With Halloween right around the corner, many holiday shoppers have already started preparing for their holiday season. Giving the gift of window tint certainly can help someone style a ride or make his or her home more comfortable.
3M™ Authorized Window Film Dealers should start planning their holiday messages now to reach the many different types of holiday shoppers. According to Inmar Intelligence, there are five different types of holiday shoppers. Here’s a look at those individual holiday shopping personas and some ideas on ways to market window film to the various segments.
Reaching the “Deal Finder” Holiday Shopping Persona
According to Inmar, Inc., the Deal Finder Persona focuses much of his or her attention on finding the best deals, coupons, discounts and promotions. In fact, brand loyalty is less relevant than the deal itself.
These shoppers start as early as November and notoriously take advantage of Black Friday sales as well as other holiday deals. Research suggests the Deal Finder also takes the time to research deals online.
Here are some ideas of ways to reach this shopper.
- Create a holiday deal. Offer a holiday deal that could be sold as a gift certificate and then given to a friend or family member at a later date. Consider providing a lot for the monetary value, such as a percentage-off sale.
- Make sure your website is optimized for search (SEO). Deal Finders reportedly are doing most of their research online so you will want to make sure that your site can be found on a Google search. (Accent Distributing offers a website analysis as part of its marketing services that may assist you in this strategy. Contact Inside Sales for details.)
- Build a “Promotions” page on your website. This page should display your company’s current promotions, deals and coupons.
- Write a blog about your holiday shopping deals. For those of you with a blog, be sure to write a blog that highlights your deals. This increases the likelihood that your blog will appear in search results for someone shopping holiday deals.
- Make social media posts about your holiday shopping deals. Beginning in November, start to strategically highlight any holiday deals that you might have for window tinting.
Reaching the “Early Bird” Holiday Shopping Persona
For Early Bird Shoppers, the shopping season starts early. While some say Early Bird Shoppers tend to start shopping in September, recent trends are showing a much earlier start date. Pinterest reported in June of this year that holiday searches surged 77 percent in April 2020 over April 2019. This included three times more searches for “Christmas gift ideas.” There was a 90 percent increase in searches for “holiday recipes” and an 80 percent increase in searches that involved the term “Christmas.”
For the Early Bird Shopper, there is a heightened emphasis on planning. Potential shortages and extending shipping times that have taken place this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic may have the Early Bird concerned there might be clogs in online shopping closer to the holidays.
Here are some ways to reach this shopper.
- Start now to promote gift cards or certificates for the holidays. There is no time like the present when it comes to reaching this type of shopper. Start today with messages about your holiday gift certificates. Place a sign on your front counter, add information to your website and begin posting social media announcements about giving the gift of sun protection.
- Next year, plan a campaign in July. Ever heard of “Christmas in July”? Plan a holiday campaign that launches in July and reaches the holiday shopping audience with deals and promotions. While this doesn’t help you for this season, you can at least plan ahead for the next.
- Start mentioning holiday shopping in your communications. Does your company offer an electronic newsletter? Consider all of the ways that you communicate directly with customers and start mentioning holiday shopping in your outbound communications. This will help you reach Early Bird shoppers.
Reaching “The Host” Holiday Shopping Persona
Just as the name suggests, The Host is focused on making the holidays extra special for friends and family by hosting events and activities for loved ones.
While the pandemic has caused social distancing and travel restrictions, some may find they are hosting small gatherings for the first time this holiday season. Smaller micro-gatherings, such as cookie exchanges and holiday brunches, are likely to take place.
Research suggests that this audience is expected to focus on cookware, food (including coffee) and holiday décor. Here are some thoughts on ways to reach this shopper.
- Tell the story of residential window film to holiday hosts. Highlight how residential window film can improve the overall experience within a home and can help make holiday gatherings more comfortable.
- Create a contest in which current customers are entered into a drawing to win a Keurig or a gift certificate to a local shopping market. Help offset the cost of hosting a gathering for this audience. Promote a contest on social media and announce that any window film customer will receive an entry into a drawing. This may encourage sales now and effectively reach The Host audience.
- Give holiday giveaways for residential film customers this holiday season. Give a $100 gift certificate for a local grocer to any customer who installs residential window film on his or her home. This can either be used to offset his or her own family holiday gathering or can be used for entertaining.
Reaching the Self Gifter Holiday Shopping Persona
Self-care has become an increased focus over time, but especially during the pandemic as people have quarantined themselves. This may fuel the Self Gifter Persona, who are wrapping their own gifts in addition to others’ gifts to put under the tree. These shoppers are looking to take advantage of the holiday shopping deals and treat themselves, not just those on their shopping lists.
Here are some ways to reach this shopper:
- Offer a buy-one-get-one promotion or a buy-one-get-one-50%-off deal. This provides a Self Gifter the opportunity to put window film on his/her own home or auto while also providing a gift for someone.
- Don’t forget this audience in your holiday communications. In your outreach – from electronic newsletters to blogs and social media posts – don’t forget that Self Gifters are looking for opportunities to treat themselves during the holiday season – not just their friends and family. Be sure to craft messages for them, as well, using statements like, “Give and Get the Gift of Sun Protection” or “Make Your Drive More Comfortable This Holiday Season.”
Reaching the The Last-Minute Holiday Shopping Persona
The Last Minute Persona are those seen on television news every year walking malls and shopping districts at the very last minute – even on Christmas Eve.
Research shows this audience has been known to stock up on gift cards. In fact, Inmar Intelligence reported that December 24 has seen the highest number of gift card browsers online over any other day in the shopping season.
Here are some ways to reach this shopper:
- Use a gift card solution for small businesses that allows customers to purchase cards anytime, anywhere. Imagine providing an opportunity for consumers to purchase eGift cards at the last minute – even on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day – without having your business doors open. Square, Giftfly and others offer opportunities for online gift card purchases and management.
- Promote gift cards throughout the entire Once you have a hands-off method for selling eGift cards, then you can promote gift cards throughout the entire season, including on the actual holidays. In other words, your promotions do not have to stop when your doors close for the holiday. According to SquareUp.com, 70 percent of gift card sales are electronic on Dec. 25.
- Offer a physical gift card or gift certificate option, too. While providing an online option can assist you in sales at the last minute, studies repeatedly show that 90 percent of the time, people appreciate physical gift cards. Be sure to offer a physical option, too.
Start Your Holiday Outreach Now
Avoid a lull in holiday traffic this year by positioning your company to attract holiday shoppers. Strategically plan campaigns that will reach all five of the different holiday shopping personas.
Accent Distributing provides marketing assistance as one of its services. Reach out to speak to a marketing professional on ways you can reach consumers during the holiday season. Contact Inside Sales at (941) 922-5268 or at [email protected].
