HARDISON’S TIPS – DECEMBER 3, 2020 – Ways to Increase Christmas Sales for Retail Stores
Use Email Campaigns
Social media is hot. But email is effective. Neil Patel, founder of QuickSprout, says that “in spite of social media’s viral potential, email still wins as the most disruptive method to reach and woo your customers.” He further points out that according to McKinsey, email marketing is three times more effective than social media, and the average customer order is 17% higher.1
Hopefully you’ve already got an email newsletter going out. It’s an ideal spot to promote the products or services you’re featuring over the Christmas season and spread the word about any sales or events you’re having.
But don’t be afraid to send out separate emails as part of a marketing campaign either. Try one bargain a day in a daily email, for example.
Whatever email you send out to customers, be sure to court them personally. Besides being sure to use the recipient’s first name in the subject line (which increases the click-through rate), you could send customers special offers just for them, buy-one-get-one-free deals not available to the general public, and more. The message is, “You’re special,” which is a hard message to resist.
Create an Attractive Window Display
Take advantage of the extra foot traffic around your retail store during the holiday season by using an eye-catching, foot-stopping Christmas window display.
Incorporating your products into your display is great if you can manage it, but what’s nice about a Christmas window display is that you don’t have to. A totally Christmas-themed display can work just as well. You just need something unique that’s going to catch the eye. Incorporating some kind of movement, such as a train circling a track, is a great way to draw a crowd.
Most important of all is to work your crowd. A bunch of people standing around watching a train go around or admiring your gorgeous arrangement of ornaments does nothing for your business. You have to bring them into your store. Try offering visitors a free hot drink and a cookie—a seasonal treat that’s irresistible to most.
Use Proximity Marketing
Many shoppers are glued to their phones to the point that they might walk right by your store without seeing it.
But by using proximity marketing tools, such as iBeacon or Smart Antenna, that broadcast your targeted message to phones within a certain distance of your store, you can entice those shoppers in with personalized offers to encourage them to buy more.
Smart Antenna is especially appealing because it operates through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and doesn’t require potential customers to download an app as iBeacon does.
Invite Them and They Will Come
Customers are inundated with promotional messages and event invites during the holidays. Retailers have to find a way to grab their attention, even for a moment. These five techniques will help you cut through the noise.
But remember; whatever you do to create your own Christmas retail rush, you have to get the word out to your target market about what you’re doing. Send out that email, place those ads, use social media. Don’t let this Christmas season be a retail nonevent for your business because you didn’t invite your customers to your store.
Make It A Champion Day!
