Weebly Blog: How to optimize your site for holiday sales. As online shopping patterns peak this time of year, ecommerce businesses need to get their websites in tip top shape. Sebastian Shepard shared some tips with our friends at Weebly around the best ways to optimize your site for holiday sales. Sebastian Shepard. Use these to make the process of updating your site easier and faster. Drive In-Store Sales From Your Website. As the holiday season approaches, remember that in-store traffic and website traction are intertwined with another. Use your website as another tool to promote your brand, develop emotional connections, and get in front of people who.
These days, holiday shopping events aren't just for the big departments stores. On the contrary, small businesses all across the country are joining in on the fun and excitement. Not only are shops signing up to participate in Small Business Saturday, during which holiday shoppers patronize their favorite local stores, but companies of all sizes are also developing and optimizing strategies to boost holiday sales figures.
Here are some essential marketing strategies to help small businesses win big at this time of year.
Optimize Your Website
To ensure a successful holiday sales season, you should spend time optimizing your website. While more consumers than ever before are shopping online, users won't linger long on a site that is slow or cannot be easily navigated. Slow loading times are one of the top reasons that consumers abandon sites, in addition to experiencing problems finding what they need.
Optimizing Your Website For Holiday Sales 2020
Additionally, devote time to making your e-commerce site mobile-friendly. Not only do many shoppers purchase goods from their smartphones or tablets, but businesses can also use mobile location services to offer customers regionally-appropriate discounts and deals.
Reward Superstar Customers
It's not uncommon for businesses to hand out coupons and other special offers during the holiday season. Some business owners, however, often make the mistake of giving their best rewards to one-time shoppers instead of loyal customers. In celebration of the holidays, you should make an effort to thank those patrons who consistently visit your store or website.
Optimizing Your Website For Holiday Sales Online
If you can't afford to offer significant discounts or coupon offers, consider sending out printed 'Thank You' cards or even emails letting customers know you care. A few words can go a long way toward showing your appreciation and gratitude.
Create Sales Bundles
Some friends and loved ones are notoriously hard to shop for. If you want to boost your business' holiday numbers, consider creating convenient sales bundles that group together a few of your best-selling items in one package. Depending on your store type, you can assemble specially tailored collections of gifts for moms, dads, grandparents, kids and even pets.
For best results, gift-wrap your bundles using attractive paper and ribbons and showcase them in your store's windows. It's also a good idea to create bundles that ring in at different price points, so all your customers can find appropriate gifts that are within their budgets.
Offer Reliable Shipping
If you operate an e-commerce business, getting customers to make purchases is only half the battle; owners also need to take steps to ensure orders go out on time. As a small business owner, the pressure is on to compete with Amazon.com and other large retailers who offer free shipping among other perks.
While you might not be able to get your goods out the same day, you can endeavor to be accurate about delivery dates and issue tracking numbers so customers know when orders will arrive. Further, SMBs should try their best to avoid backlogs as the season progresses.
Additionally, you should strive to expedite your return process so it's easy and affordable for customers to send back goods that don't meet their needs. In the long run, shoppers who have a good experience returning items are more likely to buy from you again.
Make Use of User Photos
Looking for a creative marketing strategy to employ this season? Consider making use of user-generated photos and content on your website. Not only are consumers happy to see themselves showcased online, but the company also enjoys free advertising.
To try this technique, invite your satisfied customers to send in photos of themselves wearing or using your products. Then, post the images on your site and share them on social media sites like Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
Cross-Promote Services
The holiday season is a time for coming together, and this trend applies to small business owners as well. To give your Christmas sales figures a boost, consider teaming up with other local businesses to cross promote one another's services.
For example, if you own a cheese shop, you could include coupons to the local wine supplier with every purchase. Additionally, shops in the same region can hang each other's fliers, carry brochures and even host sidewalk sales and other shared events.
Consumers might complain about seeing seasonal decorations out in stores too early, however research shows that people start their holiday shopping efforts as early as October. By launching your holiday marketing campaign now, you can make sure your small business doesn't miss out on any lucrative sales opportunities in the coming weeks.
