The 2024 holiday season is fast approaching, and for businesses of all sizes, it’s crunch time. This time frame from Oct-Dec represents a golden opportunity to attract new customers, boost sales, and close out the year on a high note. But, with so many companies vying for attention on social media and other key sales platforms, how can you stand out and reach fresh audiences? The great news is that, with this year’s economy full of eager buyers, the money and desire are there, it’s just a matter of discovery.
Whether you’re a seasoned retailer or a service-based business, you will benefit from these six smart strategies to help you find new customers and make the most of this lucrative economic season. Let’s dive in!
1. Leverage Social Media Marketing 📱🎯
Social media platforms are where holiday shoppers “live”—and it’s your job to knock on their door and invite yourself in, so to speak. For the 2024 holiday season, you’ll want to maximize your presence across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest. Consumers use these platforms to discover new brands, seek out deals, and get holiday gift ideas.
Targeted Ads: Use Meta (Facebook and Instagram) ads to target and retarget specific demographics interested in products or services like yours. With advanced options, you can get in front of users based on interests, behaviors, and even holiday shopping habits.
Holiday-Themed Content: Create engaging, seasonal content that resonates with your audience. Post about gift guides, special promotions, and holiday-related tips. Don’t forget to use trending holiday hashtags like #HolidayShopping2024 and #GiftGuide2024 to expand your reach.
Collaborations with Influencers: Partner with influencers in your niche to introduce your brand to new followers. Even micro-influencers can have a big impact on engagement and conversion, especially during the holiday season.
2. Offer Exclusive Holiday Deals & Discounts 💸🎁
Who doesn’t love getting a good deal? Exclusive holiday discounts are a tried-and-true method for attracting new customers. The key is to offer deals that stand out from the noise, enticing potential buyers to choose your business over the competition.
First-Time Buyer Discounts: Offer a special discount for first-time customers. For example, “Get 20% off your first purchase this holiday season!” This is a great way to lower the barrier to entry for people who are discovering your brand for the first time.
Bundle Offers: Create bundled product packages for the holidays at a discounted rate. This gives customers a higher perceived value, while also increasing your average order value.
Limited-Time Flash Sales: Build urgency by offering flash sales that last only a few hours or a day. Promote these sales on social media and through email to drive new customers to act quickly.
3. Optimize Your Website for Holiday Traffic 💻🎄
Is your website ready to handle the holiday rush? Optimizing your website for both user experience and SEO is essential to attracting and converting new customers during the holiday season. More shoppers than ever are turning to online stores for their holiday purchases, and if your site isn’t up to par, they’ll likely take their business elsewhere.
SEO for Holiday Searches: Ensure your website is optimized for holiday-related keywords. Use terms like “2024 holiday gifts,” “best holiday deals,” or “holiday sales 2024” in your content and meta tags to attract search engine traffic.
Mobile Optimization: Many shoppers will browse and buy from their phones. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly, with fast load times and easy navigation to improve the user experience and conversion rates.
Easy Checkout Process: A complicated or lengthy checkout process is a major turnoff for new customers. Streamline your checkout to make it as simple as possible. Offer guest checkout options, multiple payment methods, and free shipping for the best results.
4. Expand Your Reach with Paid Search Ads 🔍💵
With competition for online visibility at an all-time high during the holidays, investing in paid search ads is a powerful way to capture the attention of new customers. Platforms like Google Ads allow you to target specific search terms that your potential customers are using.
Target Holiday-Specific Keywords: Create campaigns centered around holiday searches like “best holiday gifts for him” or “2024 Black Friday deals.” Paid ads give you instant visibility for competitive search terms, driving high-intent traffic to your site.
Use Shopping Ads: If you’re an e-commerce business, consider using Google Shopping ads to feature your products at the top of search results. These ads showcase your products with images, pricing, and reviews, giving you a better chance to attract new customers.
Remarketing Ads: Don’t forget to retarget visitors who browse your site but don’t convert right away. Utilizing ad retargeting will remind them of your products, giving them that extra push to come back and make a purchase. As a matter of fact, retargeting is one of our top recommended ad strategies, and results in 30% of our ad revenue - check out the full blog on retargeting here.
5. Launch a Themed Email Marketing Campaign 📧✨
Email marketing continues to be one of the most effective ways to reach new customers during the holiday season. By creating a well-thought-out holiday email marketing campaign, you can drive new visitors to your site and convert them into paying customers.
Segment Your Audience: Use data to segment your email list and send personalized holiday offers. For example, you could send different emails to first-time shoppers vs. returning customers, or based on purchase history.
Holiday-Themed Email Series: Create a series of holiday-themed emails, such as gift guides, special offers, and countdowns to major shopping days like Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Keep the design festive and the content focused on the holiday season.
Referral Programs: Encourage your current customers to refer friends and family in exchange for holiday discounts. It’s a win-win for both your business and your existing customers, and it helps you reach new audiences organically.
6. Partner with Other Businesses for Cross-Promotions 🤝
One of the most creative ways to find new customers during the holiday season is to partner with complementary businesses for cross-promotions. By leveraging each other’s audiences, you can introduce your products or services to new customers who are already interested in what you have to offer.
Collaborative Giveaways: Team up with another business to offer a holiday giveaway. Each business can promote the giveaway to their audience, exposing both brands to new customers.
Bundle Promotions: Offer holiday bundles that include products or services from both businesses at a discounted price. This creates value for customers and helps both businesses reach new markets.
Co-Branded Holiday Content: Collaborate on holiday blog posts, social media takeovers, or holiday shopping guides. By sharing each other’s content, you increase visibility and engagement.
The Time to Find New Customers is Now! ⏳
These crucial few months leading up to December is the the best time of the year to attract new customers, boost sales, and grow your brand. By implementing these six strategies—social media marketing, exclusive deals, website optimization, paid search, email campaigns, and cross-promotions—you’ll be well-prepared to capitalize on the holiday shopping rush in 2024.
Start planning your strategy now to ensure that your business stands out, attracts new customers, and makes the most of the holiday season.
Ready to make this holiday season your best return on investment yet? Contact Fable Heart Media today for a personalized digital ad strategy that is unique to your goals and needs. Our team has a wealth of experience in the Jacksonville area and beyond helping small-medium sized businesses find new customers where they spend the most time and crush their sales goals💥!
Book your complimentary consultation with our Founder and Creative Director, Nick Leonard, here.
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