Boosting Your Ecommerce Sales During the Festive Frenzy: 6 Advanced Strategies

Ready to boost your online sales this upcoming holiday season? 

By planning a winning marketing strategy as soon as possible, you can get one step ahead of competitors — and, more importantly, get ready to attract and convert shoppers.

So… laser in on your target audience. 

What can you do for them this holiday season? What do they need? What are they looking for? And how can you show them that your online business deserves their hard-earned cash?

Lean into the holiday spirit with us as we walk you through six advanced yet simple strategies you can use to boost ecommerce sales during the festive frenzy.  

Let’s take a look! 

1. Widen your reach by catering to shoppers with lower budgets 

Unless you solely sell luxury or low-cost items, don’t forget about appealing to budget-conscious shoppers, too.

The holiday season presents a unique opportunity for ecommerce businesses to increase sales while catering to customers who are conscious of their spending, particularly those aiming to consolidate credit card debt. 

In fact, Americans owed an average of $1,249 worth of holiday debt in 2021. While 55% of shoppers still plan to take on holiday debt this year, 45% are choosing another path by focusing on spending less instead of financing their purchases.

"The holidays are still several weeks away, which means now is the perfect time for Americans to build a holiday spending budget to get a clear picture of how much they can afford to allocate toward gifts, travel, and holiday gatherings," said Paul Dilda, Head of U.S. Consumer Strategy at BMO.

An effective strategy you can use to win over people looking to minimize holiday debt is to introduce budget-friendly deals and bundled product offers. You can also offer highly discounted prices on anything that’s going out of stock soon or that you’ll be discontinuing. 

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These promotions appeal significantly to customers managing debt, as they’re always on the hunt for the best value for their money. 

By providing high-quality products at affordable prices, your ecommerce store can meet their core needs. 

This tactic not only boosts sales but also fosters customer loyalty. Budget-conscious shoppers tend to remember and return to brands that offer substantial value during peak spending seasons. 

To keep up with them, encourage your budget-conscious shoppers to sign up for email updates about exclusive holiday deals. Add them to an automated email marketing series dedicated to shoppers looking for holiday season sales. This is a highly tailored yet simple way to boost ecommerce sales in your sleep.

To make the most of this tip, make sure there’s something for every spending preference on your site (unless you sell purely luxury or budget-friendly items). 

For instance, if you sell skin care sets, you have options for mid-range buyers, budget buyers, and luxury buyers. You might also offer a special line for your loyal customers only.

Here’s an example of products listed in three spending categories, including items under $10, $30, and $50:

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2. Batch and distribute video commercials for the entire holiday shopping season

Carve out time in your content production calendar to plan, shoot, and distribute video commercials to draw in holiday shoppers. 

Batch your videos out so you can have a large collection of content to edit, trim, and schedule across your marketing platforms. Do this as far in advance as possible.

Video commercials have always been a reliable way to drive sales, but the holiday season poses an even greater opportunity for this type of content to thrive. 

Christmas video commercials deeply touch the hearts of consumers.

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From the emotional storytelling to the rich holiday experiences they convey, seasonal video commercials warm up audiences and get them excited about the festive season.

This generates urgency in holiday shoppers looking for these promotions, encouraging more video impressions, click-through rates, and holiday sales. 

Our advice? Plan videos for Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and the first two weeks of December. Plan a separate set of videos for last-minute shoppers, too. 

Don’t forget to schedule these to post several days before an official holiday starts and on the holiday itself. 

Be sure to edit and trim these according to each platform you plan to post them on so they feel native to each channel. 

For instance, use longer videos on YouTube and your website, but aim for bite-sized videos on Instagram, TikTok, and landing pages. Consider editing the content tone according to each channel, too. For example, you might focus your TikTok video edits on Gen Z shoppers.

Videos are also great assets to use in ads. Consider doubling up on video ad campaigns across your marketing channels for maximum impact. 

And speaking of doubling up…

3. Double up on social media content and social selling tactics 

Use social media platforms to build a targeted following and blast your festive season sales. 

Here’s what we recommend:

Social media content 

Find out which social media platforms your target audience uses most and set up your posting schedule there. But post with intention.

For instance, if most of your shoppers frequent Instagram, post a lot of consistent, high-value, and festive-themed content on your Instagram page. This can warm up your existing followers and organically attract more free followers on Instagram. These engaged and interested individuals are a valuable resource during the festive rush. 

Leverage this dedicated audience by offering limited-time sales and exclusive offers tailored to their interests. This encourages higher conversion rates and promotes a more profitable holiday season for your ecommerce business.

Social selling 

Open up social media shops to sell to your followers and audience without them having to leave Instagram, Facebook, or the platforms they use most.

