Tips For Small Business Success this Holiday Season

For many businesses, the holiday season is the most profitable time of year therefore it can be the most exciting and stressful time for your business. This year is no exception. The success earlier this year from Amazon’s Prime Day reveals that with the current economic situation, many consumers are waiting until the holiday season to buy because they are looking for a good deal. If you haven’t started planning your holiday campaigns (which we recommend you start at least 3 months in advance), here are some tips to help you get started, so you can thrive this holiday season.

Tip 1: Set Goals - You can’t create a holiday campaign without knowing what results you want to see. This is more than just revenue goals, even though that’s always top priority. Do you want to see a higher influx of sales for a certain product? Are you looking to gain more social media followers? Are you trying to increase customer loyalty? By defining goals like these, you can then create a strategy that corresponds with your goals. Each goal should build off of the one prior to it. 

Tip 2: Work with influencers in your niche - Influencer marketing is a great way to generate positive word-of-mouth, expand your reach, and acquire new customers. People feel connected and trust their favorite influencers because they see them every day, they’ve already built trust. Many people are more likely to trust your business if the recommendation is coming from someone they know like their favorite social media personality. Think about the times you’ve bought something because your favorite influencer raved about it. 

Note: when selecting influencers to work with, don’t only pay attention to their content. Look at their engagement, WHO is commenting on their posts, and whether their audience would actually be interested in the product you’re planning on sending them. 

Tip 3: Create a holiday gift guide - Gift guides can be a useful resource for your customers who have no idea what to get their loved ones. By creating a gift guide, you give consumers an idea of what to get their loved ones (and not so loved ones) by featuring your products. Take the guesswork out of it and make the customer journey simpler for them. 

Tip 4: Take advantage of your email list - Customers who have purchased from your brand before and subscribe to your emails are more likely to spend more money than new customers because they already own some of your items and have more trust. Make sure you target them when creating email marketing campaigns for the holiday. Start growing your email list as soon as possible to generate leads. 

Tip 5: Create a product bundle - Want to create a deal and ensure that people purchase multiple products from you? Offering a discounted product bundle is a great way to drive up sales during the holiday. We recommend pairing items that are frequently purchased together. Another bundle idea? Make it a gift box so what they receive is literally what they gift. Always simplify the customer experience.

Tip 6: Host a social media contest or giveaway - Contests and giveaways are an easy way to gain new followers and advertise your business during the holiday season. This is also a good way to get people talking and actively getting involved in supporting your business. Make sure you create a contest or giveaway that makes users engage with your social media accounts for a chance to win.  Two things to always require: a follow and a friend tag in the comments. Optional but encouraged may surprise you, ask them to subscribe to your email list! 

Tip 7: Team up with a local charity - It is not called “the season of giving” for no reason. Consumers are becoming more thoughtful with their purchases, especially during the holiday season. Pairing up with a charity is an effective way to show your company’s values and demonstrate that your business isn’t only focused on maximizing profits. 

Tip 8: Create a landing page or pop-up for holiday promotions - You don’t want to miss out on profits because your customers didn’t know you had a holiday promotion. Make sure you have your holiday promotions clearly listed on each e-commerce platform your business is on.