While we should show appreciation to loyal and new customers year-round, there’s something special and memorable about showing extra thanks to kick off the New Year.
During the holiday season, people are bombarded by Black Friday deals, gift guides, and last-minute ads. While the holidays are known as the top shopping season of the year, the few days leading up to and following the New Year is a fantastic time to capture your long-term target customer. Why? As they shift focus from short-term holiday gift lists to their own true needs, they’ll be thinking about the best products and services they need for their own wellbeing. They might also be concentrating on New Year’s Resolutions, so think of ways to help them achieve their goals. Last, unlike Thanksgiving, Christmas or Hanukkah, celebrating the New Year is non-denominational and less politicized, making it easier to reach a wider and more diverse audience.
Take time out of running the day-to-day of your business to create a strategic and thoughtful campaign that expresses thanks, highlights what makes your team so special, and perhaps encourages more sales for the first month of the year and beyond.
- Social Media: It takes minutes to post a heartfelt thank you to all your customers. But make sure it isn’t a terse, Christmas cookie-cutter holiday greeting. Your customers will sense inauthenticity and the entire post will be drowned out by the millions of other businesses running similar, run-of-the-mill happy holiday posts. So, be original!
Instead of a meme or greeting card post, now is a great time to remember the importance of imagery. A snapshot of your decorated headquarters, employees behind-the-scenes, or your family can put a friendly face to your business, and remind customers they are supporting hard workers behind the scenes. If a picture says a thousand words, then a video says a million. Try to use your social media video capabilities to speak directly to your customer in wishing them a happy new year.
Be sure to also thank your hardworking employees, too! A photo of your entire team at the holiday party can humanize your business. Instead of a single post, think of a series that highlights a member of your workforce, why they’re such a great team player, and a little factoid about them (like their favorite dessert, hobby or place to vacation).
If you’re a solopreneur, think of partners and other individuals that make your world go round, be it the postal service worker who handles all the deliveries, vendors who play a key role in distribution, freelance contractors, and more. You can never be too thankful. If you need some help with your social media game, check out our related blog post here.
- Discount Code: Social media is a great engine for letting your customers know about a special, generous deal that your business is running to kick off the new year.
The holidays and new year are a great time to capture new customers by putting your flagship product on sale. For example, if you’re a makeup company known for its unique lipsticks, you might run a special promo where shoppers get a free eyeshadow with each lipstick purchase to get customers acquainted with your other products. Share a special discount code via social media or a newsletter blast and let your customers feel special for being in-the-know. - Special Bundles: Speaking of special deals, take the stress out of shopping by creating discounted sets. Think of curated bundles that serve a special purpose. As mentioned, the new year is when shoppers think of resolutions to improve their health and other aspects of life. If you’re a local food business, think of a meal prep delivery service. If you are a web designer, offer a new year audit to help other business owners assess their current website and where it can be improved in the new year. A newly certified career coach?
Run a January program where you meet with clients weekly to set them on the right career track for the new year. Be creative! - Community Services: A local real estate agent in New York City is known for hosting a hot cocoa toast on Christmas Eve, while a nearby yoga center holds an annual new year meditation to ring in the new year in peace. Think of thoughtful ways you can engage with the neighborhood. Of course, a great way is giving back to the community through donations and charity. Consider teaming up with local nonprofits to show thanks to your community and beyond. With the winter weather, think of partnering with a local coat drive or meal delivery service for seniors. If you’re a national ecommerce, consider setting aside one day where a portion of proceeds or have sales go to a nonprofit of choice.
Grateful Giveaways
Last but not least, think of ways you can be genuinely generous to your customers, especially if you had a really great year. If you were extremely profitable, consider setting aside some money to fund a grateful campaign. There are a number of ways you can go about this. You can add a free giveaway item to each order, or go through your transactions and track repeat and loyal customers. Send them a small, unrelated gift and handwritten card. These little gestures can go a long way for your business.
Bottom Line
Review all the five simple ways you can show thanks during this season. For example, if you’re giving back to a nonprofit, make sure to mention it on social media and include a link where your followers can also consider contributing. If you’re running a series on your valued employees, make sure it lives on your company blog. The point is, make sure you’re connecting the dots wherever possible to ensure a sound strategy.