FILE – Shoppers visit Philadelphia’s Christmas Village, Dec. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
Written by Mae Anderson
AP Business Writer
NEW YORK For many small retailers and other businesses, the holiday season is the busiest time of the year.
But this year’s holidays could be especially difficult. Inflation has subsided, but small businesses are still dealing with high costs and consumers are tightening their wallets. The longshoremen’s strike that began on Tuesday could also cause shipping delays and could seriously disrupt retailers’ plans if not resolved quickly.
Boosting your marketing is one way to boost your holiday success. In a study by email marketing company Constant Contact, 51% of small business owners said they believe social media marketing and email marketing will have the biggest impact on their holiday goals.
Kristen Tarnoll owns Emerald Forest Gifts in Studio City, California. Since the store has been open for 37 years, Tarnol has a significant number of regular customers each year. But marketing remains key, she says.
“We need to continue to acquire new customers, so we will be using both email and social,” she said. “Also, this year, we would like to plan events inside the store to get everyone in the festive mood.”
The top three things small business owners do to have a successful holiday season are increasing efficiency (35%), offering special promotions or discounts (28%), and creating a year-end marketing strategy (26%). %) is. . Starting early is key.
“Small businesses are extremely resilient, but to ensure success in the uncertain holiday season, they need to be proactive with their marketing efforts,” said Sarah Jordan, Chief Marketing Officer at Constant Contact. There is a need.” “Those[small businesses]that will thrive will be those that start their holiday marketing early, streamline their work with automation, and consistently engage with customers throughout the season.”
Another feature of this season is that this year Hanukkah doesn’t start until December 25th, making it a longer season. Tarnol of Emerald City Gifts plans to start marketing on Nov. 1, which means more than two months of holiday marketing.
“Normally we recover between Christmas and New Year’s, but this year we’re going to keep it going until after January 2nd,” she said.
In August, Constant Contact surveyed owners of more than 1,600 small and medium-sized businesses with fewer than 250 employees in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
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