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The Holiday Season Is Upon Us! Are You Ready?
by Dawn Varga
September 25, 2024
Can you believe it?! Only 1 month until Halloween, 2 months until Thanksgiving, and 3 months until Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Where has the year gone?
As the holiday season approaches, businesses must gear up digitally to maximize their marketing efforts and capture the festive spirit.
Here are 5 key steps to ensure holiday marketing readiness:
1. Optimize your website and online store for mobile devices. With more shoppers browsing and purchasing via smartphones and tablets, a mobile-friendly interface enhances user experience and boosts conversion rates. 2. Ramp up your social media presence. Develop a content calendar with engaging posts, promotions, and holiday-themed campaigns. Leverage platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to reach broader audiences and foster community engagement. 3. Implement targeted email marketing campaigns. Segment your customer base and personalize messages to promote holiday offers, exclusive discounts, and gift ideas. Use compelling subject lines and visually appealing templates to capture attention and drive clicks. 4. Consider text message marketing campaigns. Send timely SMS alerts about flash sales, restocks, and exclusive deals. Text campaigns offer a direct line to customers, providing real-time engagement and boosting last-minute purchases. 5. Maintaining a positive online reputation is also key. Encourage satisfied customers to leave five-star reviews and respond to feedback promptly to build trust and credibility. A solid reputation can significantly impact holiday purchase decisions. 6. Monitor and analyze performance metrics regularly. Use analytics tools to track website traffic, sales conversions, and campaign effectiveness. Adjust strategies based on data insights to optimize marketing spend and maximize ROI.
By proactively preparing your digital strategy, you can effectively capitalize on the holiday season and ensure a successful year-end for your business. ----------------------
OnTarget is ready to help you succeed this holiday season! For personalized assistance with your business marketing, contact OnTarget Digital Services. We offer effective digital marketing solutions that fit any size business and any size budget. For more info, call us at (951) 394-1952, visit our website, or email us at info@ontargetdigitalservices.com | | | | CLICK IMAGES BELOW TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SOME OF OUR DIGITAL SOLUTIONS! | | | | | | | |
Apple Crumble
Serve it warm with a big scoop of ice cream.
Ingredients:
For the Apple Fillling:- Salted butter, for the baking dish
- 8 medium baking apples (such as Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Braeburn; about 4 pounds), peeled, cored, and sliced (4 lbs. 3 oz.)
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- 1 heaping Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
| | | | For the Topping:
Directions: - For the apples: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with butter.
- Put the apples in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with the lemon juice, and toss to coat. Pat the slices down in an even layer. In a medium bowl, mix together the granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples; use clean hands to toss the apples to coat.
- For the topping: In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, walnuts, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt. Stir in the melted butter. Sprinkle the topping in an even layer over the apples.
- Bake until the topping is slightly crisp and golden brown, 55 minutes to 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature on its own or topped with ice cream or caramel sauce.
| | | | | | The Holiday 2024 Shopping Season Will Be Unlike Any Other
May 29. 2024 Image Credit: GETTY
As we approach the 2024 holiday season, marketers are facing an unprecedented confluence of major events that will shape consumer behavior and spending patterns. The Summer Olympics in Paris, a contentious presidential election, and a shortened holiday shopping season will all intersect, creating challenges and opportunities. Here's how marketers can strategically navigate this unique landscape to maximize engagement and revenue.
Understanding the Macro Economic Environment Consumer spending has shown resilience in recent years despite global challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and political conflict. 2020 through 2022 were the most remarkable three years in retail history due to economic stimulus and reduced spending on travel and entertainment. 2023 generally saw a return to pre-pandemic patterns. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce Retail Division, average core retail (retail sales without automotive, gasoline, or restaurants) averaged 4.1% growth per year from 1992 through 2019, the average shot up to 9.4% from 2020 through 2202, and then returned to 3.9% in 2023.
So far, for 2024, from January through April, core retail has grown 3.8% versus the same period in the previous year. However, the seemingly typical growth late obscures a significant change in the market. Post-COVID, the largest retailers in the U.S. have been winning a disproportionate share of all retail growth. Morgan Stanley estimates that Amazon alone accounted for 28% of all retail growth in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2024, and Walmart accounted for another 10%. Combined, Walmart and Amazon are taking approximately 38% of every incremental retail sales dollar, making growth very challenging for most other retailers and creating great uncertainty.
In 2024, these uncertainties will be amplified by the upcoming presidential election, which historically causes a dip in consumer spending due to heightened economic anxiety. Coupled with the Summer Olympics and a shorter holiday season, marketers must know the economic backdrop when planning their campaigns.
READ REST OF ARTICLE HERE | | | | | | | | | | | | | | OnTarget Digital Services, LLC is a proud member of the Greater Riverside Chambers of Commerce, the RV Women's Alliance, the Canyon Lake Chamber of Commerce, and the Corona Chamber of Commerce | | | | | | Contact Info
OnTarget Digital Services, LLC Canyon Lake, California Call or Text: (951) 394-1952 Email: info@ontargetdigitalservices.com Website: www.ontargetdigitalservices.com | | | | | | | |
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