The holiday season is here and it’s time to make sure you’re prepared to make 2017 the best Holiday Season. So how do you go about growing your business this holiday season?

Step 1 Plan Ahead!

There’s a reason retailers start putting out their Christmas goods as early as Halloween. Last year 46% of holiday spending was made in November. More than ever it is imperative to begin your holiday marketing earlier rather than later.

Social Media Planning

Once the holiday season hits you’ll have too much on your plate to be thinking about what social media posts to make. That’s why it’s best to make a social media schedule ahead of time. This makes sure that when the hustle and bustle of the holiday season hits you can rest assured knowing that your social media is handled.

Increase your visual content usage to make an impact with your social media. Consumers who view a video are 1.81x more likely to make a purchase than those who haven’t. Adding a photo to your Facebook post leads to 2.3x more engagement than posts without a photo. Use visual content to really connect with your audience.

Another way to make your social media resonate with your followers is to use the holidays as an opportunity to show the personal side of your business. Consider making posts that show what’s going on behind the scenes. Don’t be afraid to get sentimental during the holidays!

E-mail Marketing Planning

Make an e-mail marketing campaign! The holidays are the prime time to show your customers what you can provide to them! 34% of American consumers check their email throughout the day. Use this to your advantage during the season people are TRYING to spend their money!

Like with social media, make an e-mail marketing calendar for the holiday season to get ahead of the curve. Try creating special offers during holidays such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and before Christmas to drive up sales and buzz.

Promote these offers using a three-step marketing series to get the most out of your offers. Send an announcement e-mail two weeks out from the offer, a reminder one week out, and a “last chance” reminder a few days before the offer. By doing this you ensure nearly everyone on your email list will be informed of your special sale!

Business preparations

Be sure your website and services will be prepared to handle the surge of traffic caused by the peak holiday shopping periods such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Ensure your website is mobile friendly and that all bugs or issues are addressed before the surge of traffic (1).

Be prepared to be ON TOP of customer service during these times as well. Consider adding a 24/7 live chat to your website during peak shopping days to allow a smooth shopping experience for your customers. Make sure your offers have clear call to actions, and adjust your copy for quicker conversions as customers will be more warmed up to make purchases during the holiday season (1).

Delight!

One last thing to keep in mind: create delight for your customers whenever you can! The holidays are a special time for everyone so make sure to share the holiday spirit with your customers! Using holiday themed graphics and keywords are the basics, but you can always turn it up a notch.

Some ways of doing this are by sending Christmas letters to your clients thanking them for their business, including little surprises along with your products, and appealing to holiday emotions and sentiments with your promotions and copy.

Investing a little bit into delivering a great customer experience and then some will show your customers you care, allowing you to further develop your customers’ relationship with your business. And isn’t that what the holidays are all about?

Happy holidays!