Fri Nov 8, 2013

It only comes once a year, but it’s the one time on the calendar where the public is primed to spend. However, if you’re not putting strategy into your efforts, well… “Houston, we have a problem”! Customers will be bombarded with many “sweet Christmas offers”. You will not only be competing with them, but also with the “barrel” which will have almost everything and of course online purchases.

So, how do you plan to stand out from the crowd?{{more}}

Here are some ideas to make your sales a bit merrier:

1. Christmas is an event….

Figure out what role your business plays in the celebrations and tailor a campaign to suit e.g. This season is a good time for beer brands to show love and support to their beer lovers, through executing a promotion that includes among other things, fun Christmas themes on marketing materials and branded, gift-wrapped beer gifts linked to beer purchases.

2. You’re never too small to think outside the box!

o If you’re a butcher or you sell meat products, you can execute a campaign offering delicious festive recipes featuring your products. Gyms could offer tips for avoiding the dreaded “Christmas weight,” as well as a voucher for a free visit in 2014 to kick start those resolutions and pre-school/childcare centre can have a fun kids club for the Christmas season.

3. Men and women shop differently, so target them differently!

Once men know who and what they are shopping for, they stick to their list. Shopping is normally done in record time, without a fuss. Tap into this behaviour. On the other hand, women like to browse, look for alternatives, purchase items that aren’t always on the list and research their options before actually buying. Support this by distributing marketing catalogues/pamphlets/brochures as early as now, or even place photos of expected items online and direct them through advertising to the site or in-store, to see some of the expected offerings for the season. This will help them to first see what you offer so they can plan it into their lists!

by Candice Sealey

Candice Sealey is founder of and consultant at Ignite! Full service Marketing & PR Consultancy Company offering tailored services to help businesses succeed.

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