It’s October and I’ve already been working away on Holiday deals for my clients to provide for their customers. Like Santa’s favorite Type A Elf. If you aren’t quite there yet, don’t let that be scary to you! Plenty of people are dancing around pumpkins and haven’t yet dipped into their Holiday prep yet. What you need to start is a plan of action. Get your calendar and colored pens out and plan what you want to sell and when you want to sell it. Let’s get into how to approach customers this Holiday season.
PRO TIP – It would take a LOT of emails to annoy someone during this time. Clients expect emails from a million different places. If you think you can send out one Black Friday email and they will read it, you’re already too late. I would say you need at least 5 to even get noticed.
The Dates You Need to Know When You Approach Customers This Holiday Season
First, determine if YOU have any hard hitting deadlines you need to be aware of. For my photographer clients pitching album sales, there is a date they need to get that shit off to their printer. For my esthetician client, there is no hard deadline to get her bookings in so she is happy to sell her service deals at any time. After you determine if you have any hard deadlines, you can build out your promo calendar.
Based on these deadlines, you may need to either pivot your offerings or start sooner to approach customers this Holiday Season. Or both! When you are wondering what Christmas item sells the most, it definitely depends on your industry. If you can, Forbes brings up the point of the holidays is, “about embracing nostalgia and the simple enjoyment of traditional holiday experiences.” For a small business clothing company, this is time to hype up your coziest PJs, paired with a photo of a plate of fresh cookies!
If you really have no idea what to sell, then a gift card at a promotional rate is the base. Buy 3, get 1 Free or buy at 90% of the value. Shoppers are looking for deals, TBH most will spend just because it’s a deal over what the actual offer is. Gift cards are also low commitment for consumers. They don’t have to do anything now (IE planning a service or completing an inquiry), they just need to pay and chill.
November
You should be promoting for the whole damn month kicking off Holiday season. On your regularly scheduled newsletter that should be happening biweekly to monthly, add a note that Black Friday is coming. Make an Instagram announcement that it’s coming. Tell clients like they are your BFF you are letting in on a secret that it’s coming. You don’t have to disclose WHAT exactly you are offering, but they need to be aware that you are doing something EXTRA special, and they are going to what in on it.
Thanksgiving Week
You need to send out an email on Monday whose only purpose is to remind your audience about the upcoming sale that they are not going to want to miss. You’ll send an email on Black Friday that the time is now!! I also HIGHLY recommend a Small Business Saturday email. Even if it’s the same promo as Black Friday, this is a chance to shift the focus to you. You are someone your customers like. Someone they want to buy from. You’re not Walmart. You are a quality business and you’re a human running a small business for your family.
Include a Thank You to your customers in it for being supportive of you. Include a family photo so they can see what their purchase is going to. Call out other small businesses that you love that they should be purchasing from the Holiday season! Finally, send out a Cyber Monday deal. Again, these can be different sales, they can be a same week long sale.
Approach Customers This Holiday Season Throughout the Entire Month of December
How can I sell more this holiday season? Well after the snowstorm of consumer options in November, let your customers breathe for a minute. Then, I recommend doing another three emails spread across December. People are shopping all month long and while they passed up on your Black Friday deal initially, maybe they are regretting that decision now. I wouldn’t offer the SAME deal you had in November, long term that will hurt your credibility. If someone is always giving you the best deal ever, you won’t want to pay full price. Ever. The last time I purchased anything at Shutterfly full price was my last. Why would I? They always have deals from 30%-60% off! Don’t let your business fall into the trap. Your services and items are priced exactly as they are worth. Do not water down your own brand!
How do you inform customers about holidays
Make sure you have a good email marketing campaign sent up and leverage your social media. When someone purchases from one of your deals, shoutout on Instagram that you are so excited to put together this gift they got on a promotion deal. People want what other people have! Business attracts business.
You also need to make sure you are staying connected. There is no unplugging during the Holiday season! Sorry small businesses! HubSpot points out that, “consumers send more messages to businesses during the holidays. According to recent research by Sprout Social, retailers can expect an average of 18% more social messages per month during 2022’s holiday season than normal months. CS teams should expect that increased volume every holiday season going forward.”
How Do You Attract Customers During Off Season
Once you’re done with the Holiday sales – (I bet you have a bunch!) the rest of the year unfolds. While you can do promotions occasionally, I advise against lowering your prices or having deals constantly. The off season varies by industry. If you are not selling or providing services regularly at the same time of the year, make sure you are preparing for that. This can be when more of your admin and creator work happens – have a day devoted to making reels and content. Write your blogs so that when things get busy, those are already in your arsenal to go out.
I also want to point out for my service folks, when you make promo sales during the Holiday season, this is a great opportunity to convert them into full paying customers! Give them a taste of what you have to offer and they will see the value in your regular pricing. When you approach customers this Holiday Season, focus on long term success and conversion.
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Happy Selling!