November and December may get the most attention when it comes to boosting holiday traffic, but any holiday can drive online and brick-and-mortar sales. In fact, there are numerous days throughout the year that provide opportunities for an uptick in revenue.
"Regardless of the time of year, holiday traffic can have a tremendous impact on the annual sales and revenue of a company," says Joe Bailey, operations manager at MyTrading Skills, which offers courses and coaching in trading.
"Customers spend more money during the holidays, because they're in a celebratory state," continues Bailey. "Whether it's basic, everyday products or luxury goods and services, most businesses will experience a higher demand for their product offerings during holidays."
"People are at their happiest on holiday, and happy people spend more money," agrees Mark Fielding, the sales and marketing manager at Huski, a food development and delivery business based in the French Alps. Huski's business spikes between 31-38 percent thanks to holiday traffic, according to Fielding.
"Customers tend to take advantage of upsells and cross sells during holidays and are less price sensitive and more curious about new products," he says.
Increased Holiday Traffic May Lead to New Customers
Holiday traffic offers an ideal opportunity to reach new customers, believes Jared Weitz, founder of financial services provider United Capital Source.
"Consumers are willing and excited to spend not only on their staple goods during the holidays, but also on gifts, new trends and exciting products that might not otherwise fill their baskets," says Weitz. "If you can wow customers during this time, you may be able to convert them into brand advocates and return clients."
The holidays create buying habits, and this is especially true regarding gifting items, adds Madison Fiore, director of growth and a performance marketing strategist at Hawke Media, a digital marketing agency.
"Holiday traffic can often be easily converted, opening up enormous opportunities for brands offering gifted products."
Avoid compromising your voice, tone or company image for an immediate return with a holiday traffic promotion.
—Madison Fiore, director of growth and a performance marketing strategist, Hawke Media
Increased holiday traffic may also lead to new product offerings, adds Weitz. "Implement a new product, process or service and see how it performs during a holiday promotion. If it doesn't work out, you can pull it from the market without it feeling like a failure, since it was merely a holiday offering."
Tips for Capitalizing on Holiday Traffic
With some pre-planning, you can take advantage of holiday traffic opportunities. The following methods can help you improve your chances of increasing business.
1. Start holiday marketing early.
"Plan and prepare the marketing campaign and ads far in advance," says Weitz. "Do research to understand what products are currently trending or are on the incline. Then build up inventory on these items. Start offering discounts early in the season to ensure they reach viral awareness at the peak of the holiday."
2. Focus on inspiring your customers.
According to an April 2019 survey of 7,321 U.S. adults 18 and older by the National Retail Federation, more than 8 in 10 (81 percent) of respondents were planning to "look to retailers for gifting inspiration" for Mother's Day purchases.
"Capturing holiday traffic goes beyond discounting—it's important to inspire," says Apu Gupta, CEO of Curalate, a social commerce company that turns image and video into storefronts.
"Inspiring may take the form of creating relevant imagery around a special occasion and then posting this content to social and your website," he says. "This can help capture the customer looking for gift ideas or unique finds."
3. Choose relevant holidays.
"Authenticity matters," says Gupta. "Pick holidays that are relevant to your company."
For instance, if your company carries outdoor furniture, consider focusing your marketing efforts on spring and summer holidays like Easter, spring break, Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day.
"Don't select all holidays to market around," says Fielding. "Be selective and choose the ones that correspond the most with your brand."
4. Make the promotion seasonally appropriate.
"It's important that your holiday traffic marketing efforts immediately prior to and during a holiday are all season-themed and seasonally appropriate," says Bailey. "This will ensure that customers strike a connection between the season and your company's products."
Tailor your offering and marketing to the holiday, agrees Fielding. "Whether it's Christmas, Easter, or International Women's Day, outline your brand tactics accordingly."
5. Consider your target audience.
"Holiday traffic offers do best when they're engaging and relevant to your particular target audience," says Bailey. "Understand the purchasing trends of your audience during certain holidays. This will guide your marketing strategy as to the best offers."
6. Think beyond the holiday.
"Offer a product or service that extends past the holiday at hand," says Weitz. "When you provide something like a membership or multiple service offering, you'll be able to build a relationship with the consumer long after the holiday has passed."
7. Stay true to your brand.
"Avoid compromising your voice, tone or company image for an immediate return with a holiday traffic promotion," advises Fiore. "The community you develop surrounding your brand is more important than any short-term revenue return."
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