Thanksgiving, or Turkey Day, is one of the big holidays for my family. Stories and memories are as plentiful as the turkey, sides and pie.
At the risk of extending the metaphor too far, I have 3 seasonally inspired interactive marketing thoughts.
- Be Grateful – Thanksgiving is an opportunity to pause and show gratitude for the best of the year. When was the last time you thanked your best customers? These power buyers/visitors are driving the sales and reputation of your company, so pause to recognize them.
The obvious options are discounts and dollar rewards. You can also thank your favorite customers without cutting into your margins. Early access to new products, special invitation only events, previews of big sales and prioritized customer service all confer your gratitude and cement the relationship.
- Give Back – This is the season of giving. Whether through volunteering, opening up the table or simply donating, the winter is a time to think about the needs of others even more.
If you’re retailing online, this is also a great time to think about generosity. Does your site make it easy for people to be generous to their friends and family? Here’s a quick 5 point checklist:
- Last Day For Holiday Shipping – Make it obvious when holiday orders must be placed or risk losing the sale to anxious buyers. Even better, offer free rush shipping as Christmas approaches and push gift certificates during the last few days.
- Gift Suggestions – A little inspiration is just what some confused or impatient shoppers need (especially those clueless men in the bunch).
- Wrapping - Time saving options like gift wrapping suit both busy and long distance shoppers.
- Gift Receipts – If gifts are being sent instead of hand delivered, then you need to offer buyers the option to mask the purchase price.
- Rush Shipping – Last minute shoppers want to buy too, but you need flexible shipping options to accommodate them.
Sometimes, it’s not enough to just help other people give to their family and friends. Your target audience may respond to an increased world sensitivity.
Take Nau, for example. They’ve built a brand around the concept of design that also balances sustainability. 5% of every order goes to a customer’s choice of organization or “Partner For Change”.
- Leave Room For Dessert – I always have to consciously tell myself not to load up on that second plate of food, because dessert is on its way. It’s easy to forget about pie during the main event.
It’s also easy to forget about the user experience after purchase.That’s a mistake, because there’s a lot of opportunity. Think about it: this person has invested time and energy into your site to make a sale, overcoming any user experience or psychological barriers on the way.Take advantage of this shopping momentum effect with a couple of interactive basics:
- Ask Them To Register – Assuming you haven’t required registration to make a purchase (right?), this a good moment to push registration. Sell buyers on the speed and convenience of storing all of their information.
- Optimize Order Confirmation Emails – It’s likely that order confirmation emails have the highest open rate of any communication from your company. Are you making the most of them?In addition to neatly summarizing the order, try promoting other items, content (such as blogs) or communications (such as newsletters).
While you’re thinking about the holidays, make sure your paid search campaigns are ready for the effect of ppc seasonality.
