Valentine’s Day is a great springboard for social media posts, asLee’s Flower and Card Shop in Washington, D.C., shows, but be sure to keep up the engagement after the holidays as well.
Valentine’s Day is always a whirlwind, but with a little planning, you can extend the benefits of your holiday business year-round, according to Rhonda Abrams, author of “Successful Business Plan: Secrets & Strategies” and founder of PlanningShop.com.
In a USA Today story, Abrams shared tips on how retailers can extend their peak season. Her overall advice: Find creative ways to leverage holiday crowds to remind customers that your business has excellent services and products all year. Her top tips include:
Engage fans. “Ideally, you’ve used to increase your social media by staying active with your posts and adding more fans to your social media following,” she writes. “Keep your social media momentum going. Be sure to keep your posting on Facebook and Google+ and tweeting on Twitter and pinning on Pinterest and snapping on Instagram and linking on LinkedIn going after the holiday.”
Sell “subscriptions.” Valentine’s Day is an ideal introduction to a certain kind of customer: Time-strapped professionals who want to make someone they love feel special — and have disposable income to do that — but could use some help remembering occasions. During and after the holiday, remind them how easy you make gifting. “If you haven’t already, start to package as a ‘subscription’ club,” Abrams writes. “Whatever you sell, look for ways to have a recurring relationship with a customer. That keeps money coming in 12 months a year.”
Offer future deals. While you have customers’ attention, offer discounts for products or services to be used in the next year, including promos for everyday and “no-occasion” floral designs. “This not only evens out your workload now, but you’ll have a chance to serve customers when you’re less frazzled and have more time and attention to build a relationship,” Abrams said.
