January is a hard time for everyone, but it shouldn’t be a struggle for affiliate managers. While it should be noted that customers’ bank accounts will have taken a pounding from the festive season, affiliate marketing should look to address the potential opportunities that January offers for maintaining the sales momentum accumulated thus far.
Consumers will likely be spent-out, while retailers will compete to maintain their custom. This post-Christmas slump can be hard on retailers, but there are ways they can continue to keep their sales momentum rolling well into the year. Remember, while customers might be still recovering financially from Christmas, they will still expect to take advantage of the January discounts everywhere. The challenge for retailers therefore is to try and attract and retain these customers to make sure their sales continue at a steady pace.
So, how can you use affiliate marketing strategies so that your brand can maintain its sales momentum throughout January?
Consider offers
A January sale might sound like a cliché but it’s a highly effective way to keep your momentum going. There’s a reason that most retail companies hold January sales and that’s because they are popular, and customers have come to expect them every year. January offers are also a good incentive for firms to get rid of old stock and clear the shelves in time for the spring months.
Be unique
As most retailers hold a January sale, you need to make your brand stand out against the competition. You might encourage your customers to flock to your store before others by placing a deadline on any offers or sales you have. If you can afford it, you might also look to undercut any competitors that are offering the same products as your firm.
January blues? Not here!
We’re all familiar with the so-called ‘January blues’ – that feeling of low energy and poor motivation that many people experience around the start of the year. Experts have even identified the third Monday of the month as ‘Blue Monday’, the most depressing day of the year. Rather than giving up and expecting this period of low morale to result in a sales slump, why not use it to your advantage? Using your brand to spread some positivity during a time that’s difficult for many people is a great way to encourage customers. You could perhaps offer special ‘Blue Monday’ discounts or promotions or even hold prize competitions to boost your brand awareness.
Online overhaul
Obviously, having an online presence is vitally important for any affiliate marketer, but are you making the most of your web presence? Make it your New Year’s resolution to give your company website a much-needed overhaul. Can your site be improved? Is it still relevant and up to date?
Social media overhaul
The New Year is also a good time to revisit your brand’s social media marketing strategy. With so many ways to promote affiliate links via social media, it’s easy to see why social networking and affiliate marketing go hand-in-hand. There are numerous features within the social media landscape and there is certainly no shortage of organisations willing to pay for online promotion.
First and foremost, ask yourself if you are using the correct social media platform for your target audience. While most businesses use Facebook as their preferred strategy, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best platform for your brand, especially if you are looking to target a more niche market.
You might want to consider community marketing on social media. As an affiliate marketer relies on the credibility of their products, it is important to build up a strong community profile in order to boost sales.
Social media campaigns led by affiliate managers can also be used to engage with customers in a way that drives up sales. For instance, you might encourage customers to like or share your brand’s posts by rewarding them with promotion codes. This will in turn encourage them to shop at your brand, as well as make them feel that they belong to something exclusive.
Social media pays
You can also avoid the January sales slump by maximising your earnings through ‘pay per click’ or ‘pay per subscription’ affiliate strategies. Every time a user makes a purchase on your affiliate partner’s website, having clicked on your shared link, you will earn money.
Social media is undoubtedly a good vehicle for showcasing new products, but how do you ensure that your target audience are reached? A simple way to encourage more users to click on your affiliate post and help it to go viral is via paid adverts or searches. On Twitter, for instance, you can pay to promote your tweet; while TikTok and Facebook’s affiliate marketing tools have effective filters to help you reach your target audience.
Collaboration with social media influencers is also an effective affiliate marketing strategy that strengthens your brand’s credibility.
Conclusion
January might be a tough time for retailers but it’s important for brands to adapt and see it as an opportunity for them to drive up sales. While the Christmas rush is over, it does not mean that opportunities for custom have ceased. January offers several possibilities for affiliate managers to ensure that the sales momentum following the festive season can continue into the New Year.
Do you want to improve your skills and learn new techniques to grow your affiliate brand in 2022? Sign up for the Affiverse Summit today!
