Marketing During Holidays

It's not something that is being questioned anymore. Today's entrepreneurs know that online media is equally important to marketing around the holidays as traditional print media. The challenge is that, with so many businesses issuing online campaigns and going all out to capture the attention of customers, it has become critical to know the right tools to reach your target audience and build visibility  during holidays. This time of year gives you an opportunity to show another side of your business and maintain contact to build the relationship. Here are some tips on how retailers and other SMBs can stay in touch with customers online.

Send holiday greetings

When your customers (like everyone else) are being barraged with holiday messages, it is wise to send short, relevant communications that will be perceived as valuable and respectful of their time. A photo of your team or one showing your community initiative could catch their interest. It could also be an animation, a puzzle or a simple greeting that connects with your customers. You could it post it on YouTube with a link it to your website. If you include an element of humor or quirkiness, it is more likely people will share it and give you more mileage. Check out jibjab.com, a free website that helps in creating funny holiday e-cards. Don't forget to use subtle brand reminders like using colors of your logo or your brand tagline in your message!

Optimize your website for mobile searches

Google predicts 65% of consumers will use their mobile device to look for a business to make in-store purchases.{C}{C}

The findings also project that 44% of total searches for last-minute gifts and store locations will come from mobile devices this holiday season, given data based on historical growth rates. Get your website mobile-optimized for smaller smartphones screen with features that leverage location and touch-screen features to use the opportunity to attract the shoppers this holiday season!