Hello Chasers,
“16 more sleeps and it’s Christmas Day“, I heard one of my daughters say this morning. Time marches on so quickly and in the words of Willy Wonka “so little time with so much to do“!
As many of you know I love using social media for reaching out to you and potential customers.
With your small business, if you’re not using social media, you’re missing a trick. Social media is a fantastic way to promote your business and engage customers, especially in high-spending times like the run-up to Christmas!
How can social media help you increase sales? With Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok and more, you can engage with your customers by staying top of mind and get them – and their friends – to check out your festive offerings.
It’s easy to get started – just try some of these 12 ideas below:
- Use more than one network
Your customers and potential customers will be using social media this Christmas, but the chances are they don’t all favour the same network. Research from the Global Web Index found that the average person is signed up to 5 social media accounts and actively uses 3 of these. Therefore at Christmas, make sure you’re using a range of social networks.
Facebook, YouTube and Twitter are currently the most popular but consider what might be useful or appropriate for your potential customers. Research has found that amongst young customers Instagram and Snapchat are hugely popular, while only 7% of over 50 use these platforms.
- Use seasonal cover photos
One simple but effective idea is to change your Facebook (and Twitter) cover photo to something festive at Christmas.
When choosing a Christmas cover image, think about using a seasonal photo that will connect with your audience. You can also upload holiday-themed photos to your other social media accounts. This not only spreads festive cheer, but it also sends a signal to your customers that you are proactive and on the ball.
The images themselves can be anything from photos of your office Christmas decorations, to shots of your products taken in holiday settings. It’s the perfect time to get creative. For example, if you offer a dog grooming service, you could upload photos of your customers’ happy pooches in Christmas costumes. If you’re a florist, you might want to showcase some of your Christmas bouquets or seasonal plants.
- Provide regular updates
Christmas is definitely a popular time for social media use, with everyone checking out photos of friends in their festive jumpers, house decorations and holiday parties. Make sure you take advantage of this uplift by providing regular updates and posts. Think about what will be useful or engaging to your potential customers. Promotions, seasonal opening times, return policies, and other useful information will all be useful but remember to pepper in some fun facts to keep it light and in the festive spirit.
Another great idea is to provide advice about Christmas-related topics. For example, if you are a clothes shop, you could provide advice on what to wear to a Christmas party, or a wine shop could post ideas on what to have with your Christmas turkey.
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