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Getting Prepped for Autumn Success!
by Dawn Varga
Updated August 29, 2024 Original article from September 22, 2020
Summer will soon come to a close and businesses are exploring new ways to communicate with consumers this fall -- the busiest retail season of the year!
Here are 5 tips for preparing for a successful autumn:
1. Turn over a new leaf 🍁with your website A fresh look can have a huge impact on how your website visitors engage with your page. Clean it up. Add some interest. Make sure your website reflects your brand’s identity. Focus efforts on ensuring it is mobile-friendly. Create new content or update current content to help improve your search ranking. Investing in your website can improve bounce rates by keeping consumers on your website, leading to increased sales.
2. Create a calendar of seasonal 🎃🦃🎄 deals There is no such thing as being too prepared for the holidays. According to a survey done by Software Advice, 41% of business start planning for the end-of-year holiday season in September-October and should have their plan fully in place no later than October. Audit your past campaigns. Re-use successful ones. Nail down the messaging and CTAs to encourage maximum consumer engagement. Establish a schedule and get all your assets organized. Monitor performance and don’t be afraid to make alterations along the way.
3. Don’t let customer satisfaction levels fall 🍂 As you get busier and have less time, it is easy to let some things slide. Do not let customer satisfaction be one of them. Upset customers will generally voice their concerns publicly online. This can deter other consumers from wanting to do business with you. Make sure you are taking care of your customers. But if you do occasionally slip up, make sure you try and rectify the situation. Respond positively to negative reviews while offering solutions to their issues. And on the flipside, encourage happy customers to write positive reviews or give you favorable testimonials that you can share on your website or social media.
4. Consider cross-promoting with fundraising or donating 🤝 The autumn holiday season is generally a time for giving. Show that your business cares by participating in a fundraising event, donating products, or giving a percentage of sales to a local cause. Consumers appreciate seeing a business that is involved in charitable giving. In addition to making a difference for the cause, it is also a way to build respect, a good reputation and customer loyalty. By cross-promoting with the charitable organization, you will bring more attention to the cause as well as to your business. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.
5. Focus on social media to create buzz 🐝 Now that you have a revamped website, a holiday plan, satisfied customers, and a great cause to support, it’s time to get the word out! Go beyond basic social media posting – create buzz. Use branded hashtags. Produce videos for visual impact. Reach out to influencers and encourage them to spread the word. Build anticipation with teasers and don’t reveal too much in order to create hype. And make sure the message is similar across all channels. The website landing pages you link to should convey consistent information as well as immediately get the consumer to what they are looking for without additional clicks. This will result in maximum conversions.
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These are just a few ideas that will help in your autumn business planning. 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! | | | | | | | |
Sheet Pan Nachos
With football season coming up, I can't think of a better game day snack. Serve 'em straight from the pan!
Ingredients:
For the Quick Pickled Shallots:- 3 shallots, thinly sliced
- 1/2 c. distilled white vinegar
- 3 Tbsp. honey
- 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
| | | | For the Taco Meat:- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 3/4 lb. ground beef (80/20)
- 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning
For the Nachos:- 1 (12-oz.) bag tortilla chips
- 8 oz. pepper jack cheese, shredded (about 2 c.)
- 4 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 c.)
| | Toppings:- 1/2 c. pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 c. pico de gallo
- 1/2 c. sour cream
- 1/2 c. crumbled cotija cheese
- 2 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped
Hot sauce, to taste
| | | | Directions: - For the quick pickled shallots: Place the shallots in a mason jar. In a small saucepan, heat the vinegar, honey, crushed red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup water until it comes to a gentle simmer. Pour the liquid over the shallots and allow to sit 15 to 30 minutes.
- For the taco meat: In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and sprinkle with the taco seasoning. Cook the beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Add ⅓ cup water, scraping the bottom of the skillet as needed. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
- For the nachos: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the tortilla chips on a sheet pan. Top with the pepper jack and cheddar, and bake until the cheeses are melted and the chips have slightly golden edges, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the sheet pan from the oven, and top the chips with the taco meat, beans, pico de gallo, sour cream, cotija, cilantro, quick pickled shallots, and hot sauce.
| | | | | | 2024 holiday marketing: Top SEO and PPC tips for a short shopping season
Start preparing for the condensed 2024 holiday season. Optimize for multiple holidays across various channels to maximize your marketing.
July 22. 2024
This year’s shopping season is unusually short. Instead of the normal four and a half to five weeks, we have just 27 days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. On top of that: - Hanukkah starts on Christmas, and Kwanzaa is on the day after.
- Christmas and Hannukah are on Wednesdays, eliminating the ease of shopping retail over the weekend for last-minute gifts. E-gifts and gift cards may be in demand.
- It’s an election year in the U.S.
- The previous election was during the pandemic, so shopping habits and promotions are not comparable
The shorter shopping period means the last shipping day deadline is earlier, there’s less time to clear inventory for 2025 and fewe ad space and promotions available will increase costs. There’s also good news that will make your life easier as a marketer. - You don’t have to separate holiday campaigns this year, saving time and money. They can use an all-encompassing message with each religion in one, including Solstice, which occurs on December 21 this year.
- Your email campaigns apply to all holiday customers, so there is less design work, split testing and fewer deadlines.
- The last day to ship is the same for everyone saving you additional calendar reminders.
- Media will matter and markups haven’t started because many people haven’t realized it’s a short year yet, so you can get solid deals by reserving space now.
Here are a few ways you can prepare for the holiday season by marketing channels: - Niche sites, influencers and publishers.
- PPC and paid social.
- SEO.
- Affiliate and influencer.
(Note: I left out SMS, email and social media because they can benefit from a combination of the above.)
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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