By Violetta Znorkowski, Jr. Digital Marketer
1. Prioritize
It’s no secret that holiday sales are filled with tons of visual stimuli to catch your attention. With colorful signs that read “85% off” and neon arrows pointing at discounts, it’s easy to get side tracked. We’ve all walked into a store with a mission for a single item, and walk out with bags of the hottest new gadgets and clothes.
But just like your shopping mission, it is important to remember your #1 goal during a campaign. Avoiding distractions, like design changes and specific tagline wording, will be easier if you remember your initial mission and stick to it.
2. Stay organized
When tackling holiday sales, you have to know exactly what you want, where to go, and how much money to bring. Something we’ve learned from the multiple door buster events and midnight sales is if you wake up the day without a specific plan of action, you will most likely come home empty handed. You have to know what it is you want and then think of the best way to get it.
The same survival tactic can be applied to a social media campaign. It is important to know exactly what you want to say, who you want to say it to, and what your expected outcome is. This is where a strong and well thought out strategy comes into play. In order to receive the best results, you will need to know your target audience, plan your communications strategy, and have clear measurable goals.
3. Be direct
Imagine walking into a major department store the day before Christmas and asking a sales associate for that shoe that they featured last month, with the gold buckle…the one that had the ad with a Christmas tree…the model wore a plaid skirt…you know the one? Amidst the bustling last minute shoppers, the newly hired holiday sales associate will most likely not remember that ambiguous shoe you’re referring to. Giving specific information in a timely fashion will increase the likelihood of you walking out with that shoe.
Similarly, for social media campaigns your copy and design needs to be short, sweet and direct. The most effective social media posts have the ability to make a strong and persuasive argument with little to no copy. The more direct you are, the less fluff and explanation you’ll need for your ads. A recent PEW Internet Study in the US concluded that, “the current generation of internet consumers live in a world of ‘instant gratification and quick fixes’, which leads to a loss of ‘patience and a lack of deep thinking. Say it quick, say it well.”
4. Make a budget
It wouldn’t be smart to load up your cart with a Google watch, the newest fitbit and a MacBook with only 100$ in your wallet. Even the best sales in the world won’t get you that! You have to think realistically and logically when shopping, or creating a strategy.
Build a budget. How much do you plan to spend on Facebook Ads? How about on the designer building your emails? Depending on which channels you plan to use as your main sources, adjust your budget to spend more in those areas. You can determine these channels by knowing your target audience and what channels appeal to them.
5. Be Prepared
Like your shopping skills, testing new techniques throughout the year will help you capitalize during busy season. Testing different copy, design, channels to advertise on, calls to action etc. – then later review your analytic reports and to see which technique gained the highest traction. This method will help you approach the busy season feeling prepared. Now this isn’t to say that you can’t risk it to get the biscuit during busy season and try something new. After analyzing your test results from earlier in the year, you can always use your best test as a base for future testing and take a chance with a new technique during peek season. Sometimes the only way to get the results you want is to take a chance and plunge straight into the water!
