The holiday season may be over, but the spending spree is not. For Canadians, Boxing Day sales are in full effect while Americans are heading back to the stores to exchange or return applicable holiday gifts.
E-tailers and brick-and-mortar businesses can still be in the hunt for strong fourth quarter sales before the January lull. With the use of a text messaging service, companies have an opportunity to get a piece of that shopper's holiday cash of gift cards.
"Reward mobile shoppers with deals and exclusive items that they can't find elsewhere," Ken Barber, vice president of marketing at mShopper, told CIO Magazine. "You want to encourage your shoppers to pull out their phone and shop whenever the impulse occurs, so make it very attractive."
Many retailers experience a loss of revenue and an influx of inventory after the holidays due to returns and exchanges, but post-holiday sales and discounts can convince consumers to send those good right back out the door.
Mike Sprouse, CEO of Sprouse Marketing Group told the source that retailers make the mistake of "cutting off their email, search, advertising, PR and social media efforts when Christmas comes and goes" even though "people are still in buying mode the week prior to New Year's."
Here are some ways that text alerts can be a beneficial resource during this time of the year, where it is important to make the most out of loss revenue.
- Send a thank you text message – This gesture is a great way to thank customers for their patronage and subscription to the SMS service for the year. Instead of leaving it at that, consider adding an SMS-exclusive perk like free shipping or services.
- Release new products or services – Doing this after the hectic shopping season may give the returning customer the right push to come back. Even if the launch isn't scheduled until January, the lack of competition makes it more likely that people will make their way to the establishment.
- Give away gift cards or coupons – Although these freebies can boost sales at any point of the year, they can be a great help between late December and mid-January, when consumer activity is much lower. Sunglasses Hut SEO specialist Geoff Beers recommends these coupons should expire within two to four weeks of purchase.
"It is a great way to get people back into the store during lower traffic periods," Beers explained.
Swift SMS Gateway can help businesses begin these marketing efforts during these times of the year when operations are slower. This way, retailers will be prepared for next year's peak seasons.
