To all my readers out there, I’d like to take this chance to say, “Happy Hallowthankschristmas!”
Yes, it’s that fun, exciting time of the year when the hunt for a great costume blurs into an argument over who sits next to whom during Thanksgiving dinner at which we all discuss what gifts we each want for Christmahanukwanzaa.
I don’t need a calendar to know when this time of year arrives because the appearance of the annual flurry of holiday season blog posts for small businesses always serves as a wake-up-call.
Well, I’ve never been one to pass up a good opportunity so, without further ado, below are links to some great posts full of useful tips and advice aimed at helping small businesses make the most of the heaviest shopping season of the year.
Holiday Season Countdown Kickoffs For Online Marketers – this post provides a really handy overview of the key dates that fall within this season along with a list of to-dos to help you get ready.
5 Last-Minute Tips for Effective 2011 Holiday Mobile Marketing – the two tips that stood out to me here were #1 and #3 because they both deal with the point that the holiday season is the time to focus on satisfying customers and making sales – other goals should take a back seat.
Five Ways to Gear Up Your Marketing for the Holiday Shopping Season – tips #3 and #5 stood out to me here as creative ways to extend the value you offer to consumers without having to spend more money.
Spreading the Online Christmas Shopping Cheer – tip #5 is a biggie to pay attention to this time of year, and one that many small businesses miss.
Ramping Up Online Campaigns for the Holiday Season – I found the insights in the “Be agile but smart” section to be interesting and valid.
4 Holiday Marketing Mistakes to Avoid – tip #2 brings up a great point – the holiday season provides an excuse to reach out to your existing customers; don’t miss that opportunity!
Smart Marketing Tactics To Increase Sales This Holiday Season – I love the first chart in this post (click on it to view it larger) because it reveals the exact reasons why customers prefer to shop online. If you mention these points in your marketing messages, you’re sure to appeal to those consumers who have these preferences.
60 Social Media Marketing Tips for the Holiday Season – if you’re looking for ideas on how you can make use of social media this holiday season, then this post is chock-full of good ones!
Holiday Season Small Business Online Customer Service: Just Do It! – providing great customer service should always be a goal for any small business, but it’s especially important during the holiday season when your customer are more stressed than ever.
Setting Expectations with Your Customers this Holiday Season – setting, managing and meeting expectations is key to developing good relationships with your customers. Here are some tips on successfully managing expectations during the holiday season.
Weekly Link Roundup
Each week, I collect the 10 best posts that I’ve read and share them with you here.
Special note: this week, I found myself searching for the latest interesting and useful infographics (’cause they’re just so much fun!) and I wanted to share the 10 I liked best with you here.
Enjoy!
The Noob Guide To Online Marketing [Infographic]: This is a super-useful infographic which should be required reading for everyone just starting out in online marketing.
Infographic: Digital Marketer Views On SEO, PPC & Social Media: Which online marketing tactic is the most effective one for driving leads? This survey reveals the numbers.
Local Search Evolved: Great information on the different tactics you can use to increase the chance that your business will be found during a local search online.
Is The Tablet E-Commerce Revolution Coming? [Infographic]: More consumers than ever are using the iPad to shop for products both at home and in-store. Is your business ready to convert them into sales?
Inbound Marketing vs. Outbound Marketing [INFOGRAPHIC]: A great overview of the difference between inbound and outbound marketing as well as some information on how to use, and the advantages of using, inbound marketing for your own business.
Infographic: Customers Embrace Mobile Couponing: As I discussed in my last post, mobile marketing is growing and coupons play a big role.
Infographic / Why Content for SEO?: I’m a big fan of content marketing and once you see this info, you’ll understand why.
5 Years of Sharing: Loved this information based on 5 years of statistics on social sharing. Curious about the day and time when your content is most likely to be shared? This is the post for you!
Bounce Rate Demystified: If you’ve ever wondered about the website metric “Bounce Rate”, this post has great info on how it’s calculated and what you can do to decrease it.
Our Small Business AppNation [INFOGRAPHIC]: Interesting look at the which specific apps, and types of apps, small businesses are using most.
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