Think digital: the steps you can take to give your business a boost in the New Year

Spending is big in the lead up to Christmas - making it the ideal time for businesses to take advantage of the digital space in preparation for a quieter January.

Digital marketing experts say using key digital monitoring and marketing tools to engage consumers will help businesses weather what could otherwise by a gloomy January.

CEO of Sanity Marketing Jordan Baker said sales tended to be good in December.

Recent figures from credit broker Money showed that this year shoppers were expected to spend more than £33.3 billion on Christmas gifts.

But Baker said it was important not to get complacent. “The holiday of giving (and spending) gives way to January – historically a poor month for most sectors,” he said. “Most traders accept this as a poor month and resign to grin and bear it.”

The marketing expert said with some careful planning and selected strategies, businesses could still come out the other end of the quiet season relatively unscathed.

His recommendations include reinvesting extra income from December into marketing; tracking and recording a database of potential customers; and putting out a new remarketing campaign to coincide with the new year.

Co-founder of NP Digital, Neil Patel, said January could be an “unpleasant time of year” that left many e-commerce businesses reeling for months.

He said the post-Christmas slump was further complicated as people began returning unwanted gifts.

“Returns create a huge logistical mess, especially if you’re responsible for footing all the shipping bills. That huge sales high plummets, leaving you feeling depressed and grappling with sinking revenue.”

The Wall Street Journal named “top-influencer” on the web said starting a new sale; developing new marketing strategies; releasing new products and retargeting the market were ways that could help combat the downward spiral.

Here are the top five tips to save businesses from the post-holiday blues:

Mr Baker said many companies made the mistake of letting marketing slide over the Christmas period as a result of the high sales. “Big mistake,” he said.

Instead he encouraged business owners to invest some of that extra cash made over Christmas making into a marketing budget.

“So much of your marketing should be going towards brand awareness and woo-ing your market and charming them all the way into your bank account - which can take weeks or even months.”

Mr Patel said with the holiday season being the most active online shopping period of the year e-commerce businesses could benefit by remarketing to those shoppers that drop by.

“Rather than let your website languish in the doldrums of people’s holiday forgetfulness, give them the retargeting attention that will pull them back and compel them to purchase,” he said.

Mr Baker said it is important to track the extra customers who stop by online, monitor their preferences and get them to sign up to the business database.

“Make sure you’re capturing user data, else your users are here today and gone tomorrow. If they don’t buy, sign up or book in, then and there, you’ll never be able to sell to them again - a big waste of opportunity.”

Mr Patel said email addresses were the best way to get through to prospective clients.

“If you’ve taken the advice of e-commerce best practices and harvested email addresses during the holiday season, then you’re in the perfect position to start marketing to those addresses.

“Don’t wait to do this. While their memories of holiday purchases are still fresh, you can start delivering content and information that will keep them alive and active.”

Mr Baker said January was a good time of year to capture the audience early. He recommended sending out fortnightly newsletters which were composed of 50 per cent content, such as recipes, tips and advice, combined with a January-only offer.

“For tracking purposes create a code, a link or use lead ads so you know how successful it’s been.”

Mr Patel said as consumers went into the New Year their mindset changed from one of freely spending to one that had greater limits.

“Something magical happens on January 1. Instantly, consumers possess high levels of self-control, steely resolve, and a determination to ‘be a better person.’ This is your chance to make a marketing pounce.”

But he said careful marketing strategies prepared in time for January could persuade consumers to continue spending

“Few things are off limits for New Year promotions,” he said.

Mr Patel said a key way to get consumers spending was to give them what they wanted. He said in the New Year this centered around products that helped them organise the days ahead, ones that helped get their health back on track, as well as cleaning and safety-related products.

“Basically, anything that can be logically tied into a New Year’s resolution is fair game for your marketing prowess.”

Mr Patel said the New Year was also the perfect time to release a new product.

“Many marketers and e-commerce sites focus on analysing their sales or restocking their inventory. You can do something different. Release a new product,” he said.

“From a psychological standpoint, customers are in the ‘new’ mindset. New Year, new you, new resolutions, new everything.”