A holiday season is the most important part of the year for a lot of Australian enterprises out there for several reasons, especially in the retail industry. Namely, this is the part of the year in which most consumers enter with a pre-set budget for gifts and presents, while it’s also a period where they’re not as reluctant to treat themselves, as well.
This means that they’ll not only be willing to buy but that they will also be willing to pay for items that aren’t necessarily deemed as a priority throughout the year. The window of opportunity that a startup or a small business has here is to show some appreciation towards their clients in the holiday season in order to keep some of this momentum once the season actually ends. With that in mind, there are several methods that you might find particularly handy in this regard.
1. Think about the tradition
While some may jokingly (to a degree) claim that the consumerism is a religion of its own, with the Black Friday as its most important date and holiday. Still, it’s rude to oversimplify things in this way and completely forget about the reason behind the holiday season, to begin with. Namely, not all of your customers have the same holiday traditions, seeing as how some celebrate Christmas, while others have Hanukkah or Ramadan instead.
Therefore, if you’re handing out personalized notes, either be 100 percent sure of the tradition of the customer in question or stick to neutral phrases. We’re talking about broad messages like “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings”. Naturally, sending this out on its own wouldn’t be nearly as effective if you were to do so without a hamper. Ideally, though, you would know your target audience/recipient so well that you can customize and personalize this message. In other words, instead of sending something generic, you could look for Christmas hampers Sydney options instead.
2. Discounts
Giving your audience some words of appreciation is great, however, it’s nowhere near as effective as making an actual (and actionable) gesture. The simplest way to do so is with the help of a discount. Before we carry on, we need to mention the fact that the issue of discounts and their long-term effect is highly debated in the world of retail. On the one hand, there are people who believe that discounts are the most potent tool for driving sales, while others claim that they cheapen your brand. Either way, creating a holiday season sends a message that you’re so inclined to keep your regulars, that you’re even willing to forsake a part of your profits to make it so. This means putting people before income.
3. Start early to avoid the rush
Once the season hits its pinnacle, everyone will rush to greet their clients and embrace them with all of their skill and prowess. This means that the power of cards, targeted offers and discounts might start fading when compared to the sheer volume of similar offers coming from all sides. Nonetheless, what if you were to start first or ahead of the season. Wouldn’t this raw all the attention your way, thus securing a special name for your brand in the hearts of your customers? This is a notion that’s worth some further consideration.
4. Don’t avoid using your full title
One more trick that might come in handy is the use of your title, position or authority when addressing your audience. Even if you’re a one-person startup, it’s much more effective to send greetings as an owner or the head of the company, than to do so as an individual. Another handy trick you can use here is the creation of email signature. If you’re writing a real note, don’t forget to mention your title either way.
In conclusion
At the very end, in order to receive some value (in terms of sales and loyalty), you need to offer something of value in return. Of course, it doesn’t have to be the same value or even the same type of value, due to the fact that you still need to have a positive return. Nonetheless, with the above-listed four methods, this is not a problem that will trouble you for long.
