Regardless of what you believe in, or what cultural practices you have in your home country or region, the holidays are a surefire reason to celebrate this season. When we think of the holidays, we think of wintry weather (for most!), and that night rush in malls and markets to buy our favorite gifts for our loved ones. Celebrating the holidays is a terrific way to cap off the year, reconnect with friends and family members, and bask in the successes of the year that was.
This season, customers are going loco to spend their hard-earned bonuses to show their loved ones some appreciation, and as online sellers, we must get our engines ready to fulfill our customer’s simple dreams of making their families, friends, office mates, and classmates smile as the year comes to a close, and we carry on to another.
Prepare those requirements early
Foresight. This is always a premium skill we should hone, in online selling and marketing. Most marketing and selling experts already lay down their calendar at the beginning of the year and the second half signals preparation for the holiday season when demand rises to degrees higher than usual. From July to September, make sure that you are oiling up your machinery so your business can keep up and make the most out of the holiday sales craze.
Start your promotion early, but end it late
You see, one thing that the wiser know is that the holiday season is not just that peak in December. So, if you’re planning to launch a holiday sale, starting early can give you a headstart. Let’s say you want to count down 100 days to the holidays, then you should start calibrating your Holiday Sale with a few products and then increase the number of products on sale to gain more momentum, so your December peak will truly be at the summit.
But another important thing to note, it is also wise to extend your promotion by a few weeks in January, or even leading up to February just so you can also cater to those who have just received their bonuses. Or even to those who just want to come to the party late.
Reinforce your logistics machinery
Just a gentle reminder though before you launch that campaign. Make sure that your system is ready to handle the significant and sometimes overwhelming boost in orders and sales. Things you must ensure that are stable and continuously flowing include your inventory and stock, to avoid shortages. You might hook up with some additional suppliers specifically for the period being. You must also foolproof your website in case of an overwhelming number of visits so it does not crash and make your customers disappointed. And make sure you and your team can handle it.
But don’t you worry, if you think you cannot handle the logistics part, but still want to continue with your campaign because you just can’t let the opportunity pass, you might want to consult with a logistics engine services agent from providers such as Locad.
Play your cards right
Selling on just one online channel is a wasted opportunity. But stretching across channels, but not delivering well, is a disaster. So before you launch your mega holiday sale, we advise you to look at your capacities so you can be guided on where to sell and how to reach that sales summit.
Choose the right channels
A good rule of thumb when choosing the right online platforms to sell with is to start with what you have at the moment, and through a clear appraisal of your goals and capacities, prioritize adding the channels that will have more concrete returns than others. However, assessing where you sell and where you don’t is no easy task. Take, for example, you might already have a Shopify store, Lazada, and Shopee but you want to explore TikTok Shop. You then need to gear up with video content because viral video content reigns on that platform.
Aside from that, if you want concrete statistics and insights into your products’ performance across different channels, the integrated command center of a logistics engine like Locad can give you just that. Aside from platform-specific insights, it could also tell you where from the world you get the most orders, so you can intelligently stock up in that location.
Seasonal landing pages
Yeah, it’s cold outside, but your customers are looking for something to ramp up the holiday craze. So, your store might need a little dressing up to align with the vibe. Seasonal landing pages are a fantastic way of letting your loyal customers know that it’s time to buy and that you have great deals from them. After all, what’s the use of a holiday sale, when people don’t know what they can buy, and how to buy them?
On these landing pages, you can showcase your best products, bundles, promos, and special promotional prices. But be sure the pages are well-crafted and are in harmony with your overall brand and messaging.
Promote that promo
Once your holiday elf factory is all set up, you just have to let the world know. Oh, darling, don’t keep it to yourself. There are lots of ways and channels wherein you can publicize your promotion just so all bases are covered, and you maximize what you spend to launch the holiday sale.
Time-limited sales and referral discounts
Nobody can resist a good deal. Offering time-limited sales wherein customers can buy at a special discounted price within a period shown in a ticking-clock timer can be exciting and ensure a boost for your sales at that time. Just make sure to plan them well, at a time when most of your target customers are online. It could be timed anywhere from 24 hours to 72 hours just so there are more chances of buyers seeing and availing them. You can have this placed on different selling platforms such as Shopee and Lazada, or a special landing page on your website if you want to boost sales via that platform.
Referral discounts that you can hand to affiliates and brand ambassadors are also effective ways of promoting your products. Because of the rewards and incentives your affiliates will get with every sale, they will be encouraged to create content, connect with their networks, and just basically go out of their way to help you sell the product.
