The Christmas season is a pivotal moment for online businesses, not only is it the perfect time of year for increasing your traffic, sales and ultimately profit but it’s also the perfect opportunity for your business to attract new loyal customers, who can be encouraged to return to your store even after the Christmas season is over.
When it comes to encouraging customers to come back to your website throughout the year, there are a few steps you can take. Through simple content marketing, there’s no reason your business shouldn’t be able to reach out to new audiences or even existing customers.
New Year Sales
If customers have visited your website over Christmas then it’s likely that you’ll still be fresh in their minds during the new year. By offering new year sales and offers you can easily reach out to those who might be looking for a bargain or for a way to spend any Christmas money they might have been given. Sending out a promo code as a new year gesture or as thanks for choosing your business over Christmas can be a simple yet effective way in which you can build a customer relationship but also can encourage these customers to back and shop again into the new year.
Keep In Touch Through The Year
Email marketing is still one of the most powerful marketing tools you can use! If your Christmas customers are signed up to your email list there’s no reason you shouldn’t send out emails showing off the deals and promotions your business has going on throughout the year. Email marketing is a quick, affordable and convenient way of sending a gentle reminder to your customers or subscribers that your business still exists and is still out there with the perfect products and services for them.
Connect With Social Media
Social media can be one of the most effective ways to re-engage with Christmas shoppers throughout the year, acting as a great way to share promotions, speak with customers and promote new products or collections. These days around 71% of consumers are following brands online, expecting a great experience with both buying from them but also through their engagement.
Remember Personalisation
Your customers want to feel special and are much more inclined to buy from a company that recognises how special they really are. By addressing your customers by name and recommending options that are based on previous purchases or browsing history you can offer a personalised level of service, showing them that you care about what they want and understand their needs on a level that other brands might not.
Set Up a Loyalty Scheme
This is a great tactic for encouraging customers back to your website after the Christmas season. Through a digital loyalty card or points scheme which offers customers points and exclusive deals, you can efficiently grow your customer loyalty and increase trust in your brand. Consumers love deals and if your business can offer exclusive deals as a reward for loyal customers you’re likely to find more people coming back to your website.
Exceed Expectations
One of the most important ways you can encourage Christmas customers to return to your business is by offering a service that exceeds regular expectations. By providing your customers with a speedy, high-quality service, especially during the busy and often stressful Christmas period, you can guarantee that your happy customers will be inclined to return time and time again, throughout the year.
The most important thing your business can do after Christmas, is work towards keeping your business growing and thriving, even during the quieter months. With open communication from the first interaction and reaching, if not exceeding customer expectations, you can provide a personalised, enjoyable experience that encourages sales throughout the year, not just during the hectic Christmas sales period.
