This year’s seasonal promotions and holiday shopping will look a lot different than any other year prior. With COVID-19 forcing people to stay home and stay isolated, many Americans continue to only leave the house for necessities. Holiday shopping, as exciting as it is, does not fall into that category. With the rapid expansion of online marketplaces, we are going to see a spike in people opting out of the mall but instead holiday shopping from the comfort of their couch. So, how should businesses begin marketing seasonal products to an at-home workforce? After being in business for 34 years and seeing the ups and downs of the economy, we have some tips:

1. Do not put all your focus on Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Now that many Americans are sitting at a computer all day every day, they are most likely spending more time browsing the internet even when they are supposed to be working. Capture customers by offering sales apart from the typical blowout sale period.
2. Invest in re-targeting. Hire a marketing agency to target potential customers that will remind them to make a purchase. It works like this: you have a potential customer visit your site and click on specific products, they leave your site to go do something else and your products show up on the page they are viewing. This simple marketing technique is very effective at convincing the consumer to make a purchase.
3. Try out product bundles. With COVID-19 influencing people to stock up instead of spending more time browsing in person, take advantage of product bundles with popular items and those that have not been selling as well individually. This ensures you will move the slower product while still appealing to those who want the most coveted products. Go for seasonal packaging or have one of the products be a seasonal exclusive.
4. Do not underestimate word-of-mouth. Offer exclusive holiday deals to those who purchase and leave a review. Send them an email asking for a product review in exchange for a holiday coupon. This will foster brand loyalty and a repeat purchase.

For additional help with marketing seasonal products, please reach out to Oster and Associates, a full-service marketing agency.