The holiday season tends to generate two main responses among businesses. Some companies face a sudden drop off in customers who shift their focus towards handling holiday-related obligations rather than things they can temporarily put off such as remodeling their home. Other companies find their teams racing to keep up with the constant barrage of phone calls and emails as people scramble to finish their shopping lists. Wherever your business falls on this spectrum, you’ll find that these strategies will help you stay in touch with your customers throughout the height of the season.
Get All Hands On Deck
If you’re anticipating a major uptick in customer concerns, then now is the time to start pulling your team together. Appointing a few people to handle specific tasks, such as answering phone calls or email requests, allows you to reach more customers faster. As you put together your team, make sure to update them on any new information that they’ll need to communicate to customers who reach out for help.
Update Your Communication Tools
Many businesses experience a holiday rush during the end of the year that can complicate communication with their customers. If you know that your team will be stretched thin trying to respond to customer questions and responses, then now is a great time to make life easier. Taking a moment to assess the current communication methods can give you insight into what you can change before the orders and calls start flooding in. Setting up email automation and other tools can free up time that can be directed toward real-time communication needs. Plus, you can use automated communication to stay in touch while your team takes a holiday break.
Utilize Your Social Media Platforms
Social media marketing campaigns are a great way to generate interest in your company’s products and services. You can also use social media platforms to communicate about other pertinent information. For instance, you could make a post letting your customers know about changes in your holiday hours. Or, you might want to put out a message that includes helpful tips about one of your products. Meeting your customers where they are already at means that more people will hear your message.
Remember the Power of Appreciation and Gratitude
During the holiday season, your customers are likely to be feeling stressed as they rush through all of their to-do lists. Sending out a thank you email or posting a message of gratitude helps to create a positive relationship between your company and its customers. This is also an effective way to send gentle reminders to your off-season customers that your business is still there and ready to serve them after the holidays are through.
Using multiple communication methods is the best way to make sure that your business reaches each part of the target audience. From sending out a holiday mailer to updating your social media posts, putting as many messages out there as possible helps your company stay connected during one of the busiest times of the year.
