Last Minute Holiday Sales Opportunities

If you failed to plan ahead, you still have last minute holiday sales opportunities to grab some of the massive sales that occur this time of year.

• If you’ve already been posting/sending holiday sales messages from early in the season, make note of the points below that will be of use now that the holidays are getting closer to take advantage of last minute holiday sales opportunities too.

• Even if your business isn’t one that specifically offers products or services typically needed at this time of year, you can still capitalize on last minute holiday sales opportunities. People are looking ahead toward the New Year and thinking about improvements that can be made in all areas of their professional and personal lives.

1. To get started, identify the last minute opportunities from the needs and that your audience has at this time of year:
   • What products or services do you have that will make great last minute gifts — easy to purchase and deliver, good for someone that you may not know that well?
   • What products or services do you have that will are suitable to give as late gifts, for when you won’t be seeing someone until after Christmas?
   • If you are B2B, what do you offer that a business will need for end of year or getting started for the new year; or do you have anything that would make a great gift for clients or staff?
   • Can you add to your sales opportunities by offering vouchers and/or gift cards? Ensure they can be bought and delivered online to make an ideal last minute gift.
   • How can you package your offerings to increase individual sales? Are there any other ways to cross-sell and/or up-sell at this time? This isn’t only for physical products, but you can package courses, various services, products and services (if you offer both), add-on training or support, etc.
   • Can the customer easily purchase multiple quantities? If you think an offer is good as a last minute gift for one person on your list, don’t you often grab a few for other similar people on that list?
2. Then identify how best to communicate these opportunities to your audience:
   • Can you can make at least three points of contact, starting now through the time between Christmas and New Year?
   • Do you use a combination of email, social media, your website and offline channels to communicate with your audience? It’s time to capitalize on all the good work you’ve done building your audience across all your digital channels. (If you haven’t get started now!)
   • What’s the best flow of communication to make a sale — to influence the audience and for completion of the sale?
     • Is there a clear path to conversion? Can you make sales right from your email or social media channels, or does the customer need to get to your website to complete the sale. If to the website, do you ensure that the customer lands on the specific page to complete the sale and there are no barriers?
3. Write killer copy suitable to the specific channels to convey the opportunities to your target market:
   • Clearly communicate what you have on offer and how it answers the visitor’s need.
   • Use a Sales Landing Page, specific to your offer with no distractions from completing the sale.
   • Ensure the copy is engaging, showing focus on the needs of the visitor, and compelling, detailing the solution you offer them.
   • Include clear calls to action throughout, leading directly to the method to complete the sale.
4. Deliver your message by setting up and scheduling to send/post at the optimum time frames:
   • Schedule delivery based on past experience and research on when your audience uses the specific channel — specifically at this time of year, if the information is available.
   • Do not be afraid to send frequently because this is a “now or never” situation, but ensure the tone suits your audience or it may be a “never or never” situation.
   • Determine the best sequence to coordinate your message between the channels — or is it best to just bombard the audience from all angles until the end of the season (works for retail and some other types of businesses)?
5. Keep a close eye on performance, and what is, and isn’t, driving performance and take action as needed:
   • Not getting a response from a specific channel? What can be done to improve this performance, or should you put more effort on the channels that are doing well? Again, this depends on what you are offering and the preferences of your audience.
   • Not getting a good response from any channel? Look at what you’ve done in the previous steps and identify what you can do now to remedy? Do you need a stronger call to action? Did you use a Sales Landing Page? Is the timing right?
6. Most importantly, ensure your communication, sales and delivery channels are streamlined, faultless and fully focused on the needs of the customer for complete satisfaction throughout — so there are no barriers to making the sale.
   • Do you have sales, service and delivery support 24/7 to ensure that sales can be made and delivered within the necessary time frames?
   • Have you clearly communicated these time frames in every point of contact to manage expectations?
   • Ensure you also clearly communicate any details needed about delivery, returns, etc.
   • What payment methods do you accept? Are these best for your audience to use at this time? Are there any that you should now include, if only at this time of year?
   • As you are likely to be closed on the actual holidays, ensure that your website clearly communicates this and has a good resource area with solutions to likely questions and issues; clearly noting how to communicate with you and when a response can be expected.

And, while you are at it — start planning your “New Year, New You” type campaigns now!!!

What other last minute holiday sales opportunities can you take advantage of throughout next year?! Schedule time in January to start planning!