It’s November and before you know it, it’s going to be Christmas time again! Christmas is a season of good cheers, good food, good company, and really good shopping. This season, e-commerce entrepreneurs are going to be on their toes making sure that they get some of that holiday shopping money. If you are an e-commerce merchant yourself, now is the right time to start informing your customers of the goods and services you are offering for Christmas. Make no mistake about it, competition is bound to be stiff and you will need all the advantages that you can get.
One of the ways to reach out to your customers is through e-mail marketing. This strategy is widely used by e-commerce merchants and as the busy holiday shopping season approaches, there is an unofficial race to your subscriber’s inbox. Martin Lieberman, from the blog Constant Contact, gives e-commerce merchants some e-mail marketing tips to help you stand out in an inbox full of marketing mails.
1. Give them specific gift ideas. Instead of just featuring a random item for the week, Lieberman suggests featuring a special item for a particular person. For example, this week is dad week, next week is sister week and so on and so forth. The author added that though this may not result in immediate sales, your customers will at least now know which e-commerce merchant to go to when they need something for that particular person.
2. Give them gift wrapping tips. Gifts need to be wrapped and it can be tricky at times. Unfortunately, not all gifts fit in an easy-to-wrap square box. Give your customers some extra service with how-to’s on wrapping presents, especially the awkward-sized ones. Lieberman adds that this little act of customer service can be that deciding factor that will turn your customer from a potential to an actual.
3. Give them convenience. Holiday gift shopping can be a hassle at times, especially when there’s one too many names on your gift list. Give your customers the option of “grab-and-go”, budget-friendly gifts. This can help customers ease the burden of shopping for so many gifts.
4. Invite them to your events if you have any. This is the perfect opportunity to promote any events you might have since the holidays can get pretty hectic. Don’t forget to include pertinent details such as date, time, and of course, where the event will take place. Lieberman also suggests telling your customers the benefits of attending your event so they will have a reason to put it in their calendars.
5. Invite them to support your cause. If you are supporting a charity, Lieberman says you can “invite” your customers to share your cause. Explain why you are supporting it and how they can help by purchasing your goods or services. Aside from shopping, holidays also bring out the best in people.