Seasonal Display Strategies

Valentine's Day isn't just about heart-shaped candies and homemade envelopes, it's an opportunity to make your customers fall in love with your brand 💝 Let's dive into 3 strategies e-commerce brands can use to build long-term customer relationships this Valentines Day: 1️⃣ Valentine-Up Your Product with Focused Add-ons 💐 In 2023, the most purchased items on Valentine’s Day were sweets and flowers! Even if you're not a chocolate brand or store owner or florist, you can still tap into the trend. Offer a complimentary treat with every purchase between February 1st and 14th. This sweet gesture can set you apart from competitors and make your shoppers feel extra special. 2️⃣ Themed Digital Gift Cards 💳 Digital gift cards are a hit, especially among busy shoppers. Highlight your digital gift cards with special Valentine's Day themes to attract gift-givers. The best part of gift cards? Studies show that gift card recipients often spend more than the gift card's value, increasing your store’s revenue. 3️⃣ Drive Loyalty with Stored-Value Gift Cards and Cashback 💎 Valentine's Day can bring a surge of customers to your physical and/or online store, but the real magic happens when you turn them into loyal, repeat buyers. Implement a stored-value gift card program that offers cashback rewards. For instance, when a customer purchases from your Valentine's Day collection, grant them 3% of the purchase as cashback. Maintain a workable cash back offer beyond the special day. This not only boosts loyalty but also brings customers back to your store in the weeks,, months, and years to come. While the holiday season often steals the spotlight, Valentine's Day is a fantastic revenue-driving opportunity for every eCommerce store. Give your shoppers an experience to remember, shower them with love and rewards, and watch their loyalty grow. 💙 Start brainstorming and taking action now to make this Valentine's Day unforgettable for your customers 🛍️ #valentinesdaygifts #ecommerce #valentinesday2024 #holidayseason2024 #appstle

One consistent error I see Amazon sellers in seasonal markets make is not adapting to seasonality cycles. 😅   During Off-Season, They: - Set aggressive sales goals - Overspend on PPC - Neglect product line development and listing optimization - Maintain excessive inventory levels   During Peak Season, They: - Underutilize their advertising budget - Face inventory shortages - Lack new products ready for testing   These missteps significantly impact both their scaling potential and profitability.   A Jewelry brand we support did $247,968 in January sales, and then did $242,677 in the first 15 days of February alone.   The strategic approach in January included: - Conducting a professional photo shoot for bestsellers and updating images across Amazon and their website - Removing slow-moving, low-price-point items to increase Average Order Value (AOV) - Strategically capping their budget to prepare for February   In February we implemented a focused strategy including: - Removed all budget constraints while maintaining ACOS below 25% - Maintained sufficient inventory for Valentine's Day demand   If you're a seasonal brand - review your historic sales volume, and your categories trends.   Change your plan and goals based on what season you're in.   This will help you 'win' on Amazon! #Amazon #ecommerce #seasonality #digitalmarketing #digitaladvertising

"Why the h*ll are customers searching for winter boots in August?" I saw this when looking at onsite search data for one of our womens fashion brands. Boots don't show up onsite until late September. Their merchandise planning was wrong. Not just a little...they were missing 6-8 weeks of demand in certain regions. Most brands barely look at their onsite search data. Maybe they look at the "no search results" report occasionally, but there's A TON more than that. Before we start, the big theme here is the concept of "search". It literally implies that customers are trying to find something. This whole post can be distilled down to: - what are customers looking for? - make it easier for them to find it. Some of my favorite onsite search analyses: 1.) Searches from collection pages. Looki at high-volume collection pages. This shows their current intent. For example, say a good number of customers on the Mens > Accessories collection, and you see them searching for "hats". Maybe you sell hats, but you have them in a different node. Well, start cross-merchandising them in Mens > Accessories and I guarantee you'll sell more hats. This is also a good report to validate new products that you may not carry. 2.) Regional Patterns Back to my "winter boots" example above. We saw small spikes around August, but when we drilled in and segmented by region we saw the majority of those searches were coming from the Midwest. Duh, it gets colder earlier in Ohio than it does in California. Yet, many brands still treat their seasonal merch plans as if the US is one giant blob. This brand started carrying more of their core/best selling styles earlier in the year. Then segmenting their marketing by region. They sold more boots. You'll see this for other seasonal categories (boots, sweaters, coats as well as vacation/summer items like bathing suits, sunglasses, etc) Couple notes on onsite search: Catalog size has a direct correlation to search volume. If you have a large assortment (eg. 1k+ SKUs) you'll have a lot more search activity than a niche retailer w/ a dozen products. For example, when I worked at Walmart/Staples/CVS (massive assortments) it was common to see 70-80% products found via search. We had whole teams dedicated to onsite search analytics and optimization. Where to start: Hopefully search tracking is setup in GA4/Adobe. If not, get it setup. Look at high-volume terms, and seasonal patterns. - Do they align w/ your merch plan? - Is it all customers or just certain segments/regions? - Tailor your messaging plan and/or personalize your onsite taxonomy. Now look at searches w/ zero/low results. - Redirect customers to better results pages. - Cross-merchandise products into the result set. - If you don't carry products, consider adding them. Do you look at your onsite search data regularly? What have you discovered? ♻️ Share w/ your merchandising and data teams 🔔 Follow me for more on data and retail