Make Use of User Photos
Looking for a creative marketing strategy to employ this season? Consider making use of user-generated photos and content on your website. Not only are consumers happy to see themselves showcased online, but the company also enjoys free advertising.
To try this technique, invite your satisfied customers to send in photos of themselves wearing or using your products. Then, post the images on your site and share them on social media sites like Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
Cross-Promote Services
The holiday season is a time for coming together, and this trend applies to small business owners as well. To give your Christmas sales figures a boost, consider teaming up with other local businesses to cross promote one another's services.
For example, if you own a cheese shop, you could include coupons to the local wine supplier with every purchase. Additionally, shops in the same region can hang each other's fliers, carry brochures and even host sidewalk sales and other shared events.
Consumers might complain about seeing seasonal decorations out in stores too early, however research shows that people start their holiday shopping efforts as early as October. By launching your holiday marketing campaign now, you can make sure your small business doesn't miss out on any lucrative sales opportunities in the coming weeks.
The National Retail Federation (NRF) reports November and December are the most lucrative time of year for retailers. These two months may be even more impactful for small businesses, since holiday sales can make up as much as 40% of annual customer transactions for small and mid-sized businesses.
A successful holiday season means attracting new customers, making sales, and building relationships to carry you through the rest of the year. With the holidays fast approaching, now is the time to formulate your plan to attract customers. Here are cost-effective steps to take now to ensure a lucrative holiday season for your small business.
Set Sales Goals
Many shoppers begin shopping for the holidays in November, so it's important to plan and execute on your sales and marketing strategy now. Set sales goals and calendar any promotions you wish to offer during these months.
Optimize Your Web Site for Mobile
An increasing number of customers are coming to your site from mobile devices. 'Cyber Monday'� (the Monday after Thanksgiving) is the online equivalent of the brick-and-mortars' huge 'Black Friday.'� The NFR projects $105 billion in online sales this holiday season, with an estimated 127 million shoppers predicted to shop on Cyber Monday. Of these Cyber Monday shoppers, 25 million said they would 'specifically use their mobile devices'� for purchases.
Your retail web site must be mobile-optimized if you want your customers to find you and stay to shop. A responsive web design will pay dividends, so take steps to make that happen and you will reap the rewards of greater engagement and higher sales numbers.
Participate in Small Business Saturday
The tamimac g4s. Small Business Saturday, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, was created to support local small businesses and help boost their sales. Look to American Express for some free resources available to you to promote Small Business Saturday, including free store signs and social media updates.
Consider how to reach out to customers on this special shopping day. Some local businesses offer Small Business Saturday promotions to show customer appreciation. To give back support to your community, you might consider making a donation to a local charity. For example, a local pet store might make donations to an animal shelter for each purchase made.
Another way to engage your customers on Small Business Saturday is to make their shopping experience fun. Some businesses offer refreshments or freebies such as a branded tote, while some might offer a raffle or a giveaway. Brainstorm your own unique ways for your business to promote Small Business Saturday with the intent of developing a broader local customer following for your brand.
Optimizing Your Website For Holiday Sales Tax
Leverage Facebook
The boon of Facebook is the ability to attract a vast number of customers with only a minimal investment. Outside of traditional search engines, Facebook is the site which generates the most traffic. Check out these holiday specific ideas to make Facebook your friend this holiday season.
Optimizing Your Website For Holiday Sales 2019
Spread the Love Over Social Media
Facebook is a true powerhouse, but don't neglect the importance of connecting with your customers on other social media sites. Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest all offer opportunities for interacting and building relationships with existing customers while targeting prospective ones.
How do you best use social media to engage? The easiest way is with interesting, shareable content. If a fun photo gets shared, then you have reached out to new customers in a visual, memorable way. Also consider a call-to-action ('Share this post if you like our product!'�) or engaging in conversation ('Do you like the boots on the left? Or the right? Comment with your fave!'�) to encourage dialogue which will lead to a relationship.
No matter which platforms you choose for social media and which methods you use, be sure to link to your webpage. If your social media audience likes your content, they might be encouraged to become customers.
Now that you know the tips to attract customers during the holidays, you're well on your way to terrific sales this season, which can help your business see success over the coming year.
