You don’t need me to tell you that there is a lot of email being sent this holiday season.
Actually, it’s not even limited to email.
There’s just a lot of marketing noise this time of year. Many businesses think they can capture subscribers’ attention with increasingly desperate offers: 15% off one week, 20% off the next, then 25% off, etc. etc.
But it is possible to stand out during the holiday season without offering those kinds of discounts. You may not win the price war, but you can expect to capture your audience’s attention with relevant content, a mobile presence, and customer reviews. And that will benefit you in the long run, not just between now and the end of the year.
Here are three ways to stand out:
1. Relevant content. Plain and simple: If you are sending relevant content, you will stand out. You’re reading this blog post because it’s covering a topic you care about. Your customers are going to read your emails and social media posts for the same reason. Not only does relevant content based on your customers’ interests help you stand out, it can lead to as many sales as free or discounted shipping offers can.
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Delivering relevant content is easy to do! On your social media pages, pay attention to what your fans and followers respond to and engage with. Create more posts like that. For email, pay attention to what subscribers are clicking on and what they said they wanted at sign up, and send them targeted relevant mailings about those topics. Just in time for the holidays, you’ll see a higher open rate and clickthrough rate when you need it most.
2. Mobile. Your customers are on their mobile devices, and the businesses that are there too are the ones that stand out. It’s not just about having a mobile-friendly website but thinking about all the places people can find your business online. You should expand your presence because, according to Microsoft, 70% of all mobile searches result in action within one hour. Be there when customers are looking for you! And don’t stop there. Continue to engage them at your location. Make it easy for people to join your email list with their mobile phones using Text-to-Join.
3. Reviews. Do you trust ads? I don’t, and apparently, the majority of consumers don’t either. What your customers do trust is consumer reviews. They search for them online, they ask their social networks, and they rely on those before making a purchase. In fact, 71% of consumers say online reviews are important when considering purchasing a product. Reviews are important, so ask for them! Ask people to share their thoughts and opinions in an online survey, a Facebook poll, or just by directing them to your Yelp page. Once you have the reviews, don’t stop there. Promote them! Quote customer comments in your emails, link to them from your Facebook Page, or use a QR code to link to them in your store.
By talking to your customers about what they care about, engaging them where they are with mobile, and validating your messages with reviews, you can set your business apart this holiday season, no discounts needed.
What ways do you use to stand out at holiday time? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.