The world is in a constant state of progression, with every year being more digitized then its precedents. Owed to the current climate, this year, the digital transformation is undeniably more extreme and dramatic than we could have ever anticipated!

With an air of apprehension surrounding large gatherings and crowds, a vast majority of shoppers have not only moved to online shopping but have gotten more accustomed to it. Adapting to the situation, many retailers are ultimately moving online and enhancing their digital presence. 

What Will the 2020 Holidays Look Like?

The holiday season in 2020 comes with dynamic opportunities for eCommerce website owners as the majority of the consumers will be doing their holiday shopping online. 

While this does provide great opportunities, it also opens doors to severe competition as there will be more brands clamoring for a piece of the online pie than ever before. If you want your brand to stand out and appeal to maximum consumers, it is pertinent for you to be creative and adapt to the situation. 

Indeed, investing in a strong marketing strategy when the world is in a state of constant change can be a cause for apprehension; however, we can assure you it will be worth it. Brands that altered their marketing strategies to adapt to COVID-19 experienced their sales increase 70%!

Like everything else this year, your marketing strategy for the 2020 holidays will require you to be more receptive to your customers’ needs and adjust accordingly. 

Strategies that Work!

Now is the perfect time to be proactive. You should begin developing plans for your marketing approach for the holiday season. Below are a few strategies that can guarantee more sales and higher revenue for your business this season!

1- A Soothing Customer Experience

Holidays are undeniably a happy time of the year; however, the holidays are also quite notoriously known for causing stress in gift shopping. Your brand has the power to ease the consumer’s stress and provide them with a customer journey that not only appeals to them but calms them down as well. You could offer shopping tips and tricks to help the consumers remain at ease and trust your brand with their shopping needs. 

For instance, as a supermarket or general store, you could offer simple holiday meal recipes for your consumers, along with a list of ingredients that are readily available at your store and linked for the customer’s convenience.

Essentially, you need to be wary of the customer’s needs and create the sort of content that helps them and encourages them to purchase your brand. 

It is imperative that you think like a consumer– their preference, demands, patterns, and mental states at this time of the year. 

It can also prove beneficial to mention how your products have helped other customers, encouraging them to put their trust in your brand. 

2- Don’t be afraid to be Grateful

When it comes to purchasing gifts during the holidays, consumers spend large chunks of their time on whether or not to buy a particular product and where they want to buy it from. “Would it even be worth it?” is a question that often occupies their minds for lengthy amounts of time. 

This essentially means that even loyal customers may move on to explore other options from other brands. 

It is essential to remain in touch with your consumer base and keep pulling them back towards your brand. Expressing gratitude to your customers shows them how much they mean to you, and the more important you make them feel, the more likely they are to buy from you.

There are various ways to thank your customers and show them how valuable they are to you. You could send an email or even a small physical card to motivate them to shop with you. A little gratitude goes a long way!

3- The Earlier, the Better

When it comes to developing an effective marketing strategy, many brands often keep procrastinating and leave it till the last minute. This is a big mistake as it costs you precious time– time that could be spent making sales! 

Consumers begin thinking about their holiday shopping long before the holidays start. Ideally, it would be beneficial to appeal to the early bird sentiment and launch your campaign as early as possible. 

Some consumers are indeed prone to shop at the last minute; however, the thinking process begins way sooner. You can latch on to this sentiment and capture your target consumers by sending out holiday offers and advertisements way ahead of time, appealing to early shoppers and encouraging them to buy your product.

4- Be Receptive to Consumer Sentiments 

We all know that holidays can stir up some intense mixed emotions, from excitement and joy to nostalgia and reminiscence. Creating a smart holiday strategy that appeals to this mixture of emotions can be quite useful. It will encourage consumers to make you a part of their holiday shopping experience. 

When you are developing your strategy, pay meticulous attention to the emotional appeal of the content you resort to– what emotions does it invoke? How would that tone make a consumer feel? 

You could also share inspirational messages or anecdotes on social media, or evoke powerful emotions by showing how your company celebrates the holidays, or what it does for the less fortunate. 

5- Do Not Underestimate the Power of a Video

Videos are a fantastic way to engage with customers and keep them interested in your content. One minute of video is equivalent to eight million words, precisely why video marketing is a revolutionary marketing strategy.

Making an engaging video and adding it to your website, social platforms, or emailing it to your consumers enables you to easily share your brand message in an attractive and user-friendly way. 

6- Hashtags Lead to Happiness!

Social media platforms give you access to a diverse pool of dynamic consumers– and hashtags are your lifeline!

It can be quite beneficial to use hashtags on Twitter and Instagram platforms to optimize your social media marketing for the holiday season. 

Hashtags enable you to spread the word regarding your brand and reach consumers with your products and offers. You could also create a specific hashtag for shoppers to use while posting photos or content featuring your work. Such user-generated content creates awareness about your brand and also builds trust among the audience. 

Another plus point of hashtags is that they are relatively easy to remember and make it easier for prospective consumers to remember your brand name. Furthermore, the right hashtags enable you to reach new consumers, specifically looking for gifts for this holiday season. 

You could also use buzzwords on Twitter and Instagram to generate buzz about your products!

Ready for a Joyful, Profitable Holiday Season?

With some smart planning and development, you can create an ideal holiday marketing strategy that boosts your sales to the maximum! 

By being receptive to your consumers’ needs and the market situation, you can provide your consumers with an engaging customer journey and drive up your sales multifold!