Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, New Year: the festive season is just around the corner, so there is no time to waste. Because despite the rising inflation, as per Future Publishing research, 76% of consumers globally plan to shop online this holiday season. The best part is that here we are talking not only about the retail industry. Travel, healthcare, and educational services can also use the holiday season to their advantage. A beauty procedure? Or an online course? A trip to a tropical destination? Ho, ho, ho – let’s go!

So it’s time to revamp your business strategies and kick off the holidays… with a surge in sales. Here are five tips to help you unwrap your business potential.

1. Get Discovered: Enter Customers’ Lives Without a Chimney

It’s not a secret that your social media presence matters. The effective use of social media channels can help more customers discover you and create excitement around the deals you offer. Be smart, review your data and piggyback on hashtags your users use and share to reach more people and capture contact data.

But don’t limit yourself to social media. Cross-channel advertising and email marketing can only sweeten the deal and help you increase your sales and engagement rates. And as 91% of consumers unsubscribe from traditional mailing lists, make your brand stand out and connect with influencers to spread the word.

2. Get the Timing (and Copy) Right | Limited Time Only!

When it comes to your strategy, you should shift your perspective from numbers to creatives. Enable your whole squad to brainstorm and be proactive to help you deliver catchy copy that targets specific customers and comes with engaging headlines and CTA buttons that convert. Maybe it’s time to help users find the perfect gift for those hard-to-buy-for family members we all know!

Furthermore, it’s essential to get the timing right: start promoting your deals early and follow up after the big day. The holiday season comes just once a year, so use it to the fullest.

3. Treat Your Customers for the Holidays

From cross-selling to post-deals, there are many ways to engage your customers. Even a small customized note can help you create memorable moments and turn passive visitors into brand advocates.

As data show that 7 out of 10 customers are uncertain about what to buy, be creative and focus on cross-selling, upselling, and gift suggestions. If you manage to involve an authoritative figure (for example, a dermatologist for your beauty shop) to leverage the trust in your brand, even better!

4. Decrease Prices to Increase Sales

We all know that the holiday season, starting with Black Friday, is a season of sales. Even customers on a budget love shopping. Interestingly, consumers expect at least 20% off their items. So stay ahead of the game and offer bigger discounts (even 50% off for first-time buyers), free gift cards and different payment options.

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) solutions, for example, are among the most effective ways to enable higher-priced deals and luxury services and promote customer satisfaction.  BNPL tools are ideal for upsells and the engagement of customers who cannot afford lump sum payments or can’t access traditional credit services.

5. Create a smooth cross-channel experience

Though jolly, the holiday season can be stressful, so always try to make the shopper experience seamless and mobile-friendly. Did you know that the average cart abandonment rate is 70%? To avoid that, create a frictionless checkout process. As Dr. Tiffany Raymond, PhD, ‎Head of Global Customer Advocacy and Experience at PayPal  says, “Convenience is a key driver for shopping.” Give your customers different payment options and help them access higher-priced deals.

Buy Now, Pay Later, for instance, is one of the best ways to engage customers and increase brand loyalty. In fact, 85% of millennials and Gen Z use BNPL solutions to make purchases and pay for services. Merchants can easily tap into this unique opportunity and even offer consumer financing without third-party lenders. Tarya Fintech is one of the most innovative companies that offer a next-gen BNPL 2.0 that allows merchants to set their own financing terms and risk level and regain control over user data and loan management.

And here is an extra tip from our marketing elves. When you have all set and ready, you should also make sure that your shop, inventory,  and staff are well-equipped for the holiday season to make the magic happen. Some of the things to consider are to stock up on inventory, hire extra hands, decorate your physical store, write clear shipping and return policies, make sure your online shop can handle the extra traffic and optimize it for mobile. And do not forget about the importance of good customer service.

How to Boost Your Holiday Sales | Final Words

In the end, Black Friday is not a black day. It is the brightest start to the holiday season:

• Use marketing campaigns effectively
• Be smart in terms of creatives and timing
• Get personal and treat your customers 
• Offer the right discounts 
• Create a smooth shopper experience and offer BNPL
• Prepare your physical and online store

With Tarya BNPL 2.0, you can boost your sales and help your customers save big. With flexible installment payments and in-depth user insights, you can easily welcome the festive season and make the magic happen.