5 Ideas to Give Your Business a Boost in January

by Gail Oliver, Online Marketing Consultant

A new year is always a great opportunity to try new ways to market your business!

If you sell art, wedding rings, wine products or pet products, then take advantage of upcoming editorial opportunities such as National Inspire Your Heart with Art (Jan 31), National Wedding Ring Day (Feb 3), National Drink Wine Day (Feb 18) and National Love Your Pet Day (Feb 20) to get free publicity for your products (or you can have me write a publicity pitch for you!).
Google ads (formerly Google Adwords) are a better alternative for small businesses than Google Shopping ads. You cannot set the bid rates for Google Shopping ads, so unless you are selling $2,000 rings, not many sellers can afford a high cost per click, because the revenue return on the ad will not justify the ad cost. However, you can set the bid rate for a Google ad, and you can even localize it to just appear in searches from specific geographic regions, making it even more affordable.
January is typically all about sales, so have a HUGE one. I am not talking 20% or 25%, I’m talking 50 to 70% if you want success. It does not have to be on everything, just a select group of products or services. If it leads to acquiring new customers who might then become repeat customers, it is worth it.
If you sell higher priced products, offering a dollar amount off will tend to have a higher conversion rate than a percentage off offer. For example, if you are selling a $200 ring and ran a campaign for $50 off and a second campaign for 25% off (both arrive at the same amount) the $50 off will do better, mainly because buyers are attracted to the larger number, assuming it is a better deal. This does not hold true if you are selling lower priced items. If you have a $15 product and you are offering campaigns of either 25% off or $3.75 off, the 25% campaign will do better.
While it is not a good idea to email customers who did not opt in, there is nothing stopping you from sending snail mail (a fairly minimal cost, and they have already bought from you, so conversion rates should be high). Therefore, consider mailing all customers who purchased from you in October, November and December a thank you note with a special discount offer; but tie it to a quantity to make it worthwhile and give it a deadline i.e. As a thank you, purchase any 3 items (before February 1st, 2020) and get 25% off.

Do you need a custom marketing or business strategy plan tailored just for your business? Contact me with your issues at attentiongetting[@]gmail.com and I will happy give you a non obligation quote (or consider my phone consultations).