It's the holidays: presence or presents? Marketing teams, here's a way to have both. The holidays are ideal to connect with your audience. Should your brand focus on gifting or experiences? Don't choose — combine both for a standout experience. The Power of Presents: Gratitude and Immediate Sales Why Presents Work ➔ Instant Value: Gifts meet the need for quick rewards. ➔ Boost Sales: Limited offers create urgency and action. ➔ Goodwill: Thoughtful gifts build positive brand vibes. Strategies for Effective Presents ➔ Holiday Bundles: Exclusive sets drive higher orders. ➔ Loyalty Rewards: Special discounts for loyal customers. ➔ Giveaway Campaigns: Social media boosts reach. ➔ Gift Guides: Curated picks simplify gift decisions. The Impact of Presence: Lasting Connections Why Presence Matters ➔ Storytelling: Stories resonate with customers. ➔ Emotional Bonds: Experiences deepen trust and loyalty. ➔ Community: Presence builds a sense of belonging. Strategies for Effective Presence ➔ Interactive Events: Host in-person or virtual events. ➔ Behind-the-Scenes: Share your holiday moments. ➔ Appreciation Videos: Personal thanks to customers. ➔ Cause-Driven: Support causes your audience loves. Blending Presence and Presents: The Winning Combo Why choose? A mix of gifts and experiences stands out. Key Strategies to Integrate Both: ➔ Gift + Experience: Add a personal touch to purchases. ➔ Surprise Moments: Delight with unexpected gifts. ➔ Interactive Rewards: Engage customers with rewards. ➔ Social Giving: Encourage sharing for gift rewards. Why This Works: ➔ Better Experience: Value through gifts and connection. ➔ Stand Out: Compete better than discount-only brands. ➔ Build Loyalty: Create lasting memories and trust. The holidays are for more than just sales.  Combining presents and presence deepens relationships. Why choose one when blending both works best?  

Strategically implementing experiential rituals at the retail level can directly impact consumer loyalty and your bottom line. How?  By intentionally curating immersive, impactful touchpoints to increase customer dwell time. The longer people interact with your product and brand, the more likely they are to purchase. This is not just confined to online spaces, measuring the length of time a visitor spent on your webpage. IRL experiences, like content playgrounds and in-store pop-ups, offer greater opportunities to appeal to all the senses. This rationale informs every experience GRADIENT’s team of visionaries curates for our brands. When we partnered with Urban Decay Cosmetics’ incredible team to launch their Vice Lip Bond lipstick line, we strategically leveraged a range of components to increase guest dwell time: ◆ Eye-catching fluorescent and vintage TV installations created an exciting, nostalgic mood for visitors. ◆ The attendance of content creators, influencers, and public figures, like Euphoria’s Chloe Cherry, generated social buzz around the experience, enticing guests to stay at the same venue as other high-profile attendees. ◆ The latest tech tools allowed us to create unique content-capture opportunities for attendees integrating branded filters, retro Polaroids, and compelling teasers. Immersive touch points equal profound and personal bonds between you and your audience. The clock is ticking with each moment a person engages with you. As time passes, they become primed for loyalty through positive associations, personalization, and emotional connection. Optimizing customer dwell time through captivating touchpoints is just one of many elements Gradient’s team considers before launching an activation. 𝐁𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧. Maximize every dollar against each touchpoint to strategically drive brand loyalty and ROI. What strategies have you found most effective at garnering customer loyalty and conversions? #ROI #experience #brands #marketing #innovation

Why does no one talk about seasonality in creative strategy? Customer needs change throughout the year. Your ad strategy should reflect that. Let’s look at a skincare brand, for example. Winter – Hydration & Protection Customer Needs: - Combat dry, flaky skin from cold temps and indoor heating - Restore the moisture barrier - Prep skin for harsh weather Spring – Renewal & Prep Customer Needs: - Brighten complexion - Begin sun protection habits Summer – UV Protection & Repair Customer Needs: - Protect against UV damage - Manage oil, sweat, and breakouts - Soothe skin post-sun exposure Fall – UV Recovery & Rebuild Customer Needs: - Reverse summer sun damage - Rehydrate post-sun exposure - Transition to richer formulas for colder weather Your best messaging angle in Q4 might flop in Q1. Not because it’s wrong, but because it’s mistimed. Creative strategy isn't just about what you say. It's when you say it.

𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱 Brand: Starbucks Agency/Partner: Mosaic North America Emotional Theme: 𝘊𝘰𝘻𝘺 𝘔𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 & 𝘚𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘙𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘴 Emotion Conveyed: 𝘕𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘨𝘪𝘢, 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘵𝘩, 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦 The Ask: Drive consumer engagement and sales for Starbucks' seasonal Pumpkin Spice and Fall Blend coffee products exclusively through Walmart retail locations. The Solution: Implemented the Starbucks "Feel the Warmth" mobile sampling tour across Walmart parking lots, strategically timed for maximum seasonal impact. The activation provided consumers with a festive, immersive coffee sampling experience, showcasing Starbucks' Fall product line and promoting direct in-store purchasing. My Involvement: As Tour Manager/Product Specialist, I oversaw full operational execution including set-up, event logistics, product display, consumer interactions, and inventory management. My responsibilities also encompassed coordinating staffing, training brand ambassadors on Starbucks product messaging, and managing on-site consumer education around Starbucks Rewards and Starbucks' ethical sourcing initiatives. The Results: - Successfully drove immediate in-store sales lifts by strategically engaging shoppers with appealing and immersive sampling experiences. - Enhanced consumer education and brand loyalty through interactive product demonstrations and informed brand ambassador interactions. - Strengthened retail partnership by effectively aligning experiential strategy with Walmart’s shopper marketing goals. Key Insight (What I Learned): Retail-centric experiential activations, strategically aligned with shopper behavior and supported by compelling storytelling and product education, can powerfully influence consumer purchase decisions and foster deeper brand affinity. #ExperientialMarketing #Starbucks #ShopperMarketing #RetailActivation #StrategyInAction #ConsumerEngagement