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Plan Accordingly: The U.S. Dockworkers Strike Will Affect Holiday Shopping And Your Business
Small Businesses and Modern Marketing Strategies: How to Drive Holiday Sales in 2024
The 2024 holiday season is arriving amidst a significant challenge—an ongoing strike by East Coast dockworkers, which has disrupted ports from Maine to Texas. As supply chain delays and rising prices loom, savvy consumers are expected to start their holiday shopping earlier than ever, hoping to avoid shortages and price hikes. For small businesses, this means it’s crucial to implement holiday marketing strategies sooner to capture early sales and ensure your customers can shop before inventory issues arise.
At ChartLocal, we specialize in helping small businesses navigate these challenges and maximize holiday sales by leveraging digital marketing tactics that reach the right audience at the right time. Here’s how you can boost sales this holiday season with smart, modern marketing strategies tailored to meet the current supply chain challenges.
1. Leverage Early Promotions and Strategic Planning
Why It Matters: With the East Coast port strike already underway, supply chain delays and rising prices are inevitable. Consumers are beginning their holiday shopping early to avoid stockouts and rising costs. By launching your marketing campaigns earlier, you can capture these early-bird shoppers and mitigate the impact of supply chain disruptions.
Action Steps:
- Launch Early Campaigns: Start your holiday promotions now to engage shoppers who are looking to make purchases before the full effects of the strike are felt. Emphasize the importance of shopping early to secure items before they sell out.
- Communicate Inventory Availability: Transparency is key. Let customers know which products are in stock and ready to ship, and provide updates on potential delays due to the strike. Offering incentives for early purchases, such as free shipping or early access to deals, can also drive early sales.
How ChartLocal Helps: We assist in planning and launching holiday campaigns earlier than ever, ensuring you can capture demand before supply chain issues intensify. We help you communicate inventory levels and manage customer expectations effectively.
2. Take Advantage of CTV and OTT Advertising
Why It Matters: As the East Coast port strike disrupts traditional supply chains, businesses need to make every advertising dollar count. Connected TV (CTV) and Over-The-Top (OTT) platforms offer precise targeting capabilities that allow you to reach high-intent holiday shoppers, ensuring your ads are seen by those most likely to convert, even amidst supply chain uncertainty.
Action Steps:
- Target High-Intent Audiences: Use targeting options like online behavior, content context, demographics, and geographic data to reach audiences who are actively searching for holiday deals or engaging with holiday programming. This makes your advertising more efficient, driving higher conversion rates.
- Advertise During Popular Holiday Programs: Leverage holiday content like “Countdown to Christmas” and “Best Christmas Ever” to capture audiences who are in a festive, shopping mindset.
- Include Interactive Elements: With 72% of CTV users willing to scan a QR code to make a holiday purchase, use QR codes in your ads to encourage immediate shopping.
How ChartLocal Helps: We help small businesses maximize their advertising budgets by targeting high-intent audiences through data-driven insights. Our CTV and OTT campaigns are designed to be both cost-efficient and effective in driving holiday revenue, even during supply chain disruptions.
3. Optimize for Mobile Shopping
Why It Matters: With the ongoing port strike, consumers are shopping early and turning to mobile for convenience. Mobile shopping remains a dominant force, accounting for over 60% of Black Friday sales. A smooth mobile experience will help you capture these fast-moving consumers.
Action Steps:
- Responsive Design: Ensure your website is optimized for mobile, with fast loading times, intuitive navigation, and a simplified checkout process.
- Mobile-Specific Promotions: Use push notifications and SMS marketing to inform mobile users of time-sensitive deals, especially on items that could be affected by supply chain delays.
How ChartLocal Helps: Our mobile optimization services ensure that your website delivers a seamless experience, helping you capture mobile shoppers early in the holiday season and convert them into loyal customers.
4. Implement Personalized Marketing Campaigns
Why It Matters: Personalization is key to standing out, especially in a holiday season where supply chain issues may force consumers to be more selective. Consumers are more likely to engage with personalized offers that address their specific needs and preferences.
Action Steps:
- Segment Your Audience: Use customer data to create targeted segments based on purchase history, geographic location (especially areas most affected by the strike), and behavior.
- Personalized Promotions: Send personalized emails with tailored product recommendations and exclusive offers. Emphasize the importance of shopping early to avoid potential stockouts.
