10 Ways Retailers Use Social Media to Drive Holiday Sales

In this digital age, retailers have choices on how to spend their advertising dollars to maximize the number of people purchasing from their stores or their online sites. Smart retailers spread out their money among many different channels: television, social media, radio, print, billboards, etc. Because those who focus on television advertising miss a large segment of the population. More and more people are jumping on their phones and going to their Facebook pages to find out about deals. Here are ways retailers are capitalizing.

1. Hashtags Work. If you're about to hold a holiday sale, make a hashtag about it! Because your competitors will also use hashtags, you want to find a way to be distinctive. Try using a number of hashtags, including generic types, such as #holiday sale, and more specific to your store. When you discovered the one that will work best for you, stick to it! Use that combination of hashtags across all of your social media platforms.
2. Flash Sale Drive Sales. Flash sales create a sense of urgency for your holiday offering. You offer a special price for a few hours. These are just like doorbusters until 8 a.m. but over the computer. Announce your intention to have a flash sale the weeks before you have it on all your sites, but don't say when it will occur. People will be curious and want to keep checking until the sale hits. Make sure your website can handle the traffic and won't crash.
3. Everyone Wants Coupons. Shoppers love getting special deals, especially with coupons. If you offer store coupons through your social media sites, you'll convince customers to buy from you. Entice customers into buying your product with a coupon code only available to those who have "liked" your page on Facebook or followed you on Twitter.
4. Holiday Contests on Pinterest Are Winners. Studies have found that people click on contests, especially holiday contests and giveaways. Pinterest is effective for this purpose. You reward everyone who enters with a coupon code for 10 percent off one item on your site or in your store. They can print the code to bring in the store. The winner should receive a free product. Electronics are popular. You can also use your page to run a promotion.
5. Offer Holiday Free Shipping. The costs of shipping continue to escalate. If your customers have many family members in different parts of the country. Those costs can be prohibitive. That's why you should provide free shipping during the holiday shopping season. You also should guarantee to reach there by Christmas. LL Bean does this effectively every year. To use social media, you can offer free shipping to those who click on a link from your Facebook or Twitter account.
6. Get Customers Through Giveaways. If you want to build your customer e-mail lists, the best way to do that is through holiday giveaways.Try a giveaway promotion that requires a sign-up page. Include an option to receive some valuable information or coupons throughout the year. Not only will they have a chance to win a great gift or percentage off a service, they will also be signing themselves up for a chance to hear more about your business. Sponsor the giveaway through your social media sites.
7. Smart Phone Use is Smart. Your website should be mobile-friendly. Currently, more people are searching for deals through their phones. They are using them in stores to get opinions on gift ideas and products. They are taking pictures and sharing on Facebook. You need to capitalize on this trend.
8. Pictures Are Worth A Thousand Words. The saying is true. You will get more reactions from posting a picture than advertising about it. Post an image on Facebook along with your words. Encourage your fans to like and share your stuff! Facebook just implemented a new algorithm that will repost a link each time someone comments on it.
9. Increase Spread of Your Social Media Sites. Y Add buttons to your signature when you are sending an advertisement through e-mail. Connect back to those sites every way you can — on your website, in advertisements, in e-mail notifications, etc.
10. Try Launchrock. If you haven't heard of Launchrock, you're missing out. This site builds hype for soon-to-launch products, websites and even holiday sales by retailers. It integrates with your social media accounts automatically and can bring a whole new level of exposure to any campaign you run.

by http://www.guidecatalog.com/