One week. That’s it. That’s how long we have until Christmas gets here! Honestly, where does the time go? It feels like just yesterday we were celebrating last year’s Christmas! As a retailer, you’ve likely had quite the busy month. But this forthcoming week is bound to be your busiest of the year. That is, of course, if you take some important steps to attract last minute holiday shoppers. How do you plan on boosting sales with just one week to go until Christmas?
Utilize SMS marketing.
SMS (short messaging service) is instantaneous. Messages reach customers almost instantly, making it an excellent channel for time-sensitive offers, promotions or urgent notifications. SMS allows for direct communication with customers on a personal device. Retailers can personalize messages based on customer data, preferences and behaviour. Showing customers some individual attention can go a long way.
“Mobile marketing with SMS text messaging is a powerful tool to convert last-minute shoppers,” insists Rieva Lesonsky on SmallBizTrends.com, “Reach out when shoppers are near your store with special offers, gift ideas and limited-time promotions. A desperate shopper dithering about what store to hit next can easily be lured in your door by a timely text message promising the answer to their gift-giving problems.”
Address your online store’s abandoned carts.
There are tons of consumers who go online with the intention of making purchases. However, many fill their virtual carts without going through the checkout process. Nexcess.net explains that the average abandonment rate is 69.36 percent. That’s huge! There must be a way to get your online store’s customers to complete their purchases.
“Be completely transparent about all costs, like shipping, taxes, and fees,” the site suggests, “That way, consumers are not taken by surprise when they get to the payment page. If you can, offer free shipping during the holidays as a special promotion. It is also worth noting that transparent business practices play a powerful role in earning the consumers’ trust.”
Heavily highlight your gift cards.
Gift cards are a last minute shopper’s dream come true. Utilize every last resource you have to highlight the fact that you have gift cards for sale. Jump back on to your social media accounts, send out emails, create a banner on your website and hang signage in your store. As well, place eye-catching displays by the cashier and in other choice locations throughout your shop.
“If you sell store gift cards, now’s the time to promote the heck out of them!” agrees Lesonsky, “Not only are gift cards the perfect last-minute gift grab, they’ve also been one of the most-wanted gifts for a decade, according to National Retail Federation statistics. No wonder more than half of holiday shoppers plan to buy gift cards this holiday season.”
At Divvia, we proudly offer Canadian business owners the ability to take advantage of electronic gift cards. They are known to encourage repeat business, attract new customers and boost sales all year long. Our electronic gift card solution maximizes stored value card sales with a complete package of marketing features.
For more information, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-877-748-2884 or send us a message on our Contact Us page.
