It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is a time when hearts are full of cheer and people are busy seeing family, eating merrily and enjoying the company of others.
Christmas can also be a wonderful time for your business, as shoppers look for the perfect gift to give the most important people in their lives. If you’re not prepared for it, though, you can miss out on the opportunity to increase sales and see a business boom during the holidays. There are a few things to keep in mind to make sure your business has as merry a Christmas as your customers:
Offer a Sale
It may seem obvious, but Christmas is a great time to give your customers an extra incentive to buy from you. People feel obligated to do a lot of shopping around the holidays, which can become an unseasonably stressful financial strain. Offering a discount on certain goods will make your customers feel like they got a good deal; they’ll enjoy the holiday savings, and you’ll enjoy the increased business when more customers decide to shop with you.
You can even use your sale to highlight certain big products you want to move. Why not spend each day in a particular week discounting a different item? Making your sale into a full-fledged event will get shoppers excited to buy from you and help you move more of the products you want to sell.
Roll Out Seasonal Products
Many Christmas shoppers really get into the season, and businesses tap into this by offering goods that aren’t available at other times of the year. Rolling out a drink special with eggnog or hot cider, a pine or cranberry scented candle or even a line of fun socks with Santa and his reindeer on them can give people a little taste of holiday spirit that they’ll love. Making products feel exclusive will increase demand for them, as well.
Attract Window Shoppers
One of the things many shoppers enjoy about Christmas is the ability to search for that perfect gift. Many people don’t go into the holiday season with an idea of what they want to give their friends and family members: they find it as the season goes along.
If your business has windows where you can set up a display of any kind, make sure to utilize them. Create a clever holiday scene with some of your products. Set up a Christmas tree, lights or other decorations that will catch the eye of passers-by. Christmastime creates a warm and inviting aesthetic in the minds of many; capitalize on that aesthetic by inviting people in to learn more about what you have to offer.
Let Everyone Know
You can offer great sales on exciting seasonal items, but few customers will bother if they don’t know what you’re offering. Modern marketing tools can be incredibly effective during the Christmas season. Send out an email to your customer base encouraging them to take advantage of certain deals you’re offering. Use social media to highlight your fun seasonal products with creative photos or videos. Embrace the holiday spirit and pass it along to your customers.
Proximity marketing can also be a great way to increase business around the holidays. Let potential customers know what you have to offer through targeted ads aimed at people near your business. It’s hard to ignore a great deal nearby, even if you’ve never been to the store before. Targeting potential customers with ads around the holiday season can expand your customer base, increasing business for you even in the new year.
During the holiday season, don’t let Santa have all the fun. Christmas can be a great time to provide your customers with the gifts they want at prices that won’t break the bank. They’ll get everything they need, and you’ll get a boost in your end-of-year business sure to make your holiday season, and even your new year, merry and bright.
