To help your business flourish this Christmas, we have outlined three important and effective digital marketing tips to apply to your current marketing efforts. Staying on top of the latest digital trends is essential to keep your business on the pulse and for making it through this holiday season. Naturally, online sales have increased exponentially, as has social media engagement.
Christmas 2020 is almost here and is set to be one of the strangest Christmas celebrations in recent times. Restrictions on travel and social gatherings mean that many of us may not be spending this Christmas exactly how we thought we would. Christmas Eve will not be spent frantically searching for the remaining items on your list in crowded shopping centres. Perhaps you won’t be able to have the entire family over to your house. Still, Christmas is far from cancelled. Celebrations will go on, but we will adapt to the times.
Knowing how to approach this holiday season as a marketer may feel like a challenge, as this Christmas will be unlike any we have experienced in recent times. However, the bright side is that many consumers have claimed that they will choose smaller, local businesses for their consumer needs since the beginning of the lockdowns to help them recover from the significant losses caused by the pandemic. Of course, people will still buy from larger businesses, but all hope is not lost for small businesses.
The following digital marketing tips are simple to apply but highly effective.
Marketing Tip #1 Offer Outstanding Virtual Customer Service
People are staying at home as much as they can, but that does not mean that they no longer have customer needs to be satisfied. In fact, they may have more or different needs now. For this Christmas season, make sure that you allocate enough resources into your virtual customer service department, This includes swiftly and caringly responding to phone calls, emails, and comments, replies, and messages on your social media channels. Christmas is typically a time when people are stressed and busy for weeks (even months!) leading up to the holiday, so it’s important to answer your customer’s queries and concerns as quickly as possible, so as not to cause them any further stress, They may not always be immediately grateful, but they are likely to appreciate your service and return later.
Remember, when responding to customer queries and concerns, be as human as possible. If you can allocate this job to real people, great. If not, you can always use automated responses and chatbots. There is a less ‘human’ feel to this type of customer service, but if you are receiving large volumes of messages and questions, then automation may be necessary.
Marketing Tip #2 Focus on Social Media Marketing
Long before the pandemic began, social media was a hotspot for people of all ages and backgrounds to share their views on local and global events, television shows, music, and other general interests. Whatever happens in the world, someone has made a social media post about it. Social media is also an excellent, unrivalled tool for staying connected with friends and loved ones across the world. Given the restrictions and legal social distancing regulations in place, more and more people are using social media platforms to reach out to others and stay up to date with the latest news and events. As a business, if you’re not warmly embracing social media marketing, you really should be. Sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are amazing tools to help you connect and empathise with customers and prospects, and speak to them on a human level.
This Christmas, why not try a festive campaign to spark some joy in your customer’s and follower’s day? You could release a Christmas-themed video or blog post, share Christmas-themed memes or even your favourite Christmas music, and ask your followers to contribute to a playlist! Of course, this all depends on your type of business and how formal or casual your social media presence is, but there is usually some room to play and experiment, especially around the holidays. Bear in mind that this Christmas is going to be particularly challenging for many people, so consider keeping your Christmas-themed marketing efforts as engaging and uplifting as possible!
Marketing Tip #3 Optimise for Mobile
42 percent of business from online shoppers happens on mobile devices. That number is impossible to ignore; your website must be optimised for mobile. Mobile optimisation means that your website looks good on a mobile device – it adapts to the screen size and resolution in milliseconds with a fast loading speed. Even a couple of seconds’ delay in load speed can deter a potential customer. If customers experience delays, you’ll receive a much higher bounce rate and significantly reduced conversion. Mobile shopping is becoming increasingly commonplace, so if you’re not already optimised for mobile, make that a priority.
A Final Thought
Smaller businesses have taken a serious hit this year. Some have been forced to close, while others are doing their very best to stay afloat. Christmas this year will be a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming one. By taking into consideration the tips outlined above, you give yourself a good chance of keeping your customers satisfied and grateful, which will encourage retention and loyalty. While this Christmas presents an unexpected challenge, challenges are a major part of any business, and offer an opportunity to adapt and even thrive!
