Despite the downturn in the economy, the fact is that over the holiday season, people buy stuff. This is true regardless of whether your clientele celebrates Christmas or not. Unfortunately, this year, they’re going to be buying less than usual (thanks to the recession) and it’s your prerogative to ensure that they buy from you rather than from your competitors. This will be no easy feat – obviously if this is your thinking, it will be the thinking of everyone in your industry.

1. Consolidate your customer relationships in advance

Ideally, Customer Relationship Management is a year round activity for you. Despite the fact that it’s October, I have already seen the first spate of Christmas cards in the shops. Soon there will be decorations. The year is far from over but people are already making their plans for the festive season. I know what I’ll be doing on Christmas Eve, Christmas day and Boxing Day. This planning is not limited to activities - it also involves the buying of gifts, of food and of travel. With people planning these things now, you need to get your brand into the consumer line of vision as a matter of urgency. Send an email newsletter (to a fully opted-in database of course), start a seasonally oriented PPC campaign and implement SEO that will help you rank for relevant festive keywords.

2. Cater to every buyer, organised or otherwise

An important thing to realise is that not all people make their purchasing decisions in the same way. I, for example, am one of those people who has gift ideas all year and writes them down on random scraps of paper all over the show. When it comes to buying though, I always do it at the last minute, about 3 days before the day of delivery. On the other hand, I know people who have already bought, wrapped and labelled every gift that they plan to distribute this year. You need to tap into both of these markets one way or another. Consider offering an early bird discount for the eager beavers as well as shopping and sales support for the people still shopping at 7pm on Christmas Eve. Perhaps free delivery is a good incentive for last minute shoppers? Obviously how you structure your marketing efforts is up to you, but make sure that different shoppers’ needs are taken into account.

3. Create an application or tool to make the lives of your customers easier

I am a compulsive list maker. I don’t even go to the supermarket without making a list. This is possibly a silly example because I am sure there are a million online list tools out there, but if my favourite retail store developed an app that would store all my holiday season lists, I would be far more likely to buy things from them. If you provide your consumers with a functional tool that is of value to them over this notoriously stressful time, you will not only drive sales, but you will also form lifelong relationships with your consumers.  

4. Use social networks

As the year winds down to a close, people feel the need to reconnect with old friends and colleagues. It’s probably nostalgia in part and guilt in part. Regardless of the motivation, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that at this time, consumers are likely to be spending more time than usual on social networks doing just that. Retailers can use this to their advantage by concentrating their efforts on these areas. This doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive – put up a few pay per click banners on Facebook, update your fan page with information on holiday discounts and freebies and get cracking with some Tweets or a Twitter application that allows for the exchange of ideas around gifts, holiday destinations or whatever it is that your business offers. 

5. Give something back

This can be interpreted in one of two ways. The year end holiday season is not only a time when people buy gifts for their loved ones – it is also a time for giving to the less fortunate. Customers often need to find a way to assuage the guilt of spending their disposable income on frivolity. Donating a portion of your company profits to a charity or NGO that could do with a hand up is a good way to help customers do both at the same time. Make sure you maximize the marketing and PR value of doing this and ensure that you make it known that this is your plan. Doing this will set you apart from your competitors, while positioning you as a company that cares about more than making money.

Alternatively, if you’re targeting those blokes who don’t give a damn about feeding kittens at a shelter or teaching homeless people to read, offer them something that they can use. My sister just took out a 2 year cell phone contract for a phone she doesn’t need because it earned her a free LG flatscreen television. It was a good deal all round and now she has a spare phone! People love free stuff and pairings such as this one will make your customers feel that in tough times, they are getting maximum bang for their buck.

Marketing during the festive season is a different ball game – the decision to spend money has already been made. It remains up to companies and retailers to ensure that they take this into account when strategising their efforts for this period. A key factor is to make your brand the most prominent in your industry and to ensure that your offering is more attractive than that of your competitors.
 

Also check out:

• Online Shopping Habits Around the Festive Season
• 4 Festive Season Pointers for Online Retailers
• The Importance of Goal Setting for Web Design