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You can then tag these items not only in your online social media shops but also in your posts and Stories, too. That means shoppers will be able to buy whatever you feature on social media (with a price tag) in a matter of a few clicks.

*Pro-Tip: If you market to Gen Z, don’t skip this strategy! 48% of Gen Zers said they plan on buying at least some gifts through social media this season.

4. Create a digital business card to spread the word about limited-time sales 

Spread the word about limited-time deals, specials, and promotions with a holiday sales-focused digital business card. Use it in email marketing campaigns, social media content, and relevant landing pages.

Digital business cards include special QR codes or links that lead recipients to holiday-specific sales and promotions, creating a direct path for customers to access your ecommerce store's holiday deals and offers. 

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This can effectively increase traffic and boost sales during the festive period. 

You can also use them to engage with your customers in a personalized way, for instance, by: 

• Sending holiday greetings

• Offering tailored product recommendations

• Delivering exclusive discounts

Digital business cards are also highly shareable. 

Satisfied customers can easily pass them on to friends and family via email, messaging apps, or social media platforms, allowing referrals to friends and family and potentially expanding your customer base during the holiday season.

Digital business cards also provide a convenient and safe way for customers to access contact information. This can help them get in touch with your ecommerce store for assistance, contributing to positive and hassle-free holiday shopping experiences. 

*Pro-Tip: Sweeten the deal by offering free or highly discounted complementary products if shoppers use your digital business card to buy something from your online store. Add a bonus refer-a-friend discount to encourage even more sales.

5. Use guided selling strategies to help potential customers find the right products 

Tailor the entire shopping experience by creating interactive quizzes that help shoppers find the right products for their needs.

Get inspired by GreenPan. 

Instead of aimlessly browsing, visitors can take a quiz to receive personalized cookware and other kitchen item recommendations.

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During the quiz, GreenPan asks visitors specific questions about their cooking habits and kitchen expertise to tailor their results.

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This interactive experience encourages online engagement. 

To build up its email list with high-intent-to-buy prospects, GreenPan only delivers the visitor’s quiz results if they provide their email address. It also nudges the visitor further by offering a generous 30% discount if they sign up to receive the results. Genius.

If visitors provide their information after the quiz, GreenPan emails them their personalized recommendations.

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From the customer's perspective, they enjoy a personalized shopping experience and custom product options to suit their needs. 

For GreenPan, engaging with customers and tailoring their experiences increases its chances of making a sale. 

To make the most of this tip, consider creating a quiz shoppers can take for themselves and a separate quiz they can take to discover which gifts to buy for friends and loved ones.

6. Capitalize on FOMO messaging and generous holiday specials

‘Tis the season to spread holiday cheer… and put the pressure on to buy something.

While many brands use Fear-Of-Missing-Out (FOMO) language to promote seasonal offers, they do so for a reason …

It works. 

Special offers already nudge leads closer to conversion. But supercharged with FOMO messaging? Now you have a powerful cocktail for steep sales. 

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So, use FOMO messaging in your holiday campaigns, including ads, social media content, and online stores. Use it on every product page, landing page, and website banner to draw the eye in. (Get strategic by pairing it with every campaign you run that features holiday discounts.)

Here’s an example of FOMO language you might use in an email marketing campaign:

“50% OFF EVERYTHING - SITE-WIDE - TODAY ONLY!

Looking to stock up on discount coupons this holiday season? With our current blowout sale, you won’t need any. 

Head over to our store now for 50% off anything you want — site-wide. 

But hurry — The sale ends at 11:59pm CST!”

Other words you might use in FOMO sales copy include:

• “Expires at X”

• “Time is running out”

• “X minutes left to buy …”

*Pro-Tip: Send gamified emails with FOMO sales copy urging people to “Spin the Wheel” (or play another game) to claim their prizes. Prizes could be discount codes, gift cards, or small items. Add a virtual timer to up the stakes. Start with a 10-minute timer to urge them to buy now. If they abandon their cart or leave the page, email them a 24-hour digital timer to encourage them to complete the sale.

Wrap up 

Are you ready to maximize your online sales during the holiday season? 

Start planning your winning marketing strategy now to gain a competitive edge and capture shopper attention.

Focus on your target audience and understand their needs and desires during this holiday season. Show them why your online business is the one they should choose to invest in.

Here’s a quick recap of the strategies we shared today:

• 1. Widen your reach by catering to shoppers with lower budgets

• 2. Batch and distribute video commercials for the entire holiday shopping season

• 3. Double up on social media content and social selling tactics

• 4. Create a digital business card to spread the word about limited-time sales

• 5. Use guided selling strategies to help potential customers find the right products

• 6. Capitalize on FOMO messaging and generous holiday specials

That’s it for now.

Here’s to lots of holiday sales!