Christmas in July: Prepare NOW for the Holiday Rush
What You Can Do Now to Prepare for the Holiday Rush?
Finally, summer has arrived in earnest – and with fun-filled days and long, relaxing nights on the agenda, getting your business ready for the end-of-year holiday rush might be the last thing on your mind. But if you think it’s too early to start preparing for the holiday season, think again.
According to an oft-cited report from the National Retail Federation, every year, about 40% of Americans kick off their holiday shopping before Halloween. This means that if you’re waiting until the fall to get your holiday marketing strategy in order, you could be missing out on the chance to reach potential customers – and losing business to your competitors.
So, what can you do this summer to get your business ready for the holidays? Here are a few ideas…
Take Stock of the Big Picture
Summer is a great time to get started on your master plan for the holidays. Start by assessing your holiday marketing strategy from last year. What successes would you like to replicate? What failures would you rather avoid? Next, decide which products and services you want to promote this holiday – this will help focus your marketing plan, while keeping you a step ahead of critical deadlines for ordering products or preparing marketing materials.
Get a Head Start on Content Creation
If summer is your slow season, as it is for many businesses, why not use the down time to get a jump on creating holiday-themed content for your end-of-year push? Use the summer months to brainstorm content ideas and fill out your marketing calendar. With a few blog posts, gift guides, or infographics set to go, you’ll be ready to hit the ground running when the holiday rush begins.
Evaluate and Upgrade Your Web Presence
Could your website use an update? Now’s the time to get it done. Make sure your design and UI are up to par, and that you’re ready on the back end for an increase in traffic around the holidays. And, if you’re depending on e-commerce to provide a big chunk of holiday revenue, take a good look at your site to be sure you’re following best practices and steering clear of factors that can lead to cart abandonment.
Bolster Your SEO Efforts
A solid SEO strategy is crucial to boosting your brand’s profile on the web during the highly competitive holiday season. Consider performing an SEO audit to help identify and shore up any weaknesses. If you’re a brick-and-mortar retailer, or a local service provider looking to reach more customers in a specific area this holiday season, be sure to look into strategies to boost your local search rankings, too.
So, enjoy the change of pace that summer brings – but use your time wisely. With a few smart, forward-thinking moves now, you can build a foundation that positions your business for greater success this holiday season.
Looking for help with your brand’s digital marketing strategy? Contact Rosie’s Creative today.