By January, everyone feels the inevitable “holiday hangover” from a full month of family, food and gift-giving. And as an e-commerce business owner, you and your team are doubly exhausted from surviving a busy – and hopefully profitable – fourth quarter. Which is why it’s likely you may want to rest and take it easy through the beginning of the New Year to get your feet under you again. However, January is actually a perfect time to engage with your customers in a meaningful way so that your brand stays top of mind not just for the holiday season – but for the rest of the year.
Send a Thank You & Ask For Reviews
A simple “thank you” email can have multiple goals. First, it’s a reminder to your audience that you are appreciative of their business, and it allows you to seek feedback if they’re happy with their purchase – and if they’re not. Plan to send your “thank you” email early to mid January asking for reviews from happy customers. And for customers who are less than happy, invite them to connect with your customer service line so you can make their purchase right.
Roll Out a Loyalty Program
If you don’t have a loyalty program, now is a great time to consider one. Invite customers to join for incentives that last beyond the holidays including exclusive access to sales, discounts on best sellers and more. A loyalty program can keep customers engaged – and shopping – beyond the holiday season. If this is a new avenue for your business, you can use this time to test its popularity with your holiday customers before you roll it out to the general public.
Promote Post-Holiday Sales
Many retailers have an overstock of items leftover from the holidays. Instead of letting that inventory sit for another twelve months offer a post-holiday sale. And while many consumers might be tired of shopping after the holidays, using the right marketing language can help, such as: The Epic Big Clearance Event – Only One Time of Year! It’s also worth reminding your customers of any upcoming holidays where they might need a gift, not to mention any family or friend birthdays. At the start of the year, everyone knows someone who needs a gift in the future.
Segment Your Email Lists
As you are onboarding new – or returning – customers during the holiday season, one of the best and simplest tasks your future self will thank you for will be segmenting your email lists. This way, your upcoming emails in the New Year are not only relevant, but also helpful, to both the recipient and your business. A simple segmentation of “holiday customers” may suffice, but you can also consider segmenting based on the amount spent with your store, or if the person is a first-time customer. Consider each of these special characteristics of your audience as opportunities for a connection.
Once the Christmas trees are at the curb, and your “diet” is back on for January, we know how easy it is to take a break come January. But with thirty-one days in the month to make a connection, even choosing one type of business strategy to reach out to your customers can make the difference between the “once a year” customers and the loyal returners.
