This is part two of our Christmas retail campaign series. Read part one to learn how to make your campaigns stand out during the competitive festive period.
Christmas is make or break for many retailers – it’s six weeks of trading that will determine the futures of even the biggest names on the high-street.
The sales generated during this time represent more than 20% of total retail sales for the year (Retail Research, 2015) making it the biggest opportunity to meet yearly budgets.
In part two of our guide we look at ideas that will keep the momentum up – ways to reinforce trust and keep customers shopping for longer. Find out how you can use email marketing and the Pure360 Suite to maximise every online and offline visit right up until the last day.
Appeal to last minute shoppers
Don’t forget to appeal directly to the last minute shopper with targeted messages. Make their lives easier by offering them a range of quick fixes to their Christmas worries. Use as system such as PureTargeting to create emails which include suggestions for purchases based on what they bought last year. Review their purchase histories with a system similar to PureIntelligence to remind them what they previously bought – look at their spend, the type of gifts they purchased and send them suitable alternatives for this year. Promote online gift finders, customer reviews, bestsellers, gift wrap and express delivery services – anything that makes their Christmas shopping experience as painless as possible.
Offer gift cards
Always include a gift card as a suggestion for a purchase – it’s a savvy purchase for both the consumer and the retailer. An estimated 65% of people spend an extra 38% more than the value of the card (Creditcards.com, 2014), meaning retailers benefit from two sales instead of one. It’s a great additional purchase for shoppers at the checkout – something they can buy for that person they’ve bound to have forgotten. Using a system such as PureTargeting allows you to add it to your emails or personalise your website experience by suggesting it at the checkout.
Incentivise consumers to shop in different channels
Multi-channel shoppers spend 82% more on each transaction than single channel shoppers (InternetRetailing, 2010) so it makes sense to encourage people to shop in different places. Remember to include the different ways customers can shop within your email wrap so customers are instantly reminded about the channels you offer. Talk about the ease of shopping in stores, on mobile, web, in app or via brochures.
Give customers examples of how they can integrate the different channels into their path-to-purchase – invite them to research products online, go in-store to try and purchase quickly using their mobile or your app to avoid the queues. As the big day approaches, promote cross-channel services such as click-and-collect or free home delivery if customers can’t find items in-store. Remember an integrated approach to customer service will make sure the customer spends more and returns.
Reinforce last deliveries and countdowns
Make sure you clearly communicate your last delivery dates online and in-store. Reinforce a sense of urgency by counting down the time customers have left to shop. Systems such as PureTargeting allow you to update them on your stock-levels, limited availability and what your best-selling items are. If sales start to slow down as last delivery dates approach then offer to upgrade delivery to your express service.
Offer reassurance
Create a campaign focusing on your fast delivery, secure online payment, no quibble returns policy and great customer services. Include product ratings and customer reviews in your campaigns so people can see what other customers think. Remember that some people are still hesitant about shopping online – especially if there’s the threat of bad weather or they’ve had a bad experience before. Do everything you can to quell their fears and reassure them that they’re not taking a risk.
Support the high-street
When your last delivery dates pass online use your email marketing to channel last minute shoppers into your stores. Give them store opening times, promote services that are store-specific like personal shoppers, demos and gift wrapping. Email customers with an incentivise to visit their local store – do anything you can to drive footfall for your store colleagues in the last few days.
Say thank you
Don’t forget to thank customers when they purchase with you. Send a campaign out as the New Year approaches, thanking them for their loyalty and even reward them with a voucher for the 2017. It’s important to acknowledge and thank the customer when they choose to spend with your business and your appreciation is one reward for their loyalty.
So here’s just a few examples of ways you can deliver fresh campaigns that engage customers, prompt action and generate sales up until the very last moment.
As we said before – use this time to capture their contact details as well as their attention so you can contact them in the new year. Many customers who visit your sites and stores at Christmas might be visiting you for the first time, or not come again until next Christmas.
Don’t forget to read part one of our guide which focuses on other useful tactics for Christmas campaigning.
Happy Christmas!
