‘Tis the Season to be Profitable

If the calendar hasn’t tipped you off to the upcoming holiday season, then a growing spate of TV commercials will. The retailers’ most prolific season seems to start earlier every year, and it’s never too soon to jump on board.

Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, and even Festivus—all these marquee events bring out the generosity and giving spirit in consumers worldwide. And as the ratio of onsite purchasing versus online sales continues to shift, it’s even more important to rev up for a hot holiday commerce opportunity.
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You may have some sentimental ways to make your end-of-year sales period special, and that’s critical for your brand. But if you’re open to some tips from experts, pay attention to these specialized strategies.

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1. Be social – Have you harnessed the fabulous (and free) opportunities on Facebook? The world’s most populated social network is a great place to commune with fans and customers alike. Reward your top followers with an attractive promotion or special discount, and be sure to advertise it through an e-mail blast that motivates non-followers to like your page. Also, consider campaigns sent through Facebook Messenger to enjoy a greater read rate.
   
   
2. Get personal – It’s no secret that personal stories offering raw, emotional connections are motivational in many aspects. Tie this into your sales platform by taking advantage of Instagram’s and Facebook’s down-home atmosphere and creating story-based ads. Personalized content relating anecdotes about you, your employees, or some of your top customers, will resonate in this season of Kumbaya.
   
   
3. The eyes have it! – Visual, visual, visual. Especially in a holiday season, consumers are drawn like magnets to pleasing pictures. Don’t be shy in creating beautiful, festive images and incorporating them into all of your content. Dress up your home page to reflect a seasonal theme. Use filters and lenses in social media, and imbed fun pictures in email communications. Visual suggestive strategies are as old as advertising itself.
   
   
4. Branch out – You’re finally comfy with Facebook and Instagram, but keep in mind that there are other, more trendy networks that continue to dominate the social media horizon.  Heard of Reddit? Experts say an astronomical number of Americans visit it at least once daily. Typically associated with a news and information format, it’s now following the path of most other platforms and becoming a place to hang out. Why not check out the fare posted by users to determine what’s hot, and study the way they are labeled and described so you can integrate it into your SEO strategy?
   
   

You already know that this is the critical time of year to generate revenues. Perennial commerce statistics show that retailers get out of the black only during the fourth fiscal quarter, and there is no sector of ecommerce that can’t benefit from adopting some level of seasonal attitude. But perhaps the most valuable benefit of minding the calendar? It can lift your mood and prepare you for a busy season ahead.