Life is full of missed opportunities—coulda, woulda, shoulda. Not every mistake has a satisfying solution, and sometimes you’re stuck with the outcome. But when it comes to potential customers who never followed through after showing interest, giving up too soon could cost your business substantial earnings.
Before writing off a prospect, be sure to explore modern methods for captivating their attention again. Your holiday retargeting campaigns hold the key to moving retail sales forward, even after the initial momentum cools. All it takes is some thoughtful marketing that translates window shoppers into delighted customers.
What is Retargeting?
Retargeting is a tactic that puts your brand back in the minds of visitors who have shown interest in your products or services in the past. This technique is also called a remarketing strategy, so we’ll use those words interchangeably.
The two terms have subtle distinctions, yet bear a close resemblance and strive to achieve the same goal. By re-engaging with prospects, you remind them why they were interested in the first place while nudging them to take another peek at your intriguing inventory.
This data-driven marketing method is often effective because you’re targeting people who are further along the customer journey, past the awareness stage, and onto the consideration stage. In fact, they’ve nearly crossed over into the decision stage, and it’s worth exploring whether you can propel that energy forward.
To accomplish this, you need to get your brand in front of that potential customer again. Offering incentives can lead to your desired result, especially when competing with the holiday retargeting campaigns of other companies.
How Does a Retargeting Campaign Work?
It’s easy to figure out what a customer has been up to if they’re logged into an account or have left behind a breadcrumb trail of past purchases. But even if a prospect hasn’t taken either of these actions, they probably have cookies enabled on their browser.
You’ll need to comply with international tracking laws, but once you’ve gained the correct permissions, you can use pixel tags from ad networks to follow the moves of your visitors to see what sparks their curiosity. Not only that, but you’ll also be able to apply targeted ads across other platforms when they visit those sites.
Additional sources like newsletter sign-ups and text message agreements can help you reach interested parties with ease. Combine all these methods, and the holiday remarketing season will deliver plenty of holiday cheer.
5 Holiday Retargeting Campaigns to Try
A holiday remarketing campaign can incentivize sales, and there are many ways to reach out to whoever has shown interest in what your company does. Consumers are frantically searching for the right gifts for their friends and family this holiday season, along with some sweet deals for themselves if the price is right.
Keep in mind that these potential customers are already somewhat familiar with your brand. Is there a way to lean into their preferences by highlighting their favorite offerings? Get personal as you invite new customers into your community with custom-tailored emails, texts, and ads.
But resist the urge to go overboard. Too many messages within a short time span can come across as pushy or desperate. Strike the right balance to gain that conversion.
Here are some ideas to get you started.
1. Send a Friendly Reminder
It only takes a few moments to send reminders to shoppers who keep visiting the same product page or who add an item to their wish list. Use your holiday text campaign to let these prospects know about the benefits of those items or point them toward your best reviews.
Sometimes the timing wasn’t quite right when a potential customer originally landed on that page, but circumstances do change throughout the year. The holiday season is a promising time to get giftable items on their radar again.
2. Abandoned Cart Reminders
It’s a daily occurrence. Someone gets giddy about a product or service, adds it to their digital shopping cart, but then becomes distracted or changes their mind before completing the checkout process. Don’t let abandoned carts go unnoticed when someone is that close to making a purchase. Sending a quick reminder via email or text can boost the chance they’ll revisit their cart. (Think: Hey [Contact Name], did you forget something?)
The Baymard Institute calculated an average cart abandonment rate hovering just under 70% with about 48% attributed to high fees. Throwing in free shipping or another discount can encourage potential consumers to take the leap.
3. Offer Coupons for Prospective Purchases
It’s wise to reward anyone who shows an intent to purchase from you through site visits, signing up for your newsletters, joining your text list, and so forth. Send these viewers and list members enticing discount codes that eradicate doubt from buying decisions.
And don’t forget to keep list members from unsubscribing by providing additional coupons throughout the year. According to a Blippr survey, online shoppers who use coupons tend to spend 24% more. You’ll especially want to offer these discounts around the holiday season, when many consumers are holding out for the best sales.
4. Reach Out to Last Year’s Savvy Shoppers
Last year’s shoppers are essential to successful holiday remarketing strategies. Don’t forget the customers who made your previous holiday so merry. Rekindle their interest in your online business by sending a “we miss you” text along with links to relevant gift guides and tempting deals.
Another great way to gain new sales from past customers is to tap into their previous purchases with you and recommend items that pair well with those products. You can also promote your latest catalog items that match their interests. Theming these texts and emails with holiday messages will get everyone in the spirit of the season.
5. Stay Fresh In Their Minds with Noticeable Ads
Have you ever heard of the rule of 7? It states that a prospect probably won’t purchase from you until they’ve seen or heard about you 7 times. While this concept isn’t an exact science, it’s well-documented that repetition over time encourages purchases. The more familiar people are with brands, the more they trust them.
The best way to improve your holiday retargeting campaign returns is to diversify your efforts across many platforms. Meet customers where they are by not only turning to text and email but also by running ads on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Figure out where your ideal customers are spending time, and target those locations for remarketing ads.
Ask Happy Customers to Leave A Review
Holiday sales will inevitably be at the forefront of your mind as shoppers snap up every attractive deal, but don’t overlook opportunities to get in touch with your happy customers. Your sales data should make it easy to identify avid repeat purchasers. If these names are on your text list, why not shoot them a quick message asking for a review?
According to a KPMG survey, 55% of shoppers seek online reviews as part of their research before making a purchase. With those numbers, following up with your pleased customers can have a genuine impact on your ROI.
A fresh batch of rave reviews will improve your public appearance as you engage other potential customers, adding an extra reason to feel festive during your holiday campaign.
Text Your Customers this Holiday Season with Podium
Having the right tools and resources in place will help you get the most out of this holiday season’s marketing efforts. Podium makes it easy for businesses to start sending holiday text campaigns.
We’ll help you communicate with your target audience via SMS marketing, whether they’re new to your brand or customers that could use reminders. Ready to see what all the hype is about? Start a free 14-day trial to immerse yourself in all the goodies we offer to small businesses like yours.
