As the holidays come into focus, this is your opportunity to end the year on an up note. However, to be successful, you’ll probably need to throw out your old playbook, or at least run a few new plays as you drive toward the end zone.
Ghosts of Christmas Past
In the new shopping environment, the usual tactics — circulars, in-store events, and doorbusters — may not work this year. COVID-19 has increased online shopping exponentially. How can you activate your business’s fan base online? And don’t assume that the customers who bought from you last holiday season will buy again this year. Cast a wide net to connect with new customers.
The Multichannel Map
Use multiple marketing channels with a unified message. Create a promotional and messaging map for the holiday season. You have five weeks from Thanksgiving through Christmas, so create a different campaign for each of those weeks. Make promotions simple, easy to understand and appealing, and then blast them through as many channels as possible. This means a coordinated strategy to deploy your promotions in social, search, direct mail, email and in store.
Did we say direct mail? We did. People have been isolated at home for a long time, and that’s increased their attention to their physical mail. If the message is compelling, you can use mailers to drive customers to your website or phone line. For more details on using direct mail, read our previous blog. If you haven’t used pay-per-click advertising before, this could be a good time to try since it can generate immediate results. Be prepared to quickly kill efforts that aren’t working, however, and be ready to pivot with some spare budget to double down on the channels that are converting well for you.
Social Selling
Take full advantage of “free” channels. Although in reality, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter aren’t free; it takes time to create posts and potentially money to maximize their reach, and you should allocate enough budget to promote them. Even a small spend can help reach new customers. And millennial status doesn’t automatically qualify an employee as a social media expert. Your messages should be sharp, well-crafted and targeted to the specific audience of each platform. Professional help can be the difference between a holiday season that’s meh and magnificent.
Good Bait
You need a desirable offer for each promotion. Consider BOGOs, free gifts with purchase or exclusive holiday merchandise. Maybe this is the perfect time to launch a loyalty program with rewards. Think like a customer who sees piles of promotions. Yours should stand out from the crowd.
Black Friday All Season
Home Depot is extending its Black Friday deals from Thanksgiving all the way to Christmas with new deals released daily. They’re using the offers to push consumers to sign up for their mobile app, where they will announce the deals first. There’s nothing stopping you from doing something similar — if you don’t have your own app, have customers sign up for your email list for first dibs on your special holiday offers.
Frictionless Commerce
Be prepared to sell online. If your website isn’t e-commerce ready, get it ready fast. Make sure the user experience is smooth and seamless — and ask for the sale. Implement flexible online payment systems. And make the shopping experience social-distancing friendly by offering free or discounted shipping and curbside delivery. Think about anything that could be a barrier to purchase and eliminate it.
Ask The Experts
If you’ve been the captain of your own ship in the past, this may be the year to bring in some outside help. Kymera is experienced in multichannel marketing campaigns. We have clients in many different segments, so we see what’s working for others. And we can help you track and maximize results. Time is short, so give us a call — we’re here to help.