Use These 4 Ideas to Increase Your Small Business Holiday Sales
From email promotions to social media, small businesses should continue building their digital brand during the holiday season.
It's essential to stay in front of your online target audiences in November and December, marketing experts say.
Here are some tips to assist you strengthen your online presence and increase sales this season.
Think Social Media, Always
Given that most everyone on the planet is looking at one or more of their socials for shopping ideas and purchases, that's where your small business needs to be.
"With over 4 billion people using social media, it’s easy to see why promoting your business across your socials is critical to boosting holiday sales," writes Erica Seppala in a post for Merchant Maverick.
Create targeted content across your social media platforms to build your brand this season (and beyond).
"You can leverage multiple platforms to share your business’s story, promotions, and engage with new and old customers," says a retail holiday marketing blog by Get Beyond
Email Promotions, Engagement
Email is another way to engage your online audience — remind your customers about any updates, new merchandise, and sales during November and December, as well as relevant after-holiday promotions.
Use your email to create more interest in your social media pages — a move that could increase followers and engagement. Consider offering discounts or a small gift to new followers or make it about engagement, i.e., if customers comment or share your holiday posts.
Ways to Build, Engage
First, ensure all your social media pages, bios, etc., have up-to-date information and links for the holiday season.
Engaging content includes videos highlighting your small business or new items or creating holiday giveaways or contests. Use an interactive poll on Facebook Story or Instagram Live for holiday flash sales, suggests the Merchant Maverick post.
To engage with customers on social media, you can respond to comments and reviews of your business or products or create Pinterest boards focused on gift-giving ideas or themes to draw in customers, says a Business News Daily post.
Gift Ideas, Reviews
In a survey released by ad design platform Creatopy, most consumers (52.05 percent) said word of mouth would be the main purchase driver for their 2022 holiday season.
"Recommendations coming from family, friends, and acquaintances can weigh in favor or heavily against certain products or services, so businesses should strive to offer top notch customer experiences to everyone," says a Digital Information World post about the survey.
According to the survey, online ads are the second biggest source of inspiration for holiday shopping, at 40.63 percent.
A Busy Holiday Season Predicted
Retail sales for the holiday season are anticipated to rise between 4 and 6 percent over last year, reaching $1.45 to $1.47 trillion from November through January, according to a press release by Deloitte about its annual holiday retail forecast.
The analysis predicts e-commerce sales will reach between $260 billion and $264 billion this season, 12.8 percent to 14.3 percent over last year.
According to Nick Handrinos, U.S. retail, wholesale, and distribution and consumer products leader at Deloitte, the rise in retail sales driven on by increased pricing has the potential to further enhance e-commerce sales as consumers look for online discounts to get the most for their money.
"Retailers across channels who remain aligned with consumer demand and offer convenient and affordable options can be well positioned for success this season."