It’s hard for the SMEs compete with large companies, but we can take advantage of initiatives such as Small Business Saturday in the United States and the Good end in Mexico.
Both initiatives arose to boost year-end trade, allow companies to move their stock before receiving Christmas merchandise and offer deep discounts to consumers.
Since its inception, the Good End has offered a great opportunity for businesses to connect with their customers and have a sales boost for the end of the year and in preparation for the January slope.
So, with the Buen Fin 2022 just around the corner, to be held starting this Friday, November 18, it is important to know how to take advantage of the opportunities. It’s not just about offering discounts on these three days, but about building strong relationships with your customers that can be leveraged throughout the year. Here are 21 simple ideas to get you started.
First, the basics to prepare your business for the Good End
1. Have your website ready
Don’t forget the obvious. Make sure your address and contact details are correct on your website and on your social networks. You’d be surprised how many SMBs forget to update their data as their business evolves and busy shoppers aren’t going to waste time tracking you down.
And once the mouse is over, check your website as if you were a consumer to see if all your offers and promotions are displayed correctly or to see if your online payment options work without errors. You must do these checks regularly, and the Good End is the best excuse to do them today.
2. Use free resources
You can register your business for the Good End on the official website and obtain the necessary kit to distinguish it with the event materials. But you still have time to make banners or posters with the special offers that you are going to have that day.
3. Extend your hours
If you usually close on Saturdays at 5 pm, consider staying open until 8 or 9 at night. Check out events happening in your area so you can make the most of foot traffic. And if you decide to extend your hours, don’t forget to notify your clients on your website and through your social networks.
4. Prioritize your customer service
Give your team a crash course on how to make a great first impression. The ability of your business to create great experiences for this purpose will help you stand out from your competitors and will bear fruit all year long. Do “dry runs” of possible scenarios that you staff could face that day (annoying customers, overwork, for example) and rehearse how you would solve these cases to get the most out of it.
Now, think about the promotions
5. Plan incentives
Give people a reason to come back to your business. You can make a dynamic with customers who take a photo in your store and upload it to social networks. Make raffles or exchange contact information for free samples.
6. Do not compete with the big brands
You will be tempted to offer mega discounts like the big commercials, but giving away a television may be a good strategy for Walmart, but not necessarily for you. You can offer very attractive discounts or promotions without having to fall into actions that affect the operation of your business.
connect
7. Join forces
Unite with the businesses you have next to give your customers a greater reason to visit you. For example, you can organize with your neighbors to offer discounts or free samples chained. Maybe when they shop with you they get a coupon for a free sample at the store across the street and vice versa.
By joining forces with your neighbors, you can make a simple promotion a more memorable experience.
8. Invite a local celebrity or influencer
Clearly not every business can pay a superstar to do promotions, but maybe you can contact a network figure to mention your offers. You can also contact local or regional celebrities to at least invite people to visit your city or state.
9. Join online groups associated with the event
Look for contact groups on Facebook that support businesses in the Good End in your area. Check which hashtags will be used in the event and share your activities on social networks.
10. Celebrate other businesses
El Buen Fin is a national event so don’t be afraid to support other businesses that participate in the initiative. It can be something as simple as giving a retweet to show your support. Trust me, these businesses will thank you and return the favor.
11. Support local groups
Consumers love to know where their money is going, especially if it’s for a good cause. If you have a veterinary clinic, donate a percentage of your profits in the Good End to a shelter and let your clients know in your communication channels that everything they buy from you will support a good cause in some way.
12. Don’t get left behind
It doesn’t matter if you don’t sell products. Your services can also participate in the Good End. You can offer coupons for a half-price service or a free trial. By joining the Buen Fin, you will take advantage of the free marketing of the event.
amplify your message
Use the days before to post on your social networks how your business is preparing for the Good End to whet your customers’ “appetite” and don’t forget to use hashtags such as #BuenFin #Offer and #Discount on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
14. Refresh your advertising
Do not forget to use keywords (words with which you would search for your products or services on Google) on your website. This way you will position your page in the first search results.
15. Reward check-ins
You can drive customer visits to your business by asking them to share their location via social media (such as Facebook, Yelp, or FourSquare) in exchange for free samples or discount coupons.
16. Promotes selfie
Ask your customers to take and share a selfie of themselves enjoying your products and tag your business in the post. Then select the most creative photo or select it based on likes, and give them a good reward that they can make valid in the Christmas season. This way you will have publicity ready for the dates.
17. Make your site responsive
According to Kissmetrics, 78% of shopping searches are done on a mobile phone. Therefore, your website must be responsive and be able to be viewed from a Smartphone without problems.
Make the Good End a great event
18. Give the ‘kick-off’!
Why not kick off the Good End with a kick-off event? Invite your customers to your store and offer them free samples, drinks and special discounts for a couple of hours to really get them excited about the sale weekend.
19. Make a dynamic
Make the Good End an adventure. You can ask your consumers to follow a “scavanger hunt” so that they know your locality and other businesses and the winning participant could be given a special prize.
20. Make the Buen Fin an authentic tradition
Do not stay with the efforts of 2017. The Good End can be an event that your customers wait for all year to be able to buy more than usual. Becoming part of the family tradition of Buen Fin ensures you have customers throughout the year and for several generations.
go to the future
21. Think beyond the Good End
Of course, this weekend is important to boost your sales, but you should not be left alone with the efforts of these three days. The 20 activities that we recommend can be activated at any time of the year. Once the Good End is over, analyze which activities and promotions worked for you and why. Most likely, you can generate an annual strategy based on your experience in the Good End to have clients for 12 months.
With information from Rose Leadam for Small Business Saturday