Christmas and the holiday season are a time when we see a massive shift in the preferences and behavior of consumers. It’s a time of year unlike any other, all sectors and industries will optimize their strategies in an attempt to drive sales during this unique period.
How can you as an affiliate make the most of the holiday season? It can be easy to feel overwhelmed at the thought of having to refocus your efforts for what is a relatively short period of time. However, the potential returns are worth the effort. We’ve put together a guide to boosting sales over the Christmas period. Check it out below.
How does consumer behavior change?
The holiday season is when consumers stop buying goods and services for themselves and start buying almost exclusively for others. This can be seen reflected in trends and data and represents a significant shift away from general shopping habits.
There will be boosts for the toys and games industry, as well as for beauty products like makeup. These are commonly given as gifts for Xmas, so we can expect to see sales jump in the sectors as we get closer to Christmas Day.
What do consumers look for?
During and in the lead-up to the holiday season, consumers will be aware of the fact they will be spending more than normal and, as a result, will be actively looking for deals and bargains. They won’t just be looking for cut prices, shoppers will also search for free gifts, free add-ons, and free shipping offers.
In terms of products, we already touched on Christmas shoppers’ tendency to opt for games and beauty products. However, we also see an increase in sales of clothing items, electronics, kitchen appliances, and home decorations.
Christmas presents a golden opportunity for affiliate marketers to boost their sales. What kind of strategy should you adopt to maximize performance over the holiday season? Let’s find out.
Be prepared
One of the most effective ways to see the best results over the festive season is to plan and prepare well in advance. Begin drawing up your strategy at least 12 weeks in advance, brainstorm creative ideas, and think about how you can best optimize your product line and festive-focused deals.
At around six weeks before the holidays, start taking steps to identify the particular market and demographics you want to target. You should also use this time to create preliminary budgets and work up your pricing structure to ensure you are earning maximum profits.
One week before the holidays you should look over and finalize your plans, making any necessary last-minute changes to best suit your affiliate strategy moving forward.
Improve your marketing
Christmas is a time when affiliates can expect to see a marked increase in sales. However, it is also a period when competition becomes even more fierce as other affiliates also look to take advantage of this lucrative time of year.
Your marketing strategy should be geared specifically toward your intended target demographic and should direct them to your Christmas-focused gifts and services. Maintain a consistent presence across all the major social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. Many of these platforms will introduce Christmas-related creative tools and features, so ensure you make use of these to maximize your social media strategy.
Streamline your platform
For many shoppers, Christmas can be a stressful time, particularly for those who leave gift buying until the last minute. If an online platform is deemed to be slow or unresponsive, consumers will be quick to opt for another service instead.
This means that you must ensure that your online platform is at peak performance during the festive period. You can expect to see a spike in traffic over Christmas as more shoppers become active in the market, so it’s imperative that your platform is capable of handling this increased activity.
Additionally, it is absolutely essential that any registration forms or payment systems your platform uses must be straightforward and accessible to allow shoppers to make purchases through your affiliate program efficiently.
Don’t forget about Q5
The focus for many industries over the holiday season is the period directly before Christmas. While this is undoubtedly a potentially lucrative time of year, you should also concentrate on the period after Christmas, up until and beyond New Year.
Often referred to as Q5, this time represents something of a unique marketing opportunity. Many shoppers will still be in ‘Christmas-mode’ and will be looking to spend, but the focus will shift from buying gifts for others to buying gifts for themselves.
New Year’s Resolutions are an important thing to consider in Q5. Many people will make self-improvement vows as they head into the New Year, with the beauty, health, and fitness industries expecting to see an increase in sales.
Conclusion
Affiliate marketers can see a real boost over the festive period. However, it is by no means a case of sitting back and letting the customers come to you. Follow the steps we’ve outlined in the guide above and maximize your affiliate strategy performance over Christmas.
If you’re looking for more insider knowledge on affiliate marketing, take a look at our blog, or for more personalized advice, book a free call with a member of our team.
Looking for even more insights? Registrations are now open for our 2023 Amplify Summit, held from the 17th to 18th of January, where you’ll have the chance to access talks from industry experts, panels and workshops, networking opportunities, and a free affiliate manager toolkit. Register and secure your place today!
