Sales and Marketing During the Holidays, in the time of COVID-19

The pandemic has turned the whole business world upside down. People staying indoors and being more cautious has significantly limited operations of many establishments. While many retail merchants have been affected by this turn, it doesn’t mean your business should too.

Luckily, there are many tools and solutions available at our disposal to still connect with consumers and stay relevant even when meeting physically has become difficult. With the holidays coming up, what businesses can do is to gear up on their online marketing presence to interact with their prospective customers. The holiday season is still much anticipated by both buyers and sellers alike so here are some useful strategies for your business to keep up with the changing times.

Boost your eCommerce (it’s never too late) 

If you had previously not thought of launching an eCommerce site or platform, then now is absolutely the best time to do so. Research shows that mid-April saw a rise in online shopping orders by 146%, while in February the online conversion rates were only at 8.8%. This shows that even at the early stages of the pandemic, consumers were already adapting online to mitigate the risks of traditional shopping. Adobe’s study shows that 78% of customers still plan to spend the same amount of money for the holidays and even more.

If you were not convinced by online shopping then, then these numbers should convince you, given the positive outlook for many online merchants even at a time of the pandemic. It’s never too late to join the eCommerce bandwagon

Get with the Times, Encourage Contactless Transactions 

Appealing to what is the norm can win you over some customers. Social distancing has now become a norm for many people, along with minimizing as much travelling and contact as possible. Seeing businesses do the same shows customers that you don’t just mean business but that you are also sensitive about what they need. Successful online sellers have been encouraging their customers to purchase online to help customers feel safe. While this calls for greater effort on the part of the businesses, it is something that will pay off.

If you plan to capture a younger target market, Gen Z are actually the widest adopters of contactless activities. Ads that target this younger crowd make it more likely for them to take advantage of this type of transaction.

Have Your Brand in Multiple Channels 

Studies have shown that many channels affect customers while they are in their customer journey from researching all the way to purchasing. In this day and age, one channel is not enough. A key takeaway here is knowing how each of your channels can work together to help customers in their journey. They may go to your Facebook or Instagram account and check your posts and customer reviews, but it is through your eCommerce website that they close and make the deal.

60% of all e-commerce visits have been through mobile, so that is another factor to consider. Is your website mobile-friendly? Do you have social media presence that any customer can just look up with their phones?

Exploring many channels is great in also being able to expand your brand’s reach. Know your different audiences on Facebook, Instagram, your website, and so on.

Plan Special Holiday Promotions 

There is nothing more enticing than a special offer. Some tactics such as limited sales, promo codes, free samples, e-gift cards, or early access, are ones you can use for your business to catch the eye of many new customers. This is also great in creating touchpoints with existing customers and showing them that you are offering them something new and valuable.

You can time your campaigns with dates customers already associate with promotions such as November 11 or December 12. This can show your customers that you are going with the times, since customers may already be ready to spend during these times.

In Conclusion

Don’t let your business get left behind in the hustle and bustle of online marketing and sales campaigns over the holidays. Think of this as a great opportunity for your business to explore new territory and hopefully find a place to stay even during these uncertain times. A takeaway with all these strategies is to be open and flexible so that even when challenges such as a pandemic arises, your business is still rolling with the times. There is no true one-size-fits-all solution to each business as each one is unique, so being willing to try and adapt is one trait that all businesses should have in order to survive. Jumping right into digital marketing can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be, especially with the right partner such as iManila. Learn how we can work together when it comes to crafting you an effective holiday online campaign.