according to Open Forum. Well-marketed promotions should utilize holiday trends and keywords to attract new consumers to a business's site. Furthermore, the online store should be catered to the busy shopper. A business's website must be fast, processing transactions quickly and in a format optimized for mobile phones for the on-the-go buyer.
2. Beef up social media campaigns.
Similar to preparing a company's website, social media pages should also be changed to reflect the holiday season. This time period is prime for additional marketing and advertising on these platforms. It's crucial to be informative concerning what plans the business has, as well as updating contact and location information.
Business News Daily offers three social media strategies for the holiday season: Native advertising, smart images and campaign segmentation. Companies could reach out to social influencers and associated enterprises to discuss advertising opportunities that mimic the feel of the original site. Businesses should also focus on improving their product image quality for social media around the holiday season. Photos of available items should show the product as part of a lifestyle. Lastly, enterprises should divide their customers based on factors like demographics and purchase history to better target consumers and increase sales.
3. Utilize company loyalty program.
Customers want to see promotions and discounts around the holidays. Although a business will provide sales for all shoppers, enterprises should also use the season to thank and retain loyal consumers, according to Inc. magazine. Businesses should delve into their client lists to send direct mail, personalized emails and invites to customer-appreciation events. Receiving individualized offers prior to the holidays will encourage loyal clients to continue shopping with companies throughout the season.
The holiday season is a time most, if not all, businesses look forward to. The influx of customers, as well as increased profits, can carry a company through particularly difficult selling times. It's critical enterprises prepare for the season as early as possible, utilizing social media campaigns, updating website information and software and rewarding loyal shoppers.