End-of-summer sales don’t begin and end in the span of Labor Day weekend. Many brands and retail markets continue their sales strategy as new inventory is introduced. In order to achieve sales maximization, it’s important for companies to focus on a personalized marketing strategy.
This personalized customer experience comes down to answering one question: Do you really know what your audience wants?
If the answer is “yes,” when is the last time you checked? The needs and wants of any audience varies depending on a variety of factors. Everything from seasonality to rising trends to outdated concepts will affect how likely your customers will continue to buy from your brand.
When it comes to marketing, you have to make it personal.
The challenge is creating the connection on an individual basis for a more personalized customer experience. There are tools and strategies that can help you achieve this goal or at least get closer to achieving it. Plus, there are several immediate opportunities for you to get this kind of data from your current audience base. Personalized marketing requires several steps to properly implement and test an entire tailored strategy that aligns with your end-of-summer blowout sales.
Gather Data
First, you have to ask for customer feedback. Whether it’s an informal request, a detailed NPS survey, or a social poll on Instagram, you will receive important data directly from your customers/clients when you ask for it. The goal is then to create an action plan for what you plan to do with that data.
For example, if you are a beauty brand, create a poll asking which product people like most. Once you get the most popular response, set up an email campaign or paid ads highlighting that product as part of your online shopping sale. If your audience base already loves the product and it’s on sale, that’s an easy win for both parties.
Speak Directly to Your Audience
Use a livestream feature, Instagram stories, or a pre-recorded video as a way to share your sale and why it’s a value for customers. Be open to questions so viewers can receive answers instantaneously. Nearly all brands can take advantage of this.
However, to use hospitality marketing as an example, consider sharing a “behind-the-scenes” video of your property’s amenities. While the time between summer and the winter holidays may not be peak season, an end-of-summer blowout discount could be the prompt someone needs to plan a mini getaway or weekend vacation. It will also encourage your audience to think ahead to their next trip…with your brand in mind.
Introduce an Upcoming Event or Product Launch
As seasons shift, so does the product. Every retailer is familiar with the introduction of new inventory once a quarter or season has come and gone. The goal is to sell the remaining inventory, while also getting people excited for what’s to come. The sales will get them in the door and on your website, while the “shiny and new” will entice them to buy, learn, or invest more.
This is a good opportunity to incorporate influencer marketing into your sales strategy. Connect with influencers or advocates of your brand to host an in-store party, online Twitter chat, or another avenue that adds a 1:1 connection.
Customize Messaging
Personalize your message. One of the easiest ways to add a personalized marketing touch is to address people by their first names in your email campaigns. The sentiment is that you want to share with them (and them alone) the good news about your upcoming sale. A personalized customer experience also extends to the kinds of ads you create and how they differ from audience to audience. Do you have three distinct audiences and send one overall message? Consider how customization can better connect your brand to each audience.
Reward Loyalty
Customer loyalty makes a huge difference for any brand. If your brand is focused on creating loyalty programs, this is yet another opportunity to provide a way for customers loyal to the brand to get an exclusive look at new offerings or “first dibs” on end-of-summer blowout sales. Speak to their loyalty by showing customer appreciation through secret sales, extra discounts, or a preview of exciting, new products/plans to come.
Personalized marketing is not a trend, but it’s currently trendy. It shouldn’t be reserved only for end-of-summer sales, but it does present a good time to start optimizing your strategy before the holidays are in full force. Always think about who your customers are, what your customers want, and how you are delivering those needs to them. The more you can have these three things align, the more successful your personalized marketing efforts will be.
