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Strategy

40% of Holiday Shoppers Start Buying Before Halloween

Holiday shopping is one of the biggest opportunities for brands to cash in on consumer activity through clever marketing content. With the right tactics in place, launching marketing campaigns before the holiday rush hits in November can be a successful sales strategy.

According to the National Retail Federation, most retailers expect as much as 30% of their annual sales to come from holiday shoppers, and 40% of holiday shoppers start buying before Halloween. These trends present a lucrative opportunity for brands to boost their sales with pre-Halloween promotions on their most popular channels.

Tap into mobile campaigns

Targeting mobile shoppers is a winning strategy year-round, and even more important when the holidays approach. In 2014, email open rates hit an impressive high of 50% during the holidays. In addition, 1 in every 2 millennials has a mobile shopping app on their smartphones, which makes purchases as easy as tapping away. Setting up those mobile campaigns before Halloween and adjusting them to fit each holiday creates a consistent opportunity for consumers to shop without stepping away from their smartphones.

Set a sensible schedule

Planning when to share promotions with a set schedule is essential to a successful strategy, as it helps marketers stagger content in a logical way that fits an audience’s browsing habits. Studying how and when a target audience is using effective platforms provides insight into the best times and tactics for posting content. Marketers can then utilize tools like email, social media and video to distribute strong campaigns that keep customers interested and informed through the holidays.

Optimize sites for browsing

Online shopping numbers continue to increase, with many buyers researching pricy purchases on websites before heading to stores. When perusing products for the best deal, 78% of shoppers rank an easy-to-use website as important, according to the National Retail Federation. Stress-free navigation is vital whether on a desktop or on a mobile device, so brands should enter the holidays prepared to handle traffic from both types of technology.

Get generous with digital coupons

Coupons are an obvious strategy for sales, but on mobile, they’re even more important. According to Vibes, 82% of consumers find digital coupons more convenient when compared to printed coupons. This presents a great opportunity for marketers to incorporate creative coupons into their digital content released before Halloween, in order to get a jump on holiday sales.

Offer free shipping

With 86% of holiday shoppers ranking free shipping as important or very important, it has become a “must” perk for retailers. Evidence suggests many shoppers are willing to spend more if it means qualifying for free shipping—even 30% more. That extra offer of free shipping at the checkout stage can add up before the holidays.

Leverage channels for promotion

A hefty 74% of consumers rely on word of mouth to make purchases, which makes social media a great way to leverage brand chatter. Using social media to hint at upcoming holiday ads and tease campaign snippets spurs that online word of mouth, especially if the associated content is eye-grabbing and worthy of shares. When marketers develop a campaign that connects with early holiday shoppers, they’ll learn more about their audience’s behavior and enjoy the benefits for years to come.
The numbers:

  • 40% of shoppers look for holiday items before Halloween
  • 78% of shoppers stress the importance of an easy-to-use website
  • 86% of shoppers view free shipping as important
  • 74% of consumers rely on word of mouth when making purchases
  • 82% of consumers prefer digital coupons

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