Freebies and bundles
Adding freebies with every order can also increase your orders and sales. A good deal for most people is when they save money because your store gives them extra products for the price of one. Freebies and bundles make you rise above the competition. Take, for example, an online store that specializes in mobile phones that can partner with a reputable brand of phone cases and offer bundle deals for a lower price than when you buy them separately.
Offer free shipping
Shipping costs are often a cause of hesitation for some customers to buy online. If you have the budget, you can offer free shipping for a limited time, or a limited number of customers to encourage those orders. But if you wonder where to get that extra budget you could use for free shipping, logistics engine providers can help you in solving costly fulfillment and last-mile delivery costs. The budget you save because you are now subscribed to the services of a logistics engine can be reallocated to give your customers a free shipping deal!
Enter the gift guides
Towards the end of the year, most websites, and online magazines are building their gift guides to suggest to their subscribers the best products to gift their loved ones with. If you happen to know some content writers or have contacts with the editors, you can send them complimentary pieces of your products for them to review. Who knows, they might put you on top of their holiday suggestions this year.
Send out marketing emails
If you have been in the online business for a considerable amount of time, you might find yourself with a vast database of email addresses. Mind you, this isn’t just some useless data. This is a treasure trove of potential repeat buyers. You have their addresses because they bought one of your products before. Through a marketing email, curated to showcase your best deals, you have a great chance of getting a huge number of sales from this solid customer base.
Run Google Ads
Running ads on Google can work well with and complement the gift guides and other content where your product is featured, that is if you have the budget. But if you did, it will surely be worth it if you place some ads, just be very fussy about which products to promote. Of course, in marketing and promotions, what we want is a return on sales. So, choose your fighters, and see the wonders it brings to your sales insights when your product gets a special section on your audience’s Google Searches.
Brew that social media fever
Since online selling is an online venture, it is absolutely a need that you maintain your brand presence across all the major social media platforms. But the social media channels that we suggest here will provide you with integrated e-commerce functions as well as a vast ocean of users and subscribers that can be reached, and hopefully convinced by your marketing efforts.
Facebook, debatably the most impactful social media platform nowadays, offers diverse ways for you to market your products. Having a Facebook page for your brand is a staple in this digital age. With a Facebook page, you can place ad campaigns and have a priority presence in user feeds. These ads are customizable and can be adjusted to target specific audiences based on age, location, and other interests.
Aside from placing ads, organic marketing efforts such as Facebook posts, Facebook Reels and community engagement on your page can go a long way. Organic marketing in a social network makes your connection with your customer base more authentic and lasting.
Of course, you can also place some product listings (and make them sponsored) on Facebook Marketplace, the social network’s built-in selling platform.
While Facebook is a perennial social network for more customers, studies have found that Instagram users are far more engaged in the platform compared to other social media channels. This makes up for a good opportunity for you to sell products.
For your holiday Instagram strategy, check first if you’re already signed up for an Instagram Business Account. From thereon, you can activate your Instagram Shop, post listings, and monitor insights and analytics to help you to make better decisions.
On Instagram, you can launch hashtag campaigns to introduce your sale. You can also ride on trending hashtags as an entry point for shoppers to see your products. Also, customers are more inclined to buy products that are recommended by influencers, so make sure you connect with a few or more of them to get them to try and review your products. The boost is exponentially greater than the cost of sending them complimentary pieces, so it’s worth the investment. You must make sure they are reputable in your product’s specific niche.
TikTok
It is no secret that TikTok is now one of the hottest marketplaces online, with its groundbreaking convergence of entertainment and e-commerce, all in one app. Don’t fret though, if you already have selling accounts in Shopee, Lazada, or Shopify, you can quickly integrate and synchronize your product listings to TikTok Shop.
Or even better, with the help of a logistics engine, be on top of your orders and sales flow through just one unified command center for your products. With the help of fulfillment and logistics engines, you must make sure your products are stocked in a warehouse (which they will also help you find) and let the automated systems and the vast number of shipping professionals handle your fulfillment woes.
From inside TikTok, you can also launch fun marketing campaigns with TikTok Ads, hashtag and filter challenges, how-to demonstration videos, and events with popular influencers. The possibilities are virtually limitless!
Better sales and happier holidays!
Customers and their loved ones are not the only ones who deserve happiness this holiday season. Online sellers can be happier with better and improved sales if they prepare enough and maximize the opportunities that come their way. With upscaling our capacities and exploring new ways to sell and market, December can be a month of celebration for online sellers, too!
