For most eCommerce stores, November and December are a blur of launches, sales, and promotions. Once the shopping season ends, you’ll likely see a significant dip in sales.
We’ve talked about how to turn holiday shoppers into repeat customers, but when sales and follow-ups are done, what’s an eCommerce owner to do?
February is just around the corner; it’s time to start looking at other holidays, such as Valentine’s Day.
Think the holiday of romance is just a blip on the radar?
The average U.S. consumer is expected to spend $136.57 on gifts for the mid-February holiday. (It is interesting to note, this is actually down nearly $10 from last year.)
But, Should I Be Focused on Valentines’s Day?
Compared to the Christmas season, where consumers expect to spend a little over $900 on gifts, that $136.57 allocated for Valentine’s Day might seem like peanuts.
So, should you bother pouring in resources?
It depends.
First, consider:
- Does it make sense for your brand?
- Does your target audience celebrate Valentine’s Day?
- Can you create a promotion that makes sense for both your brand and your customers?
- What other priorities might need your attention?
Keep in mind: There is less competition around Valentine’s Day, allowing a bit more latitude for humor without risking sales this shopping season.
If you are ready to leverage the holiday of love to drive sales to your eCommerce business, here are a few ideas to spark your creativity.
Pin It To Win It
Prana Organic, the maker of organic snacks and ingredients, leveraged the power of Pinterest through their “Pin the Popsicle” campaign.
The premise was simple – customers were asked to pin their favorite popsicle recipe and, in exchange, they would be entered to win a swag bundle.
Simple, but an efficient way to build on the power of Pinterest. This only works, of course, if your target audience is active on the platform.
To create a Valentine’s Day spin, you could create a swag package of Valentine’s Day gear. Or ask customers to pin their favorite Valentine’s Day recipes or gifts.
What if more of your audience is on Facebook?
Sharing is Caring
If your target audience is active on Facebook, you can utilize the sharing feature to increase brand awareness and drive sales.
For example, RuneScape, a fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game, used social shares as a way for entrants to earn more entries to their giveaway by giving two bonus entries for each referral.
For your Valentine’s Day promotion, you could build a giveaway package around Valentine’s themed items and ask for shares for additional entries.
Or, instead of your products, consider giving away an experience, such as dinner or a trip for two.
Remember, the entire giveaway doesn’t have to be focused on Valentine’s Day. Creating copy around the holiday and using hashtags can be enough to ride the wave of Valentine’s Day spending.
Tell Me What You Want
If you spend time on social media, you have likely seen (or even taken!) a personality quiz.
“Where should you live?” “Which Harry Potter house would you be a member of?” “Can we calculate your age based on your favorite 90’s cartoons?”
Quizzes attract lots of people because, foremost, they are fun. When designed well, they give your prospective customers a bit of entertainment in exchange for their time.
Unlike many other holidays, where the focus might be on honoring a specific group of people or religion, Valentine’s gives you the opportunity to be a bit quirky.
For example, Caboodle’s quiz for book lovers:
To leverage the power of holiday marketing, put a little Valentine’s Day spin on it.
- What kind of lover are you?
- What kind of Valentine’s Day chocolate are you?
- What is your ideal Valentine’s date?
- Which RomCom should you have starred in?
Or, you be a bit more transparent. “What <brand name> gift would your Valentine love?” and create a quiz that makes gift selection simple.
Digital Downloads
Gated content is a fantastic way to build up your contact list. A Valentine’s Day themed digital download allows you to leverage the power of the holiday to increase your contact list.
I really like this example from Flooring Xtra, a flooring company. Adult coloring books are having a moment, so this download rides that popularity.
Brainstorm to see what Valentine’s Day themed digital downloads would work for your brand. Here are a few ideas.
- Valentine’s or heart-themed crafting pattern
- Gift guide
- Questions for couples to discuss on a date
- List of cheap or free date ideas
- Ebook
Valentine’s Day Promotions Tips
There are dozens of holidays you can build marketing promotions around. But, don’t try to leverage them all – it will make your brand come across as inauthentic and annoying.
Instead, focus on a handful of holidays that make sense for your brand.
Don’t Force a Square Peg into a Round Hole
For example, if you are a craft beer company, New York Fashion week is probably not going to fit your brand. The Super Bowl, however, likely does.
Valentine’s Day offers a unique opportunity to be a little different, but only if it works for your brand and your audience.
What About Love?
When creating your content, remember that Valentine’s Day can be about romantic love, but it can also be about silly poems and celebrating singledom. It can be about parents and kids, grandparents and grandkids, and, yep, even pet Valentine’s.
Don’t Fall into Step
A quick Google search for Valentine’s Day promotions will return thousands of articles with hundreds of tips. The real secret? Don’t try to do what everyone else is doing. Look around for inspiration, consider your audience, and create something unique and useful for them.
