Marketing during the holiday season
October 28, 2008 by ShannonCherry
Filed under Business
Mos
t small businesses are working on their holiday promotions. That’s according to a new survey from Constant Contact. Almost 76% of small business owners surveyed said they are planning marketing efforts for the holiday season including sales and last-minute shopping offers.
More than half have already begun their promotions. Many will be choosing email campaigns as well as flyers and direct mail to get thier target market’s attention.
But no matter whattype of marketing you plan to do, remember the following to make sure you get your holiday wish : more sales.
- Target, target, target. Make sure you know who you are trying to reach.
- One shot – NOT! You need to reach that target several times to make an impact. Putting all your efforts in a one-time deal won’t cut it.
- ASK. Always have some call to action in every marketing message. Otherwise your target may not know what to do.
My thoughts on Holiday Season 2008 – There has never in my lifetime been a more defining time for those Mom & Pop Retailers whose whole livelihood and for many the survival of their businesses depend on the next three months.
Yet unbelievable as it may seem, way too many retailers I have talked to are NOT CHANGING THEIR THINKING OR STRATEGIES. Too many retailers I have interviewed already see the handwriting on the wall and just shrug their shoulders and appear in a coma.
Most of these mom & pop businesses had a solid customer base at one time, but never even bothered to collect names & addresses or email addresses because “they will always come back – this shop sells itself.”
Are you kidding me? It does not take a rocket scientist to see that this economy has changed everyones spending habits for now and the forseeable future. Retailers had better come up with a way to deal with the FEAR FACTOR gripping everybody these days. THE REGULAR CUSTOMER IS NO MORE. He or she is hoarding his money more than ever and only those retailers who truly satisfy his needs or desires will get one penny of his hard earned money.
A new upscale restaurant is opening in my neighborhood this month. I bet if he could get a good chunk of his startup money back, he would go for it right now. So what is the owner doing to overcome the current in our economy ? He is thinking outside the box with ideas things like these……
1) a new menu will be introduced every month
2) the owner eliminate stocking and spending for upscale dishes such as Lobster and buy more of the same beef for less
3) the owner will offer fewer menu choices
4) MOST IMPORTANTLY, the owner will Ask the customer what he wants – and then the owner will do his best to offer it on the next visit. The customer has never been “THE KING” quite like this before.
So you other Retailers out there take notice – Scrap the same old script that you used with success every other Holiday shopping season…………This time the game has really changed and you had better change your thinking to be victorious.