Last Minute Marketing Ideas!
Here we are, down to the last few days before the big day. A
lot of last minute shopping is happening, both in stores and online. According
to Tess Stynes of the Wall
Street Journal, U.S.
online retail sales rose 14% from the same time last year. While the majority
of last minute shopping will be in brick and mortar stores, another $5 to $6
billion is predicted for the rest of the month. There is still opportunity to
be had, so here are some ideas to consider.
Last minute shipping.
If you are able to offer shipping, that is great. If you are able to offer free
shipping, that is even better. If you are able to offer guaranteed Christmas
shipping, that is the ultimate for procrastinators. A significant amount of
stores are offering this service this year as a way to compete on the market.
Taking advantage of late buying, and consumers avoiding the madness at malls
and shops, retailers, like Amazon.com Inc., are offering unlimited two day
delivery on purchases for a membership fee, according to Dana Mattioli, of the Wall
Street Journal. Do you have the ability to offer last minute shipping? If
it’s too late for you, look into this for next year.
Last minute deals.
According to MarketingCharts.com, 41% of online shopping consumers plan to shop
between Dec. 21st, and the 24th, for various reasons
(inability to finish shopping earlier, procrastination), but also a belief that
better deals are available at this time. Many of these shoppers will turn to
daily deal sites, offering discounts on items that consumers may not purchase
regularly. This is also a great option for gift certificate ideas, allowing you
to give a new experience to a loved one. The article goes on to say that 27% of
shoppers indicate that they plan to shop for last-minute gifts on sites like
Groupon and LivingSocial. This is a way to save money, as well as purchasing
deals from local merchants. For your business, you can make similar offers, or
offer your services as a special gift certificate option. As a business, are
you listed on a deal site? These can help you to expose your business to a new
audience, and gain the support of a powerful marketing engine. You might
consider this for next season, as well.
Last minute calls to
action. If you are operating a PPC campaign, and maintaining a healthy
position in our listings, you have a good amount of visibility. This means that
you have the ability to get your message out there, and now is the time to let
your audience know about your offers. Update your Default Ad Titles and
Descriptions with strong calls to action to provoke your audience to visit your
site. Calls to action are statements and declarations that include language
that create excitement and interest in a reader which may lead to a purchasing
action. Make these messages enticing and irresistible so that those busy
shoppers will more likely choose your site over others. One great article on
this is on Flyte.biz here.
You should also continue this through your website, in order to coordinate your
message fully. Get your message out in order to create opportunity.
It may be the last week, but you don’t have to give up your
efforts. There is still time to reach potential customers. Be sure that you are
using all of your tools. Be the saving grace for those last-minute shoppers
frantically searching for gifts.