Start Planning Now for Magical Holiday Customer Experiences
It might only be October, but if your product or service is something that will be a Christmas hit, it’s time to start thinking about your holiday marketing plan now. Everyone has competitors and everyone wants to be the place shoppers will go to. If you start planning for early Christmas marketing campaigns now and plan key dates for release, you’ll be ahead of or at least in-line with your competition.
A report by Smith-Harmon found that retailers begin Christmas marketing on October 19th, planning seasonal campaigns and sending out gift inspiration 67 days before Christmas is due. While this might seem incredibly early to even the most organized shopper, statistics show that 20.5% of US consumers began Christmas shopping in October, and this rose to 38.8% in November. The trend seems to indicate that people are getting in early to avoid last minute rushes, disappointment and seasonal stress.
“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin
Here are some ideas on when and how you can start your holiday customer experience marketing strategy for Christmas and New Year.
HO-HO-Hold On Just a Second!
Your on hold message is doing it’s job! It educates, entertains and engages your callers just like it’s suppose to… BUT, are you keeping content relevant and fresh for monthly, seasonal or special holiday promotions? If your on hold marketing messages reflect a nice, summer day, then it doesn’t compliment the rest of the marketing campaign you have laid out through the holiday season and the end of the year? What about your print and other advertising? Are you gearing up to welcome holiday shoppers who will be spending money?
There are tons of really great messages out there. However, the on hold message that made callers want to spend money organizing for spring cleaning, vacationing this summer, or gearing up for back to school is not applicable now, regardless of how well-produced and creative it was. It might make someone listen and smile, but it won’t spur them into action.
Season’s greetings and holiday music are the perfect backdrop to your holiday on hold messages to strengthen relationships with existing customers, and help foster relationships with new ones. It’s impressive when your callers discover holiday music and greetings, which shows them you care enough to play something relevant. Not to mention taking a moment during this hectic time to remind them that you appreciate and value their business, and wish them the very best during this special time of year. Think of it as your Holiday greeting card but on-hold!
Premium Holiday Scenting.
Whether the goal is to enhance the experience of your customers or decrease stress levels of employees in the workplace, premium scenting greatly improves any indoor environment. Consumers now have more choice than ever, and are able to freely exchange their opinions and experiences via Social Media. A pleasant shopping experience shared with others is good for your reputation and can lead to new and repeat customers. A poor experience could drive customers to shop elsewhere.
Independent research from around the world proves that shoppers feel comfortable in appropriately scented environments. Where they feel comfortable, dwell time increases and they spend more. A properly scented environment, will make your store or retail complex more appealing and improve the mood of shoppers. An appropriately scented store influences buying decisions, by increasing the likelihood of a customer making a purchase.
Holiday scenting adds that unmistakable extra element that captures the spirit of the holidays. During the holidays, embrace the scents of the season with a blend of white pine and peppermint latte to evoke warm memories of winter seasons gone by.
Crafting a Holiday Video Marketing Strategy.
The holidays are fast approaching! Have you considered your company’s holiday video marketing campaign? That’s why we put together a Holiday Playbook to create holiday video marketing that drives sales.
A good strategy starts with clear goals. We came up with these examples, but every business is unique, so don’t feel limited by our ideas:
- Creating connections with customers
- Sharing holiday cheer
- Offering products that make great gifts
- Sharing your expertise
Once you decide what you’re hoping to get out of your holiday marketing videos, you can work toward a specific goal, and you won’t have to grasp around for a message worth delivering, which we know can be challenging. Again, these are just a few of our ideas, but we’d love to hear what metrics you’ll be using to determine your success!
Overhead Holiday Background Music.
Are you the kind of person who hums along to “Jingle Bell Rock” in the supermarket? Does it make you want to fill your cart with cookies and egg nog? When you hear “Winter Wonderland” at the mall, do you think of sleigh rides and warm nights by the fire? Do you feel excited to start your holiday shopping?
Music and other sensory experiences have a powerful effect on our subconscious, changing our mood. When we hear overhead background music we like, we feel good, and that translates to positive feelings about the store we’re in. Research has shown that when we have found that these positive feelings they encourage customers to spend more on the spot – and they leave good memories of the brand and the shopping experience that also promote long-term loyalty. However don’t over do it, you should create a playlist that mixes in the right amount of holiday music so you don’t drive customers crazy.
Final Thoughts…
When people ask “when they should dust off their marketing calendar and start planning their Christmas campaign, we tell them “last month.” It’s not a joke. Running successful holiday campaigns heavily relies on preparation. Start planning your campaign as early as possible to maximize potential to reach your customers.
Knowing what you want to feature, what you want to offer, and how you want to convince users to purchase is essential, and too many businesses start too late. Preparing, and being ready is an essential part of beating out your competitors and getting those sales. If you’re looking to increase holiday sales (or at anytime of the year) by providing magical customer experiences contact Original On Hold today.
