Small is the New Big Shop Local

October is the new Black Friday. We are starting holiday shopping sprees earlier than ever this year. Most retail stores are out of Halloween décor and are already upfront and center with Christmas décor. With that in mind, here are five ways Creative Marketing Arts is working with our clients to make an impact this holiday season:

“Pre-suade” your shoppers. Retailers need to meet shoppers before the purchase. The question is how. Start promoting through Instagram and your website using your frequent shopper email lists, and be ready to roll now with trends. It is difficult to think about turtlenecks and warm coats while the weather is warm--but trust us, the temperature is changing, and so should each brick-and-mortar merchant. 54% of consumers begin researching holiday gifts in October or earlier. Even with Halloween candy still fresh on the shelf, forward-thinking gift-givers are already building their lists.
Celebrate the little things - focus on micro-events. Social gatherings will likely be much smaller this holiday season, creating the opportunity to celebrate more with micro-occasions.
Do not forget to use outside resources such as the American Express Shop Small campaign and other Shop Local support groups. Most Americans are very appreciative for their local mom & pop neighborhood restaurants and retailers. So, use this as a niche campaign to kick-off the season.
Reward early bird shoppers with discounts ahead of Black Friday. This event is over inflated and overrated. Don’t go there—go bigger and earlier with a fabulous pre-holiday open house. Feature true, deep discounts and fun gift bags filled with valuable goodies and sell them for $25. Offer a portion of proceeds to a favorite charity. 81% of Holiday shoppers plan to research deals and specials before making holiday purchases.
Focus on your audience’s specific needs instead of broad targeting. Avoid trite phrases like “holiday shopping,” “Christmas,” “holiday gifts,” etc. Develop programs that give back to the customer -- offer incentives such as a gift with purchase or offer a portion of the purchase toward charity. Create free add-on services such a monogram, personalization, or free giftwrap. Consider setting up an in-store gift wrapping station. We all know the longer customers linger, the better opportunity to upsell. You can even set-up a darling holiday add on merchandise station in the gift wrap area.
Bring your holiday advertising full circle by incorporating in-store purchase data. Digital advertising strategies should incorporate in-store data, allowing marketers to target shoppers who typically buy their products in-store, and optimize campaigns based on those results. If you know your data and understand your customer, there is nobody better than you to go after your market and increase sales.

The trick to a successful holiday campaign is to lurk your competition and study all social media such as Pinterest and Instagram to gather great looks and ideas. The early bird will get the worm.

Source: Morning Brew, Retail Review