Black Friday and Cyber Monday might be over, but the holiday sale season has only just begun. BFCM represents about 17% of online holiday spending, according to Adobe Analytics, which leaves plenty of room for ecommerce stores to take advantage of the biggest sales season of the year and increase their revenue.
Increasing revenue isn’t just a pipe dream, either. Deloitte estimates that the average holiday consumer spending will surpass pre-pandemic levels for the first time, and a recent Shopify-Gallup survey echoed the sentiment that most consumers plan to spend the same or more on holiday shopping compared to last year.
This year, the pot of holiday ecommerce dollars is bigger — and savvy ecommerce marketers can reap the rewards with the right marketing campaigns.
So, what’s the secret to cashing in and boosting revenue this holiday season? Here are our top three holiday marketing strategies for ecommerce stores looking to bring in more sales this December.
1. Offer Steep Discounts
Seems like a no-brainer, right? Maybe so, but this season, you’ll need to step up the discount game to compete because discounts are expected to hit a record holiday high.
Already, the average holiday discount rate is around 30%. Consumers might be looking to spend more right now, but they also are still feeling the pain of higher prices at the gas station and grocery store.
Consumers are looking to get the most bang for their buck when holiday shopping, so steep discounts will keep you competitive with similar brands.
Wondering whether you can afford to offer big discounts? Check out our guide to creating an ecommerce discount strategy so you pick an offer that drives more consumers without negatively impacting your margins.
Once you’ve determined the right discount, present it to your subscribers in an eye-catching way that’ll compel them to click. Here’s an example:
2. Take Advantage of Timely Holiday Sale Hooks
The best marketing campaigns drive urgency so that consumers feel compelled to spend now. Offering them 40% off will certainly pique their interest, but what turns that interest into action is putting a timer on that offer so they feel the pressure to buy before the big discount is gone.
The great thing about the holiday sale season is that, unlike other times during the year, you don’t have to manufacture these timely events to drive store traffic. Think about it:
- The last date for shipping so gifts arrive before Christmas: What’s better motivation for a shopper than knowing their gift quite literally will not arrive in time if they don’t act ASAP? Just be sure you can fulfill and deliver on the promise to get items shipped and in their hands before Christmas.
Here’s an example of a graphic that conveys urgency about the impending shipping deadline, coupled with a discount to sweeten the deal:
- Holiday countdowns: Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa — all have definitive dates, so it’s easy to back into those dates with “12 Days of [Insert Holiday Here]” campaigns. These promos are a great excuse to showcase your inventory in a way that seems more fun than invasive.
Here’s an example:
- Year-end sales: Capture the euphoria of consumers who might have just banked some extra spending money with a year-end sale right after Christmas. The end of the year is a natural deadline and easy motivator in a marketing campaign.
Here’s an example:
3. Win Over Subscribers with Personalization
There are millions of ecommerce sites out there. And while you’re not competing with all of them, you are trying to stand out among your own category in an increasingly crowded space.
That’s where personalization isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s a need-to-have for any serious ecommerce shop. Think beyond just putting a subscriber’s name into the subject line — we’re talking about graphics splashed with your subscribers’ names featuring products custom to their profile and history with your store.
Klaviyo already shared that marketers who used personalized, dynamic content during this past BFCM on their platform saw 40% more conversions than those who didn’t.
The data is clear: Personalizing your emails will bring in more sales.
Here’s an example of how a holiday sale graphic could be personalized in a more sophisticated way:
Making this kind of graphic on your own would likely not be simple, which is why we make it easy for you. The great thing about Grid & Pixel graphics is that they take less than a minute to customize and add to your customer engagement platform. That means implementing a strong personalization strategy into your flows and campaigns doesn’t have to wait until you have some post-holiday breathing room.
Take advantage now, while the revenue potential is higher, and your sales numbers will thank you.
