The Holidays are fast approaching and before you know it, Christmas shoppers will be flocking your store (whether it is online or offline). While the Holidays do mean a significant increase in sales, it does not mean that you should rest on your laurels. Times are hard and customers will definitely be choosy on where to spend their money. As an e-commerce merchant, this is your opportunity to present your product and services by incorporating some clever marketing ideas.
1. Start now. According to Internet marketing firm, Responsys, some major brands and companies tend to start their Holiday marketing campaigns as early as 69 days before Christmas. Learn from the industry bigwigs and start working on your campaigns now. This will give you an advantage during the “gift idea” phase of Holiday shopping. The start of your campaign need not be fancy. You can begin by sending an e-mail to your network. The important thing is to start as early as now.
2. Go to Amazon. Amazon.com is a prime e-commerce space because it features a wide range of sellers. There are millions of people around the world who go to Amazon to shop so this is also a perfect place for you to set up shop. There are two ways for you to utilize Amazon. First, you can place a pay-per-click ad on specific categories and product pages. Second, you can sell products directly. To get maximum bang for your buck, go for both options.
3. Offer gift cards. According to the National Retail Federation, gift cards have become very popular over the years and it continues to be a “favorite choice” for both givers and receivers. Roggio explains that gift cards are easy to manage on a busy business season and can carry over until after the Holiday shopping season. Many e-commerce platforms have built-in gift card features so it should be easy for you to incorporate it into your campaign. You can also use it as part of a promo to reward a loyal customer or to entice repeat business.
4. Use video marketing. According to Roggio, video is an “excellent e-commerce merchandising tool” and in fact, some published reports say that it can increase conversions by as much as 40%. This is due to the fact that video is a great way to present product features and create a hype for demand. Making videos can be quite tedious so start by making videos for your top ten products.
5. Include a “Gift Ideas” landing page. Consider it a double edged dagger. You help out undecided Holiday shoppers and at the same time, you advertise your business. Make it creative and specific (e.g. “Ten Cool Gifts For Tweens” or “Five Gift Ideas For Your In-Laws). Of course, support this landing pages with Internet marketing campaigns to drive traffic.
