this content ( ask for permission in advance ). Most of your customers are thrilled to be featured . When they post , that is called User Generated Content ( UGC ) and it is probably the single most influential content you can post . Why ? Because it is real customers posting their real experiences . This has the power to turn your customers into a force that significantly increases loyalty , magnifies influence and confidence in the service / product and improves your bottom line . There are dozens of articles online that will teach you how to do this .
4 . Physical and Digital Menus
It is time to either create or rework them . A . Include kits of products bundled together with savings : Customers love to get a bargain . This has the benefit of raising your average order value .
B . Bundling of goods and services together : Again , now you are tying your key services to related products and increasing your average order value .
C . Offer curbside pickup : A great way to interact with your clients , even for a few minutes .
5 . Holiday Planning ( Black Friday , Cyber Monday and Holidays )
This year , due to COVID-19 , holiday shopping will be much different . Many retailers may be closed or have limited ability to open and many shoppers are going to simply shop online . That means that many of your customers will be doing the same thing . So , the question is how to prepare ?
“ The pandemic has compressed what would have taken another 10 years to happen into six months and accelerated the change in shopping patterns at a record pace .”
STEP 1 : PLAN . Start by creating your special offers , product bundles and advertising strategies now . And do not forget your marketing to promote all your offers . The time is now , so plan ahead ! Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals , for example , should be promoted in October leading up to the date of the promotion . You are not the only one that love to plan . Your customers love to as well ! STEP 2 : PERSONALIZED OFFERS . If you can crunch the data , you can find out two things : who are your best customers and what do they buy ? Create special offers for them that recognize that status . Customers like to feel special and this shows you care and that they are not just a number . Start by segmenting your email / customer list now and target them based on their past purchases . Mail Chimp and Constant Contact have great features for this that are simple to use . STEP 3 : CREATE GIFT GUIDES FOR YOUR “ GIVERS .” Look at your best-selling products and create kits , bundles , baskets and best-seller suggestions to help your customers make the “ BUY ” decision easy . Create a quick landing page that showcases all these offers . STEP 4 : ENCOURAGE IMMEDIATE ACTION . Let your customers know that the holiday specials are limited in numbers and are selling fast . Again , communicate the specials early and often . STEP 5 : FIND OUT IF YOUR VENDORS HAVE ANY HOLIDAY SPECIALS . Take advantage of these existing relationships and see if they have any holiday specials you can use to create customized specials or integrate them into your kits , bundles and other offers . Additionally , ask if they have any marketing assets or images you can use .
The march to online sales has been made very clear where now , almost 50 percent of all Internet sales in the U . S . are conducted through Amazon . The pandemic has compressed what would have taken another 10 years to happen into six months and accelerated the change in shopping patterns at a record pace . Many are fearful of this . The reality is that customers need 7-8 impressions before they make a purchase . Amazon helps build brand awareness so that when the customer is in your business and you present a new product , you can be that lasting impression that gives them confidence to purchase .
One of the big differences between this holiday season and last season is the rate of change . Things are always changing , and as owners and operators , we must now adapt to these new realities . The good news is that there are shifts and changes that you can start making now to embrace these changes to not only survive , but to thrive ! n
CHRIS KOLODZIEJSKI created the Chella brand in 2003 , emphasizing beauty service events , product demonstrations and merchandising , with the goal of making each customer more beautiful . He received a finance degree from the University of Wyoming and played professional football for the Pittsburgh Steelers . He has 30 years of business experience , including real estate development , investment banking and corporate finance and , finally , 17 years in cosmetics .
OCTOBER 2020 ■ PULSE 41