How to Build Loyalty This Holiday Season

The big question this upcoming holiday season is how to get consumers to purchase our products and stay loyal during this critical time. With the current economic downturn, 35% of consumers say they will be spending less during the holidays. They will also be spending differently as they search for more practical gifts that are about needs and necessities versus wants. As a result, consumers will be even more selective in the products and goods they purchase. How can we make consumers feel loyal to our brands during this crazy economic time so we don’t feel the pinch of a lack luster holiday season? Here are some ideas:

• Stay in tuned to their needs and wants by conducting some shopper insight research to see what is driving their decisions. You can start by looking at the following:
• Cultural Insight – what is happening in the world right now?
• Consumer Insight – what are their intrinsic needs?
• Customer/Store Insight – what are the goals of your customer?
• Brand Insight – what are the attributes of your brand?
• Shopper Insight – what else are they buying right now?
• These insights will help you drive something into action by coming up with marketing ideas that satisfy the consumer insights, as well as help you meet your overall objectives for increasing conversion, creating an irresistible shopper experience and improving consumer and customer satisfaction.
• Take some of the worry off their minds by offering low-cost, high quality options so consumers have a choice.
• Give away gift cards via a sweepstakes or on-line game that help with some of their needs and necessities. For example, gift cards, gas cards, free groceries, etc.
• Help them stretch their dollars with coupons and offers that drive their purchase intent.
• Develop a frequency program that keeps them coming back during the last two months of the year and rewards them for their loyalty.
• Create images promoting your products that invoke the meaning of the holidays and make consumers feel festive and happy.

If we can continue to find ways to connect with our consumers during this time of year, we will be building loyalty for the year to come.