7 ways to add jingle to your holiday sales

For many small-business retailers, the holiday season is a make-or-break mission, representing 60 percent or more of their annual sales. Smart marketing during this period is critical.

Typically, the online buying season kicks in on Cyber Monday, which is the Monday after Thanksgiving and after Black Friday, when the brick-and-mortar holiday sales season begins. That’s because on Cyber Monday, consumers return to work and to their computer monitors.

Still, in recent years, shoppers have also learned to wait further into the season in order to find online bargains and even lower prices. So the biggest online holiday shopping day is typically around December 12, when many online retailers stop offering free shipping.

As a result, you need to think about your holiday marketing with a one-two punch. First, prepare in advance and have your seasonal site designs and promotions ready to roll in November. But then, make sure to reserve some appealing offers and discounts for the late-buying crowd.

With that two-pronged plan in mind, here are some practical, time-tested ways to attract buyers and boost sales during the online holiday selling season. (And if you happen to be without an online store, check out Store Manager.)

1. Reward early buyers.   Send out e-mail offers or postcards in October and offer percent discounts (or more, if you can afford it) to anyone who purchases before November 15.
2. Share some of your profits.   Promotions that give to the needy or that support the community or a cause, such as the environment, will resonate with consumers. During the holidays, many marketers donate profits from select, high-margin items to charities. If you decide on such cause marketing, send press releases to news media and customers to let them know about your special promotion.
3. Make your Web site holiday-friendly.   There are several ways to infuse tinsel-time cheer into your site. Here are some ideas:
   
   
   • Redesign the home page to focus on holiday gifts and promotions.   Also, rework the page’s look, feel, and messages to reflect the season.
   • Check that every link works quickly and accurately.   You don’t want customers to become frustrated.
   • Let customers search for what they want.   
   • Market and monitor your site.   Throughout the season, fine-tune your response to Web traffic and visitor navigation patterns. Automated tools can help with search marketing and analysis. Learn more about marketing on search engines.
4. Offer perks or discounts.   After retooling your site for the season, don’t become complacent. Instead, keep adding or swapping featured products, discounts and promotions throughout December. You might also add holiday content, such as gift-buying advice. The idea is to offer more attractive deals or different kinds of incentives than you provide at other times of the year.

   In addition, you can motivate repeat visits by creating a timed sequence of promotions, discounts, or frequent buyer points that continues through the season. That way you lure customers into returning.

5. Partner with other retailers.   Forge an alliance with other online marketers to offer two-for-one values or specials that bolster sales and encourage buyers. You can, for example, partner with several marketers to send out seasonal e-mail offers. You might also set up agreements with retailers for mutual promotions or links. For example, if you sell holiday desserts, you might partner with a holiday ornament company.
6. Go the extra mile.   Customer service and the personal touch are competitive advantages for smaller retailers. Make the most of that by anticipating your customers’ needs or by tailoring special offers for repeat buyers and your best customers. For example, you might send an e-mail notice that lets loyal customers know you’re available for special requests. At the end of the day, pick up the phone and call customers to thank them for their business.
7. Play to win as the season revs up.   Early on, create a plan to attract those last-minute bargain hunters. These tactics can help increase your down-to-the-wire revenue.
   
   
   • Automate your business.   You can segment and then identify your best, medium, and worst customers by creating a customer database or by utilizing customer relationship tools such as Contact Manager, a feature in Office Live Small Business. Then, during the last few weeks, you’ll be able to offer customized perks or premiums to all the right buyers. You also won’t waste resources on customers who account for a small slice of your revenue.
   • Price strategically.   As the season starts, set prices that offer some wiggle room, so you can lower prices later and still come out ahead.
   • Promote a final-sale event.   One idea: a contest or game that will entice customers to come back and try to win. Likewise, you can arrange for a special expert or gift consultant to answer online questions during the final shopping days. Then, remember to promote that service in the first few weeks.

All in all, you should think ahead and plan a series of marketing moves from Thanksgiving through New Year’s. Happy holidays.

About the author   Joanna L. Krotz is the founder of Muse2Muse Productions, a custom content company for business and consumer magazines, newsletters, and digital imprints. Krotz has launched marketing Web sites and e-news portals, as well as created magazines and online marketing for a variety of companies. She is co-author of The Microsoft Small Business Kit, a 500-page guide to launching and running a small business.