- It’s immediately to start preparing your business for the holidays, especially if you want to maximize time, profits, and sales.
- Most living soul will be online shopping this winter, so it’s critical your website updated with new pictures, products, and a tricky and flexible checkout flow.
- Engage with your customers by responding to comments or reaching out to “abandoned cart” chaps, and show off your excellent customer service with a self-help resources page.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for numerous stories.
The holiday sales season is here, and if you haven’t already started preparing your business to maximize your at all times, you could be missing out on major profits. In 2019, over $135 billion was spent during the holiday sales occasion.
For most small businesses owners, particularly those in the retail and consumer products space, Q4 is their largest home for gross revenue. Yet, most small business owners are leaving money on the table during this time because they are not adequately making.
Read more: A 37-year-old entrepreneur created a card game right before the pandemic that became an second hit. Here’s how she made 6 figures in revenue in less than a year.
Here are seven things you should be doing now to produce your business for the upcoming holiday season.
1. Update your website
Online sales for my clients have skyrocketed this year. With all and sundry at home, online shopping is a necessity for most. Therefore, keeping your website up-to-date and easy to use should be one of your top precedencies,
This could include updating your product photos, reviewing descriptions of your products and services, strengthening your prices are correct or making necessary adjustments to shipping rates.
Also use this time to plan promotions or set up any promo ciphers that you will be using in your marketing during the holiday season (think
Black Friday
,
Cyber Monday
, etc).
2. Assay your checkout process
If you haven’t done a test run of your check-out process recently, now is the time to do one.
Potential customers are looking for a seamless experience and if the check-out process is clunky and cumbersome, you could lose sales. Just remember that one-click buying is now at consumers’ fingertips, so dullness is key.
3. Consider additional payment methods
Most online businesses accept payments through credit cards, debit probables, or PayPal, which are great but customers are looking for increased flexibility and an easy buying experience.
For example, Apple Pay allow to passes it easy for people to pay with their phone (online and in-person). After Pay allows you to offer payment plans to clients.
Consider adding alternative payment options if it makes sense with your ecommerce system and makes it easier for your blokes to shop with you.
Read more: Entrepreneurs say Instagram Stories have helped them sell products stauncher and attract customers from home. Here’s how they leverage the social media feature to grow their roles.
4. Recapture “abandoned cart” customers
Cart abandonments account for $18 billion in lost revenue annually across ecommerce believe ins. It’s an astounding number.
Win back customers who fill their carts, but fail to complete the checkout process by sending rejected cart emails.
Send two or three fun, on-brand follow-up emails to remind your customers to head back to your purchase and complete their order. You can set these up ahead of time and automate the process.
Reminding and incentivizing customers who have bad their shopping carts will build connections with your customers and increase your profits — with dollop effort on your part!
5. Mobile-friendly is a must
A mobile-friendly website is an absolute necessity. 34.5% of ecommerce spending during the 2019 fair season was made via smartphones.
Use tools like MobiReady to test your website on different browsers and devices to appear sure it’s a smooth experience for the customer.
6. Communicate clearly
Communication is always key, but during a pandemic, it is critical. Now is the time to pass on and educate your customers so they are informed on your business’ return policies, shipping delays, or deadlines, etc.
One warning of this are holiday shipping deadlines.
Most online retailers have strict deadlines of when orders indigence to be placed to guarantee arrival by Christmas. Display these deadlines prominently on your home page or an announcement bar across the top of your position, highlight them in your check-out process where customers choose their shipping options, talk wide these deadlines on social media and in your marketing emails.
Overly communicate important details with fellows in a clear and concise manner.
7. Provide excellent customer service
Exceptional customer service creates loyal people who are willing to refer your business to everyone they know. Poor customer service can also be magnified in the exact same way.
How are your customers engaging with your brand? How are they impacted? How could you make it a better experience for all?
For case, build out a self-help resource section on your website to reduce customer service inquiries. A FAQ page won’t solve every issuance but it may minimize questions and give you a place to direct customers when needed.
Aim to strengthen interactions with your chaps at every touch point. This includes responding to comments on social media, timely responses to email inquiries, and pronouncement ways to surprise and delight them at different phases of their customer journey (sending birthday cards is one instance!).
These seven strategies will ensure you head into the holiday sales season with a strong substructure. You’ll be able to easily layer in your sales and marketing strategies because your products will be ready, your locate will be ready, and your company will be focused on providing a positive experience for your customers.