As economists forecast glum sales for this holiday season, retailers are working double-time to induce the holiday shopping spree – long before Thanksgiving and Black Friday are even on the horizon. In an effort to combat the worst seasonal sales since 1991’s recession, businesses have already launched bold holiday online content campaigns, even before the fall leaves change.
As an online business owner, how can you prepare for the dismal forecasts? While consumers are tightening their stockings, there are still four online content strategies you can enact to bring holiday glee to your bottom line.
September is not too early to begin online content marketing
Take a cue from the big box retailers, such as Target and WalMart, who have already launched their holiday promotions. If you start your marketing campaign in September, you have 100 days to capture the important Christmas sales. This gives you time to boost your SEO rankings with keyword-targeted content writing, as well as begin sending targeted newsletters or email campaigns to your customer list.
Your primary focus in September should be on adding SEO content to your website and blog, especially considering that Google’s update is forthcoming in late October. Thereafter, your freelance writer should switch to crafting powerful content for your email campaigns or newsletters. Newsletter content is especially powerful because you parade marketing material under the guise of valuable, helpful information. If you do not currently publish a newsletter, this is the season to begin!
In your early pre-season newsletter content or marketing emails, offer deals and sales that induce your customer base to begin buying gifts – long before their holiday budgets run dry come November or December. A powerful incentive this year is certainly free shipping, as customers are looking to save both on gas and shipping costs.
Offer personalized service
With major discount and luxury retailers alike clamoring for pinched pennies, the businesses that will win this holiday season are those that offer their customers personalized service. For example, whereas every other store sells candles, do they offer monogrammed gift wrap? While many electronics retailers offer Bluetooth phones, will they give away with each purchase a free $10 gift card – which makes a perfect secondary gift? Entice holiday dollars this year by offering service and incentives that go above and beyond the other retailers – and your bottom line will be cheery at the close of 2008.
Create an affordable online gift guide
As more Americans are worried about their budgets, helping them maximize their dollars will result in sales for your online store. In your newsletter content, create an affordable gift guide, including ideas for the $25 and $50 markers. Keep in mind that free shipping and gift wrapping are also enticing strategies for encouraging consumers to open their wallets.
Driving forth your holiday sales this year means capitalizing upon your online storefront. With prohibitive gas prices, along with consumers looking for online “deals,” you overcome many of the hurdles big box retailers face. Start in September with valuable, SEO content writing, and then transition into powerful emails and newsletters that offer tremendous value for the Christmas dollar. By embarking upon your online marketing campaign now, your holiday sales can definitively be jolly.