With the holiday season upon us, we find ourselves participating in a rotating cycle of holiday parties, family meals and an extensive amount of gift shopping. According to research “20 – 40% of yearly sales for small and mid-sized retailers take place within the last two months of the year”, which means communicating with your patients during the holidays is key to generating sales for your practice and promoting products.
Create a Plan of Action
It is important to plan ahead and have your holiday communication materials prepared for the season, since “40% of consumers begin shopping before Halloween”. Begin by deciding how many messages you want to send out, when you want to send these messages, and who you would like to send each message to. Be sure to determine the purpose of each message ahead of time, along with any material that you might be sending with it (i.e. coupons or giftcards).
Brainstorm Promotional Ideas
Need ideas for gifts that you can give to your patients? Include an offer such as 10-15% off your next visit, or a gift card for $15 off your next purchase. Customers will appreciate a gift and may be more likely to make a purchase during their next visit. For more interactive ideas, consider having a trunk show, or a charity event to celebrate the holidays and promote your business among your patients.
The Message
Utilize a combination of communication strategies in order to effectively reach your patients. A combination of email messages, holiday cards, newsletters, coupons, or gift cards should be sent out periodically on a planned schedule. Within the body of the message, write a holiday greeting and thank your patients for their business. Complete your message by including photos of your practice’s staff as well as links or QR codes directing patients to your featured products. Integrating QR codes and links will give customers the opportunity to immediately view product details and make a purchase. According to research “91.7% of holiday shoppers will go online this year to research gifts and/or make purchases.”
Communication Strategy
When highlighting a product, determine who your target market is, and what communication channel will be most effective in reaching this group. For example, if your goal is to increase Ray-Ban sales consider the following marketing strategy:
- Target Market: Ages 18-40
- Communication Channels: Email or Facebook
- Message: “What’s on Your Holiday List?”
Be sure to also consider who may be shopping for this target market- grandparent, parents, perhaps an older generation. Consider the following when sending a message to this group;
- Target Market: Ages 45-75
- Communication Channels: Holiday Card or Email
- Message: “Giving a Gift This Holiday?”
However you plan to connect with your patients, be sure to plan in advance, include a friendly sincere holiday message and brainstorm thoughtful promotional offerings that will help to promote future business.
References
http://blogs.constantcontact.com/fresh-insights/holiday-shopping-stats/