How ChartLocal Helps: We specialize in data-driven marketing solutions that allow you to personalize offers and messaging, increasing engagement and driving early holiday sales in the face of potential product shortages.
5. Utilize Paid Advertising for Maximum Reach
Why It Matters: With supply chain disruptions and rising prices, paid advertising on platforms like Google and Facebook is essential for reaching holiday shoppers early. A strong advertising strategy ensures you can capitalize on early demand before potential stockouts or shipping delays impact your business.
Action Steps:
- Google Ads Campaigns: Use holiday-related keywords like “Black Friday deals” or “early holiday shopping” to capture search traffic early. Adjust bids and allocate budget based on areas most affected by the strike to make the most of your ad spend.
- Social Media Ads: Use Instagram and Facebook ads to promote early shopping and communicate product availability. Include messaging that emphasizes the importance of buying early due to potential supply chain issues.
How ChartLocal Helps: We craft and manage paid advertising campaigns optimized for performance, ensuring your ads reach the right audience at the right time to drive early conversions, minimizing the risk of supply chain disruptions affecting your holiday sales.
6. Create Dedicated Holiday Landing Pages
Why It Matters: Dedicated landing pages allow you to focus on key holiday promotions while providing transparency about product availability and shipping timelines. As supply chain disruptions continue, clear communication is essential to converting hesitant shoppers.
Action Steps:
- Holiday-Themed Pages: Create landing pages that focus on Black Friday and holiday deals, and clearly communicate stock availability and shipping timelines in light of the ongoing strike.
- A/B Testing: Test different messaging and layouts to see which pages perform best, ensuring your site addresses consumer concerns about supply chain delays effectively.
How ChartLocal Helps: We build and optimize landing pages designed to reassure shoppers about product availability, helping you convert more visitors into customers while navigating supply chain challenges.
7. Enhance Social Media Engagement
Why It Matters: Social media is a powerful tool for engaging with customers during the holiday season, especially when supply chain disruptions are a concern. Regular communication about stock availability and early shopping deals will help build trust and urgency.
Action Steps:
- Interactive Content: Use social media to build engagement through polls, contests, and giveaways. Highlight the benefits of shopping early to avoid potential product shortages.
- Influencer Partnerships: Collaborate with influencers to reach new audiences and promote early shopping, especially for products that could be impacted by the strike.
How ChartLocal Helps: We develop social media strategies that amplify your brand’s presence and encourage early holiday shopping, helping you communicate effectively with customers about inventory concerns.
8. Provide Exceptional Customer Service
Why It Matters: As supply chain disruptions continue due to the port strike, customers will have questions and concerns. Offering top-notch customer service will help your business stand out and build loyalty, even if delays or stockouts occur.
Action Steps:
- Live Support: Offer live chat or extended customer service hours to assist customers with any concerns about shipping delays or product availability.
- Flexible Return Policies: Provide hassle-free returns and exchanges to ease customer concerns about purchasing during uncertain times.
How ChartLocal Helps: We help you implement customer service solutions that ensure your customers feel supported throughout the holiday season, building trust and long-term loyalty.
9. Retarget and Re-Engage Post-Holiday
Why It Matters: The holiday shopping season doesn’t end with Christmas. Retargeting customers who visited your site but didn’t make a purchase, or re-engaging with post-holiday shoppers, can generate additional revenue, especially in light of supply chain concerns.
Action Steps:
- Retarget Shoppers: Use dynamic retargeting ads to remind customers of products they viewed but didn’t purchase. Emphasize stock availability and any remaining holiday deals.
- Post-Holiday Promotions: Offer clearance sales or New Year promotions to keep the momentum going and capture customers who may have delayed their purchases due to supply chain uncertainties.
How ChartLocal Helps: We set up dynamic retargeting and post-holiday campaigns that keep your brand in front of interested customers, helping you convert them into loyal buyers.
Conclusion
The 2024 holiday season is shaped by the ongoing East Coast port strike and its impact on supply chains. By starting your holiday marketing campaigns earlier, leveraging modern strategies like CTV and OTT advertising, optimizing for mobile, and personalizing your marketing efforts, you can stay ahead of the challenges and capture early holiday sales.
ChartLocal is here to help small businesses navigate this complex landscape with data-driven insights and effective marketing strategies. From early planning and campaign management to personalized content and paid advertising, we ensure your business not only survives but thrives this holiday season.
Ready to make this holiday season your most successful yet? Contact ChartLocal today to start planning your holiday marketing strategy!