‘Tis the Season to Prepare for Holiday Shopping

Holidays in July? Not exactly. But it is time to start preparing for the inevitable chaos. Last year’s holiday shopping season posed unique new challenges that brands will likely face […]
Holidays in July? Not exactly. But it is time to start preparing for the inevitable chaos. Last year’s holiday shopping season posed unique new challenges that brands will likely face again in 2022. Rising consumer demands, a massive shift to m-commerce, and early holiday shopping are the top buyer trends forecasted for this year. Brands must apply what they learned last year to seamlessly align with customers’ higher-than-ever expectations and evolving behaviors to create a superior experience for holiday shoppers. To stay one step ahead of the shopping surge, many brands are already prepping for the holiday season during the summer. Want to set your business up for success? Here’s a checklist of strategies to start implementing now to ensure you’re on your a-game once the holiday shopping season strikes. 

Optimize your omnichannel strategy

 Having a mature omnichannel strategy already in place will quell the rising demands of holiday shoppers. According to Mitto’s benchmark report, companies that have executed a unified omnichannel strategy were: 
  • Three times more likely to report a significant increase in revenue growth over the prior year
 
  • Three times more likely to deliver a phenomenal experience to consumers
 
  • Four times more likely to boost customer loyalty
 Today’s customers are making purchases on a wide array of different channels. Additionally, they are reaching out to brands on these platforms to ask questions and voice concerns. Shoppers expect a consistent experience across all channels and company departments. Your customer support, inventory, and order history must be accurate and available on every platform. Mitto Conversations provides an all-in-one messaging tool to manage your customer conversations in a unified dashboard. Enable asynchronous support across Twitter, Instagram, Google Business, and more. An effective omnichannel strategy will alleviate much of the stress your customer support team may feel during the hectic holiday shopping season. According to our findings, a robust omnichannel strategy will: 
  • Boost the effectiveness of your customer support team
 
  • Improve productivity and performance with automated message flows and chatbots
 
  • Deliver lightning-fast responses to customers
 With an influx of inquiries during the holiday shopping season, your customer support associates will need all the help they can get. Chatbots can address simple questions, freeing up more time for your team. 

Prepare for early-bird buyers

 Another 2021 trend that will carry over into this year is customers who start their holiday shopping early. Due to their fears of depleted shelves and shipping delays, many consumers will start shopping well before Black Friday. To better serve early-bird shoppers and ease their worries, it’s imperative that brands communicate early and often with their customers. Whether it’s a question about inventory availability or fears about shipment delays, brands must offer swift responses to every customer concern. Effective communication is especially important when it comes to shipment delays. According to our survey, 91% of respondents stated that a good customer experience makes waiting for their package bearable. Furthermore, 93% of Americans are more likely to have patience with a delivery delay if they already associate the brand with excellent customer service. An omnichannel strategy enables brands to give consumers a choice of channels for receiving important notifications about product restocks and shipment statuses. Furthermore, it allows you to send swift responses 24/7. 

Make SMS a priority

 About 58% of American consumers believe that texting is the best way for brands to reach them quickly. That’s why it’s essential for businesses to prioritize SMS during the holiday shopping season. SMS is a highly effective—and simple—way to send opted-in customers special offers and notifications about shipping, delivery, and fulfillment information. Additional benefits of SMS include: 
  • Personalization: Brands can enhance customers’ experience by sending them personalized text messages.
 
  • Superior results: SMS has a 98% open rate, compared to just 25% for email. By leveraging SMS, you get nearly 4x the number of eyes on your messages, ensuring your brand can enjoy a much better ROI on your marketing campaigns.

 

Mitto sets the stage for holiday shopping season success

 Mitto Campaigns is an easy-to-use and highly effective tool to build and manage your SMS campaigns. We make it simple for brands to plan ahead with message scheduling, segmentation lists, and real-time campaign tracking. Don’t wait for the holiday shopping blitz to take you by surprise. Contact us today to see how Mitto can help you set your brand up for your best season yet.