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But
the holidays this year could be particularly challenging.
Although inflation has retreated, small businesses are still
dealing with high costs and consumers have been tightening the
purse strings, too. And a longshoreman strike that kicked off
Tuesday could cause shipping delays that could put a major
wrench in retailers' plans if it isn't resolved quickly.
Stepping up marketing is one way to bolster holiday results. In
a survey by email marketing firm Constant Contact, 51% of small
business owners said they believe social media marketing and
email marketing have the biggest impact on their holiday goals.
Kristen Tarnol owns Emerald Forest Gifts in Studio City,
California. The shop has been open for 37 years, so Tarnol has a
significant number of returning customers each year. But
marketing is still key, she said.
“I have to continue to bring in new clients as well so we’ll use
both email and social,” she said. "Also, I plan to try some
events this year in the shop to raise everyone’s festive
energy."
The top three things small business owners say they're doing to
have a successful holiday season are improving their efficiency
(35%), offering special promotions or discounts (28%) and
creating an end-of-year marketing strategy (26%). Starting early
is key.
“Small businesses are incredibly resilient, but as they head
into a holiday season filled with uncertainty, they must get
proactive in their marketing to ensure success,” said Sarah
Jordan, chief marketing officer at Constant Contact. “The (small
businesses) who thrive will be the ones who start their holiday
marketing early, streamline their work with automations, and
engage customers consistently throughout the season.”
Another quirk of the season: Hannukah doesn't start until Dec.
25 this year, so that will stretch out the season. Tarnol of
Emerald City Gifts plans to start her marketing Nov. 1, so that
means more than two months of holiday marketing.
“Usually, we are recovering between Christmas and New Years, but
this year, we will be going, going, going, until after Jan. 2,”
she said.
Constant Contact polled owners of more than 1,600 small
businesses with 250 employees or less in August in the U.S.,
U.K., Australia and the United Kingdom.
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