If your holiday marketing plan only extends until the end of the year, you may want to think again. Hiring a freelance advertising copywriter to craft clever product descriptions and persuasive sales copy for your website and email newsletter is a great start to getting seasonal shoppers to your door, but how do you translate those gift-givers into year-round fans? Sometimes a simple “thank you” may be all it takes.
Sincere Savings
One great way to retain customers is to solicit email addresses at the point of sale and send out a specialized email blast specifically to customers who patronized your business for the first time during the winter holidays. This small investment in time can pay off significantly in the long run; according to a recent Google survey, “first-time customers who become loyal customers tell their friends about a brand more than a third of the time, and more than half the time they’ll make a repeat purchase.”
Try sending a special message of thanks to those first-time customers along with a coupon for future purchases with your store or brand. Not only will your customers feel appreciated, but the incentive to save may motivate them to make a post-holiday purchase despite potentially tight purse-strings. Try to time your email so that it’s after the flurry of holiday gatherings and events without letting too much time go by from the time of purchase. Working with a copywriter well help you develop the right angle and tone, but in general you should strive to emphasize gratitude above all else, and offer as deep a discount as you can afford to show you’re putting your money where your mouth is!
Saying “Thanks” in 140 Characters or Less
According to a recent survey of 2,000 holiday shoppers commissioned by Twitter, 62% of respondents say they tweet about their holiday purchases. If you’re doing a good job promoting your Twitter handle and regularly posting from your account, this means that hopefully you’ll get a few tweets directed your way from customers who have recently made a purchase. Take the time to respond to these tweets with your appreciation; a simple “thanks for shopping with us” can do wonders and will show that you are a responsive presence on social media that truly cares about interacting with your customers. If you receive questions from potential customers on Twitter, it’s also appropriate to thank them for taking the time to research your product or service. More and more shoppers report shopping around before making the final purchase, and having a positive personal interaction may tip the scales in your favor when it comes time to buy.
Caitlin C is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
