When it comes to the ability to promote a product, nothing beats the superpower called Instagram. With 800 million active users and counting, Instagram is the go-to social media network for any business that wishes to get noticed by customers.
Seasonal sales, especially those around Christmas, can be tricky to implement. One way to grab customer attention is to creatively place your product and brand in front of them, and this can be effectively accomplished through Instagram.
Top 6 ways to grab the headlines during the Christmas season
- Use pictures to tell a story
With over 500 million active daily viewers, Instagram stories are a great way to capture follower attention. A great way to promote your holiday sale is to create a gallery full of Christmas-themed pictures.
Develop a story using your own products and highlight your own services. Use the stories to inform followers about who you are, what you’re offering, and why they should choose you over your competitors.
- Enlist help from influencers
70% of millennial customers look towards social media influencers to make purchase decisions. In fact, 30% of these followers are more likely to purchase a product if a non-celebrity influencer were to recommend it.
One of the best ways to shine the spotlight on your Christmas sale is to enlist an influencer to promote your products. If you’re not sure how to reach out to an influencer, don’t worry. Companies like ifluenz provide influencer marketing services by allowing brands to get in touch with relevant influencers from around the world.
- Include customer photos
Nothing peaks engagement levels than pictures and video montages of customers using a brand’s product. Not only will existing customers appreciate you using their pictures on a global platform, but these images will add a level of believability to your products and services and encourage new followers to try your brand.
- Run Christmas-themed fan contests
Coca Cola’s Share a Coke contest and Starbuck’s Red Cup contest are two great examples of seasonal fan contests. The brands asked customers to post fun images on Instagram and Twitter using their seasonal hashtags. The best pictures would win gift vouchers and product kits from the company.
You too could start a fun Christmas-themed photo contest and engage your customers.
- Start a cause
Uber’s No Kid Hungry and Facebook’s Stop Ebola campaigns were philanthropic causes started to garner the strength of millions to combat devastating world problems. Not only did these campaigns give the brands greater visibility but they also encouraged followers to avail of the company’s services to help promote the cause.
A good way to market your Christmas sale is to start a philanthropic cause or promote an existing one. There are hundreds of non-profit organizations seeking corporate sponsorship and you could lend a helping hand.
- Focus on holiday discounts
The mere mention of discounts, giveaways, and cash back offers can have customers flocking to your store/website. When promoting your Christmas sale on Instagram, be sure to include a description of the discounts you’re planning to offer.
Start the marketing well-in-advance (preferably a month before the actual sale begins) to keep followers informed and enthusiastic about the sale. If there’s a coupon code, be sure to add it to your posts.