The UK is a nation of romantics with plenty of love for Valentine’s Day.
But although Google searches for the annual celebration of romance have increased by 58% year on year, there's also been a 41% increase in searches for a last minute Valentine’s gift.
If your business wants to take advantage of the rush – and help out some panicky partners in the process – try out some of these tips.
Prepare packages
Bundles are a tried and tested retail strategy – offer deals for customers buying a group of complementary items that will make their Valentine's Day prep a bit easier.
It doesn’t just work for gift items either; lots of major supermarkets sell meal deals that include several courses and a drink, showing that you can apply the same strategy to a Valentine’s dinner or date package.
Delight with displays
In-store displays are effective for grabbing attention, and also make handy visual content to take snaps of for your social media accounts. However, they’re also an eye-catching way to encourage impulse buys. Both online and physical stores can benefit from point of sale displays at the checkout, offering low-priced items that make for small, fun gifts.
Create content
83% of under-35s say they can find a YouTube video on anything they want to learn or do. Prove them right by producing video content that shows off how romantic your product is. If video isn’t your thing, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can be excellent ways to reach and engage with your audience. A bit of research can quickly reveal how best to grab their attention.
Deliver discounts
Everybody loves a bargain, so make purchases easier by cutting your prices on selected Valentine’s-related items. You might also consider boosting loyalty by offering special deals to existing customers.
Alternatively, use the opportunity to win long-term interest by giving bonus discounts to anyone who subscribes to your business newsletter, registers an account or adds you on social media.
Upsell your services
A customer looking for a quick, easy solution to their Valentine’s Day plans presents the perfect opportunity to promote your company's added value. Identifying pain points like gift-wrapping or unique additions such as personalised engraving will help you make the most of every sale you win.
For more information about useful techniques like bundles, upselling and cross-selling, check out our Business Guardian Angel blog post.
