Part 3 of 4: Create a Holiday Offer that Inspires Action

Now that you’ve thought about your goals and your audience, it’s time to determine what product or service you’re promoting and what type of incentive will excite your customers enough to take action! We’ll do this in a few simple steps.

1. Think back to your best customer. What product or service of yours would they really want or need right now or that they would LOVE to share with one of their loved ones. Maybe it’s an amazing bag or accessory, a local piece of art, a hand-crafted candle, a trending kitchen or tech gadget, a smartly sourced article of clothing, or even a craft project that will release their creativity or a coaching program to help them jump start the new year. Or maybe it’s based on how you package different products or services to add value and to make their shopping experience easy and fun! What will really WOW your audience?
2. Now think about what type of incentive typically inspires your ideal client to take action. Does your audience typically respond more to 15% off, 30% off, bonus dollars, Buy 1 Get 1, a FREE Stocking Stuffer, or even just knowing that proceeds are going to a local charity? Think creatively. The power of 5-10 minutes brainstorming on a piece of paper can lead to amazing new offers that are very customized for YOUR audience.
3. Packaging Your Offer. What is the best way to present your offer to your community? Will you present your offer as a sale or will you incorporate it into an event? There is no right or wrong. One audience may prefer to come in for a great discount, get what they need and hurry to the next place. Another might prefer to linger and enjoy the experience. In this case, an event might be a great way to expand your audience and increase sales.

If you’d like to explore additional ideas for holiday offers, we’ve compiled a list of over 20 Holiday Offer Ideas to Excite your Customers this Holiday Season. You can find the list on our Holiday Talk page, which is filled with free marketing tips, videos and even a webinar. The best part - No email required – watch it all right on the page. And then be sure to scroll down, you'll find the holiday offer ideas section below videos and other marketing tips, just above our holiday entry form.

65% of consumers say their loyalty is influenced by companies sending personalized or exclusive offers/discounts (Salesforce). 

Bring it all together to create an offer:

In the first blog we talked about your goals, in the second we discussed your audience. In this blog, we addressed your products or services and what might inspire your audience to take action. All you need to do now, is tie it all together to a compelling offer!

An example for an offer might be something like this. In order to increase brand awareness, to bring in new customers and to achieve $3,000 in sales on Small Business Saturday, I will offer $20 in bonus dollars to customers for every $100 they spend in my store on Small Business Saturday.

Once you’ve thought about your offer, head on over to our final blog and we’ll talk about promoting your holiday offer.

About Simone G: Simone G is owner of The Small Biz Shop and has been offering email marketing services for over 10 years. She believes you can grow your business one conversation at a time through engaging email marketing. Her proven creative process helps her understand your business, your goals and your audience. She also provides online coaching courses and private training to help you be more successful with your email marketing. As a certified Constant Contact Solution Provider, she stays on top of new industry trends, helping you navigate through and benefit from the newest technologies in a personable and engaging way that leads to results.