Tis the season to be jolly! Also, it’s that time of year when customers are buying a lot more and spending more time in-store than ever. Retailers and brands need to be prepared for holiday shopping because it’s an opportunity that only strikes once a year.
Did you know that almost one-third of all retail sales happen between Black Friday and Christmas? In this article, we are going to talk about how you can leverage holiday marketing in-store to make sure that you attract the attention of shoppers and increase sales.
Ready to get into the holiday spirit and delight your customers?
What is holiday marketing?
Holiday marketing means intensifying your promotional efforts to attract the attention of shoppers during the holidays. Since the period between Black Friday and Christmas is the busiest, most retailers and brands adopt holiday marketing tactics 2 months before Christmas.
As you might expect, every little detail of your campaigns revolves around the holiday. That’s why you need to make sure that you understand your audience and know how to appeal to them during this busy period.
Why is holiday marketing important?
Holiday marketing is extremely important because people love to shop during the holidays. Why? Because most people allow themselves to spend more time and money when they go on a shopping spree during the holidays.
This is a great opportunity for both brands and retailers to promote themselves and their products. Catch the attention of the shopper when they are ready to spend, right?
Another factor you should consider is that customers expect brands to prepare amazing campaigns during the holiday season. Anything from in-store promotions to TV commercials can trigger customers to buy your products. However, customers are no longer accepting dull campaigns with a 10% discount. They want something innovative, creative, and bold.
Don’t forget that holiday shopping is a ritual. People go to buy gifts for their loved ones and it would be a shame to miss out on an opportunity like this one. Holiday marketing allows you to reach your customers during a special period with amazing campaigns that can encourage them to spend more.
While most brands and retailers are placing their bets on online campaigns this year, shoppers are still going to brick-and-mortar stores when they are doing their holiday shopping. 77% of customers plan to shop for presents in-store, which means that FMCG brands and retailers need creative in-store campaigns to attract customers.
Tips and tricks for in-store holiday marketing
1. Plan ahead
This is the most important step for any campaign, especially for holiday marketing. Think about the campaign you want to implement, the resources you need, and the timeline if you want to have a successful in-store brand activation.
2. Innovate your campaign
Most (if not all) FMCG brands create holiday campaigns for their products. Some rely on discounts, others on jolly packaging to attract attention. This means that you will need an innovative campaign if you want to stand out.
By using a robotic POSM like Tokinomo, you can engage customers right at the point of purchase. Record an emotional or a Christmas-themed message and let Tokinomo do the talking and promoting.
Want to see how Tokinomo can help you? Look at this video:
3. Storytelling in retail
If you want to encourage people to purchase more during the holiday season, you need to appeal to their emotions. Most purchases are emotion-based. With an inspiring message and a Holiday-themed campaign, people will easily feel connected with your brand. This will impact sales and brand loyalty at the same time.
Think about what triggers people during the holiday season. It could be the reminiscing of their childhood, a specific song, or the family bond. Now, think about how your product fits in that story, how does it impact your shoppers? Is it bringing people together at the dinner table during the holiday season? Is it the perfect gift for kids who just came from caroling? Find the connection and show it to your customers too.
4. Stick to what represents your brand
It’s best to create a campaign that highlights the values of your brand. While some might create out-of-the-box campaigns, it is not a great idea to create a campaign that doesn’t represent your brand. People already have created an image of your brand and they are used to it. During the holidays, it’s not a great idea to change that perception completely.
Ready for the Holiday campaigns in-store?
Prepare shareable experiences in-store with the help of the right brand activation solutions, like Tokinomo. Remember that it is important to work with customers’ emotions. Without triggering shoppers by appealing to their emotions, your chances of increasing sales are close to none.
