Small businesses can use the upcoming holiday season to showcase their best marketing efforts and help them stand out from their direct competitors. The holiday season is an important time for consumers as well.
The market usually gets more crowded around this time of year because every business wants to make one more sale before the year ends. If their marketing strategies are not properly implemented, this time period could be one of the biggest opportunities or a loss for smaller retailers.
Consumer retail spending is expected to rise between 6% and 8% between November and December, according to experts, despite the fact that consumer spending has fluctuated much of the year due to high inflation and economic uncertainty.
One of the most significant financial times for businesses occurs at the end of the year, despite the turbulent macroeconomic conditions. Small Business Trends says that businesses that deal with customers typically make more than half of their annual revenue in the fourth quarter.
Small businesses may be left out of the holiday cheer by corporate brands that have the resources and financial means to effectively implement their marketing strategies throughout the majority of the season due to shifting consumer purchasing habits.
This holiday season, many businesses hope to overcome the challenge of converting new customers into devoted supporters. As a result, many small business owners will turn to innovative marketing strategies that will assist in putting their brand and product in front of their intended audience.
If small business owners want to stand out from the crowd this holiday season, here are ten marketing tips to help them plan ahead.
Utilize the “Buy Local, Support Small” campaign
Small businesses can take advantage of the “buy local, support small” campaign as an opportunity to attract customers despite the fact that major retailers have extensive budgets and resources to carry out their holiday campaigns. Small retailers should position themselves as local players in their market before Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday and throughout the holiday season.
A survey found that approximately 60% of consumers prefer to shop at a local neighbourhood store, and more than 71% agreed that it is important to support local stores and restaurants during the holiday season. As a result, consumers will likely look to support local brands now, perhaps more than ever.
Create a One-of-a-Kind Customer Experience
When developing a marketing strategy, owners of small businesses should capitalize on their distinctive selling points. It will be easier for them to captivate audiences and entice potential buyers if they focus their marketing efforts on the distinctive goods and services they can provide. Create and offer a selection of products that are distinctive to the brand and resonate with customers’ requirements.
It all comes down to how the product or service is presented to customers and what unique selling points will attract more devoted customers during the holiday season, even though most businesses believe they have a unique offering.
Start Early
While some major brands will begin their holiday marketing campaigns closer to the end of November, others will begin as early as October.
Typically, the time between Halloween and Thanksgiving is crucial for attracting customers who can take advantage of Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals.
As we approach December, it’s possible that small businesses should already be implementing a few successful engagement-boosting campaigns. Even though starting earlier won’t necessarily result in a direct increase in sales, it will aid in the development of traction and ongoing engagement, both of which are essential aspects in the run-up to the holiday season.
Have Content That Can Be Shared During the Holidays
Consumers look for businesses and brands that share their values. Having more content that can be shared during the holidays could help you get more exposure online.
Through catchy jingles and elaborate visuals, big box stores frequently present their goods and services in creative ways. Social media can be a great asset during this time, even though a small business might not have the resources to produce a fancy commercial or billboard poster.
Customers and traffic are driven by engaging content, and the greater the marketing strategy’s focus on social media, the more likely it is that followers will become customers.
Improve Social Proof
According to research, 9 out of 10 consumers will read online reviews before purchasing a product online, and this holds true for small businesses with brick-and-mortar locations as well.
During a crucial time of the year, it is essential to boost social proof on social media and search engines because customers will have left reviews and comments about the delivery of products and services throughout the year.
Small businesses can use positive feedback to make a lasting impression on customers, or they can turn negative feedback into something positive that will encourage them to interact with the company. Any company looking to raise its social standing may also benefit greatly from other forms of social proof such as trust seals and live sales notifications.
Create A Personalized Experience
There is no better way to put it: Customers are smitten by a customized or personalized experience, whether it be in the product they buy or in the content they interact with on social media. During this time of year, personalization is an important strategy that every small business should think about.
According to studies, during the holiday season, nearly half of consumers, or 49%, are more likely to shop at retailers that send them personalized content, offers, and notifications.
Customers would be more likely to feel like they are part of the company if a personalized marketing strategy was developed, which would also help to leave a more lasting impression. Small businesses can be much more intimate than large corporations, whereas large corporations can reach a larger number of people at once.
Partner with Community-Based Organizations
The holiday season is frequently viewed as a time to assist the community or those in need.Due to their close ties to the community, small businesses may find it easier to do so.
Cooperating with a nearby foundation or non-benefit not just assists the business with expanding its social obligation, however it assists with driving brand mindfulness among intrigued purchasers.
Instead of just using the partnership as a marketing tool, it’s important to use it to help the community. Companies that put their communities and neighbourhoods first and contribute to the improvement of the area are valued by customers.
Change the Social Media Strategy
We now know that social media is a useful tool that enables businesses to directly target the right consumer market while also promoting their brand.Small businesses can increase online traffic to their social media pages or online website by using social media to expand their reach beyond their local community.
Businesses should try out new ways to promote a product or share news about ongoing sales and promotions during the holiday season, when the social media strategy may need to look a little different.
Story highlights are a great place to start because they are a quick and simple one-time social post that can increase engagement, and a live chat or poll will make customers feel more included. Consider the company’s distinctive selling points and how visual content can enhance them.
Diversify Your Offerings
The holidays are an ideal time to introduce a novel product to your portfolio. When a product is only available for a limited time, it can pique the interest of customers and evoke a lot of anticipation.
Having a more seasonal product or service range means that a business will need to do some research and try out a few things before it works, but in the short term, it’s a great time to increase social interaction and engagement overall.
Offering these once-in-a-lifetime goods or services can, in addition to diversification, cause existing customers to feel a sense of FOMO, or Fear of Missing Out.Consumers will be more eager to purchase and experiment with new products during a peak season because of FOMO.
Think about what’s important and what’s not.
Small business owners often run multiple social media accounts in the hope that one of them will bring in a lot of traffic online.Even though this might be possible, it might not be worth it to keep an account or profile that hasn’t been active recently or gets a lot of attention.
Focus your holiday marketing strategy on one or two social media platforms and the ways in which they can enhance your business’s offerings and services.The business’s online conversation with potential customers will be narrowed by concentrating more efforts on a single platform.
In addition, businesses should use social media platforms that are primarily used by their target audience to engage with customers and keep them informed about seasonal promotions.
Final Thoughts:
With the approaching holiday season just around the corner, businesses are making the necessary adjustments to their marketing plans in order to guarantee that they will be able to connect with the people they want to sell to and generate meaningful engagement.
Even though the holiday season is crucial, there are obstacles that could cause many players to feel excluded by big-box retailers and corporate brands.Small businesses need to make the most of their resources, create opportunities for growth, and advertise in the most reputable manner.
Small businesses need to reconcile with what they consider to be important and how willing they are to adapt and diversify their business model in order to attract more customers in order to make a lasting impression and drive conversation. In addition to increasing sales, the holiday season is also a time when new customers become long-term supporters.
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