by Brooke Chaplan
Retailers should start planning now to prepare for the Valentine’s Day rush. With thousands of shoppers perusing stores and online sites for the best gifts for their loved ones, stores with the most effective sales campaigns will see a huge increase in their earnings. Brands and retailers hoping to take advantage of the Valentine’s Day rush should try the following strategies:
Focus on Creating an Experience for Customers
Statistics show that 80 percent of shoppers prefer to spend money on an experience rather than purchasing a present for Valentine’s Day. Brands in every industry take advantage of this desire by choosing a unique way to give customers a romantic experience while providing them with the product or service they’ve ordered. This way, businesses can upcharge for the premium package in addition to selling Valentine’s day-related products separately.
Retailers can capitalize on this by offering specific days of sales to encourage customers to come in and partnering with specific brands to create package deals. By making the shopping itself an experience, retailers can encourage consumers to spend.
Include Singles and Families
While most retailers spend the majority of their Valentine’s Day campaigns targeting couples, this can inadvertently cause them to miss out on sales. Though couples are certainly shopping for their loved ones on Valentine’s Day, businesses looking to cash in should do their best to make families and singles feel included.
Retailers can cater to singles and families by advertising specials for Valentine’s Day that encourage families to celebrate with one another. Similarly, your business can focus on highlighting the “self-care” aspect of the holiday to target singles that want to celebrate this special day as well. Consider offering valentines and products for ‘self-love’ or for friends and family.
Host a Week- or Month-Long Sale
Though the 14th is just one day, many businesses start raking in the sales well in advance. Brands that want to make the most of this holiday should consider hosting week-long or month-long sales. Whether you’re selling luxury engagement rings at discounted prices all month long or you’re offering customers access to an especially romantic dinner for the month leading up to Valentine’s Day, strategically plotting to make sales as this holiday approaches is the best way to prepare for the boom.
Encourage At-Home Celebrations
Though many couples love the idea of going all out for Valentine’s Day, 75 percent of Americans are already planning to spend this special day at home. Make sure shoppers celebrate with you by encouraging them to spend the night at home using your products or services. By pushing services like takeout, expedited shipping, or free delivery, you’ll be able to cash in on couples and singles that want to celebrate at home.
Don’t miss out on the sales that excited Valentine’s Day shoppers bring. With these four tips, you’ll be able to cash in on the rush that the most romantic day of the year is sure to bring.
Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan