Tips to Boost Business This Christmas

Eiffel Tower decked in Gold Christmas Lights, December 2010

Run a Last Minute Competition. I’ve noticed a few companies still doing this, why not you? There is plenty of information on the internet on how to do it well, and inexpensively via social media and online via your website.

Christmas Markets. If you’re in a small startup like Beautiful Bracelets, ensure you’re at every possible Christmas Market you can gain entrance to. People do go to these Markets with the express purpose of buying Christmas Gifts, and at one such Christmas Market, a real estate agent was handing out free “branded” bottled water to everyone as they arrived at the market, so there are ways that any business can increase it’s “reach” this Season.

Delivery. Offer guaranteed delivery by a certain date. Christmas should be perfect, especially the presents. Customers will want their deliveries promptly before the big day arrives.

v    Make sure your customers know the last date and time they can order something and have it delivered before Christmas.

v      When they might expect to receive delivery of the item/s.

v      If they ordered after the final date for it to be in time for Christmas, where else might they be able to find the item.

Greetings to your Database. Email your database with a “Happy Holidays” or “Christmas” greeting to ensure they keep you top of mind. Include a few special offers on products. Don’t overdo it or it could backfire on you when your email is sent to “spam”.

Run limited period promotional offers: Free-gift wrapping, perhaps give them a mince pie and a cup of tea whilst they are waiting (it would be great if the tyre balancing service people would do this). Use any opportunity you can to get to know your customers, and offer excellent customer service.

Branded Gifts. Give your clients or customers a useful Branded Gift. (Like the Bottled Water mentioned before). The more personal the gift, the better. Many people use Fridge Magnets for branding these days. But if these are a conspicuous advertisement they could land up in the trash.

Christmas is very commercialised, but we can make it special and personal, and if carefully thought out, it is a time when people are thinking of community and involvement (exchanging gifts) and it can be a very uplifting and joyous time. Celebrate it with your customers in a way they will remember you.