10 ways to increase revenue during a COVID festive season After the year we’ve all had, you may well be asking yourselves “Is Christmas cancelled?”, “Is Hanukkah even happening?”, and “Is New Years a no-go?” Honestly, we wouldn’t be surprised. Fortunately, consumers have other plans this festive season. In fact, over 70% of holiday shoppers have zero plans to decrease spend on 2020 holiday shopping. However, health concerns are still high. With 32% of consumers planning to avoid large crowds. Meaning that a significant 73% of UK consumers are choosing to shop online during the festive season. Yes, the high street is facing a very different holiday period. But with consumers excited to dive into online shopping. There are some clear opportunities to be grasped. Find out how you can make the most out of them. 1. Navigating marketing “no-no’s” We know you’re sick of hearing it. But this festive season is like no other. The rules have changed. The goalposts have moved. And the rule book has been ripped up. That’s why, before forging ahead with your usual festive marketing strategy, it’s important to read the nation’s mood. Before anything else consider your messaging, the types of products you are promoting, and whether a hard sell is appropriate right now. Image Source – Campaign Live 2. Build trust before the festive season To earn the trust of your audience, you need to start putting the work in. Now. Consumers prefer to buy from brands they trust. Particularly when there is so much uncertainty in the world. They need a little reassurance. So start warming up your database and building that trust sooner rather than later. This approach is far more appropriate than dropping a last-minute hard sell in December. Trust can be built up through email marketing including newsletters, nurturing programs, regular blogging, promotions, or re-engagement campaigns. 3. Give your website a festive review With many consumers opting for online shopping this year. Your website needs to be the best it can possibly be. So start by reviewing the basics. Checkout process. Automations. Page load speed. Then move onto the (arguably) more exciting elements. New imagery. Compelling copy. Eye catching CTA buttons. By doing this now, your website will be ready and raring to go when the festive shoppers hit. Image Source – Digital Candy 4. Stand out subject lines We get it. You know email subject lines are important. Even so, a striking subject line is arguably more essential than ever. An overwhelming number of emails are sent over Christmas alone. And with many brands upping their online offering to compensate for a fall in high street sales. The inbox is going to be more competitive than ever. So, personalise. Be provocative. Use emojis – for the right audiences obviously! Promote a discount. Test, test, and test again. 5. Offer up gift ideas Festive shopping can be hard. Right? Make it easier for your customers to shop (and spend) by offering up the perfect gift ideas. Start with your top-selling products. These items will already have proved themselves. And may even have glowing reviews. Or take this a step further by segmenting top-purchases based on demographics and other variables. Make the most of your gift ideas by including them on your website, social media channels, and emails. 6. Create abandonment campaigns As of March 2020, 88% of online shopping orders are abandoned, globally. This can result in a huge drain on revenue for many businesses during the key festive season. However, the good news is that you can recover up to 12% of this lost revenue through targeted browse and cart abandonment emails. These triggered emails are sent to users to entice them to finish their buying process. You can even include a discount or offer as a sweetener to finalise the purchase. 7. Upselling and cross-selling opportunities We don’t know about you. But we can’t resist an impulse purchase during the festive season. Encourage a little shopping self-love by recommending relevant and related purchases to your consumers. You could offer an upgrade of a product they are buying. Or a little something to complement their initial purchase. And this can be done via your website or emails. Introduce products on a landing page or at the checkout. Or follow up the purchase with a highly relevant email. 8. Remind with replenishment campaigns The festive season is a busy time for many. So it’s easy to forget about topping up those regular purchases. Replenishment campaigns offer the perfect way to remind (and encourage) the repeat purchasing of an item. And it can be designed in such a way that it comes across as a helpful reminder. Especially for those items with specific use by or order dates. Such as ordering that turkey in time for Christmas day (hint, hint). 9. Offer VIP discounts to loyal customers It can be easy to focus on new customers when trying to increase revenue. But your current customer base is a fantastic source for purchases. Offer VIP discounts to your most loyal customers to show them you really care. Or even treat them to a festive freebie. And of course, don’t forget to send them an email on key festive dates. This type of personalised communication helps build relationships with customers. Especially if you include an offer. 10. Add urgency with countdown timers With so many festive deals going on. It’s easy for consumers to get distracted. That’s why adding a sense of urgency to your promotions is essential to keep them engaged. This can be done with the use of a countdown timer. Which can feature on your website, landing pages, or email campaigns. Not only are they an engaging visual. But they offer a final nudge to consumers who plan to purchase later. And then forget. Image Source – Pure360 Need a little festive cheer? If you’re looking for some guidance to improve your revenue during this festive season. Then get in touch. Our helpful team are always on hand to offer advice and support.