The Golden Quarter: Start Planning Your Christmas Campaign.

One month, just one month is standing between us and the “Golden Quarter.”

 

The festive season is considered to be the most lucrative time of the year for retailers. In 2020, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that Australian shoppers spent over $55 billion around Christmas. 

 

 

From Halloween to Black Friday, Christmas and New Year, business owners must plan and be prepared to ensure they get the most out of the Holiday season. But with all the uncertainty caused by the new surge of Covid-19 cases in Australia, how can someone even prepare for this season? 

 

The best way to approach this is by learning from past mistakes and adapting. Last year, the world wasn’t prepared, this year, we’ve curated a list of best practices to help you prepare. 

 

Data and a little bit more

 

Numbers don’t lie, right? That’s true, however this year it’s crucial to go beyond the usual metrics (age, gender, status…) and focus on the interests of your consumers.

 

If last year taught us anything, it’s that consumer behaviour can shift overnight. According to McKinsey & Company, 57% of consumers have tried a new shopping behaviour in 2020. 

 

 

Keep track of your buyers, follow their interests, stay up to date with the trends and act accordingly. Don’t rely on past behaviours and last year’s statistics, instead put your investigative hat on and research your customers to understand what they are looking for. 

 

Tell your story 

 

At GDR, we believe that “A Story Well Told Is a Story Well Sold.” Between hundreds of marketing emails and millions of posts published every day, you need to stand out. The products and services you provide are important, but only great content will drive engagement and conversion during the golden quarter. 

 

People are craving a connection; customers expect to fall in love with a brand before purchasing its products or acquiring its services.
They NEED to know whom they are buying from before the what. 

 

Through engaging media and a content-centred approach, you’ll be able to grab their attention, pique their interest, and convince them to take action. 

 

Need help telling your story? Check this out.

 

DIVERSIFY your channels 

 

As mentioned before, consumer behaviour might change any second. Don’t rely on a strategy that has worked for you in the past, instead plan and expect any kind of situation. 

 

Here, flexibility is key – diversifying your channels will let you explore new opportunities and reach out to your target in different ways. Focusing all your efforts in one place can cost you a lot and might not get you the results you are looking for while exploring different channels can let you control the costs and figure out the best channels for your brand along the way. 

 

If you need an idea, here’s a list of our services that can help you. 

 

Optimization & Calibration 

 

Whether you run an eCommerce store or rely on old fashioned in-store sales, you need to make sure that everything is running smoothly, and you are ready for the heavy load of customers during this season. 

 

Your shelves need to be stocked and ready, your inventory needs to be updated regularly, and your staff trained to handle any situation. Your equipment also should be fixed and tested beforehand; you don’t want to end up with a long queue of people on one register because the other one broke down. 

 

Your website and application should be tested and optimized to avoid downtime and crashes. Your website should be tested against attacks and your application debugged. Customers will not wait for you to fix it; they will simply buy their items from a competitor. That’s a mistake you can not afford! 

 

You also need to have a contingency plan in case any problem happened. How to communicate the problem with your customers, what are your alternatives, and who is the team that can help you to fix the situation as fast as possible? 

 

Be prepared 

 

The past couple of months were very tough on Australia, and people will be looking forward to the festive season to unwind, relax and enjoy their holiday. Be prepared for every situation, and remember GDR can help you win this year’s golden quarter and come out with great returns.