Boo! Today may be Halloween, but my mind is on dealerships getting that sweet treat of Christmas cash.
In this last of three posts encouraging the development of a holiday sales plan, it will all come down to communication with your prospects and customers. That assumes, of course, that you’ve fine-tuned your timing, your deals and your delivery.
While good old direct mail is always an option, email will likely be your choice because of its cost, immediacy and ease of implementation. So here are some important considerations when emailing your holiday promotions.
1. If you’re going to increase your email frequency with holiday promotions, recognize other retailers are likely doing it, too. Everyone’s email volume picks up during the holiday season. Some experts claim it will double, making it a competition for attention. So the game is to get your recipients to click.
2. You have about 45 characters on the email subject line to grab them before they hit “delete.” Be creative with this critical line. Forget the direct but understated, “Here’s our Christmas Specials.” Get more enticing, like: “This Solves Your Gift Problem” or “We’re Almost Giving Stuff Away.” Humor can get attention, too: “(dealership owner’s name) Thinks He’s Santa – He’s That Old,” or “Shiver Me Timbers, and Ransom Great Gifts.” Avoid anything that might trigger a filter that sends your offer to the junk folder, like using all caps or exclamation points.
3. When it comes to the body of the email, get to the point — a paragraph or two will suffice. You are trying to convey excitement, value and immediacy in a short summary. Emphasize how much the recipient will love this gift. Include whether the items have to be picked up at the store or can be shipped. For the latter, note a shipping deadline. Always state the time limit to every special offer and, obviously, make it at an attractive price point.
4. A picture is worth … It’s absolutely true; there’s nothing more effective than a powerful image. People are drawn to photos. An email with text alone is flat and likely to trigger the “delete” reflex. Whenever possible, include a photo in the email.
5. When is the best time to send promotional emails? There’s no absolute answer, but many sources say Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are best. And some experts say that sending between 8 and 10 a.m. or 4 and 6 p.m. improves open rate.
6. Don’t forget about mobile devices. An astronomical number of people access their email using their smartphone. In fact, smartphones have replaced desktop and laptop computers as the most used vehicle to access the internet. Moreover, most boating customers are into technology, so it’s paramount to optimize your email promotion for mobile devices. For example, avoid attachments or links, and while a picture is important, large image files can slow the receipt of your message and cause your customer to move on before seeing the offer.
7. Many dealers, particularly in the North, reduce hours of operation in November and December, so it’s vital that every holiday offer include the days the dealership is open and hours.
8. After Santa has returned to the North Pole, there’s still a great opportunity to take one more profitable shot at the holiday market. Call it: “Our Get What You Really Wanted Sale.” Open the email with: “Didn’t Get What You Want?” or “Is There Still Something on Your Wish List?”
We’ve all received a gift we can’t quite figure out. And it’s not likely we got everything we want. So “talk” to the recipient in your post-Christmas email, offering a discount on a variety of items for the New Year. All the gifts may have been unwrapped, but opportunities for additional sales will still be around after Christmas Day.
