Retail Customer Engagement: Stand Out With Holiday And Event Specials

Offering discounts and deals are great business marketing tips to attract customers to your store. And what’s a better way to boost your sales than using these specials at a time when everyone is celebrating?

Part of the preparation for the influx of people who will be visiting the mall in the next few months is deciding what sales or offers you’ll be rolling out. But it’s not just about that–it’s also about finding the best ways to inform your potential customers about your offers. 

Especially during the holiday season or around a popular event, when every business is preparing to attract as many shoppers as possible, deals are everywhere!

There will be so many run-of-the-mill sales popping up–15% off shirts, up to 30% off clearance, buy one get one half off. But getting your specials to stand out among all the others can be challenging. 

The best way to improve your strategy is to get creative with your offers, making them interactive or engagement-related. Let’s explore some of the most effective tactics that can help your business attract more notice.

Social Media Engagement

Offer your customers an unbeatable deal on certain items (or everything) for posting a selfie and tagging your page or account. What better way to boost your business’s social media presence? 

You can also create special event hashtags like #AVeryYourBusinessChristmas or #SayingThanksAtYourBusiness and have customers post using the hashtag to qualify for the deal. Then, all they need to do is show your staff their post at checkout to redeem their discount.

Don’t want to do this with a sale? Customers love the idea of earning a small freebie with their purchase, and a social media post is an easy price to pay. Offer branded goodies or inexpensive extras for any customer who participates and shows their post at checkout.

Countdown Deals

Offering the same sale, day after day, can cause customers to lose interest quickly. Mix it up by changing up the deal amount every day. Whether you start big and decrease your sales the closer you get to the end of the year or make it all completely random, customers will feel a sense of urgency, knowing the sale will only be the same that day.

Turn Deals Into A Game

Gamification is a huge trend in the business world. Getting customers to feel like they’re playing a fun and rewarding game when shopping with you is a great way to get them coming back for more. You could let customers pick a chance card whenever they spend a certain amount that could either be a coupon, a free item, or a bust.

Another option is to set up a collectable-type game where customers can draw a card or earn a random stamp whenever they spend a certain amount. Once they’ve collected three or four of the same type of color or stamp, they can earn a discount or a free product.

Hook Them With Giveaways

A classic that’s still surprisingly effective is the giveaway tactic. Pick an impressive prize like an iPad or a pair of expensive headphones to offer, then let customers know that they get one entry for every certain amount spent. 

To make it even more lucrative for your business, make it a requirement that they need to sign up for your loyalty program in order to be entered. That way, you will be collecting customer information for your database while boosting your sales.

Lastly, don’t forget about influencer collaborations. Find someone or even a few influencers and partner with them for a “big giveaway.” This way, you can engage a bigger audience with your social media accounts, increase your brand awareness, and even share more about your seasonal promotions.

Using Popular Events

Using popular events as a focus for your specials can help boost engagement and make offers feel fresh. The type of event and how well-known it is will impact the campaign’s effectiveness, so make sure to think about your messaging and which customers you’re hoping to attract.

International Events

If you’re in an area where international events like the World Cup or the Olympics are all anyone can talk about, then you have the ideal audience for special offers and deals centered around those events.

Did your country make it into the World Cup? Try a special event where the discounts you offer increase every time your team makes it to the next stage. 

Lots of promising athletes competing for your country in the Olympics? Offer an unbeatable one-day deal every time one of your athletes gets onto the podium. 

Centering your deals around what happens instead of just offering a regular deal that doesn’t depend on anything keeps your customers engaged and lets you benefit from the event’s hype.

National Events

Every country has big events. In the United States, major league championships like the Super Bowl or the Stanley Cup are perfect examples of national events that are great to center special offers around. European countries can offer discounts if their country qualifies for Eurovision, as well as tease a super special deal if their country’s act wins.

Local Events

Even if you aren’t in an area where large national or international events are popular, using local happenings as a base for offers can be a great way to engage the community. Celebrate the local high school baseball team making it to the state championships by offering $10 off for every run they score, or congratulate the state university for winning a prestigious award with 15% off for all students who show a valid school ID.

Summing It All Up

From sales to special deals, finding a way to catch a customer’s attention and bring them to your store is one of the most important and ever-changing things a business needs to consider. 

By combining event-driven specials with engaging holiday promotions, you can create a strong strategy that will not only capture attention but also encourage customer retention and loyalty. 

Remember that constantly evolving your methods is the best way to keep customers feeling like they’re experiencing something new and exciting. After all, the thrill can fade when someone sees just another 10% off select products the fourth time around.

Stay creative and build an approach that will make your business stand out in the market. While special offers and promotions are great customer engagement examples that will bring more people to your store, don’t forget to ensure you also offer them an incredible buying journey when they visit. 

At Nova, we are dedicated to helping you optimize your retail experience. We offer personalized solutions to help businesses upgrade to a top-tier POS system for a seamless shopping experience. Request a free trial and prepare for the upcoming holiday season or special event!