5 simple steps to boost your online sales this Easter

While supermarkets and shop fronts were busy preparing Easter eggs and hot cross buns in January, now is the reasonable time for eCommerce businesses to start thinking about Easter. With the average consumer spending 3-4 days off work over the Easter period and extra time browsing online, this is the perfect opportunity to get busy with business.  

Optimise your online presence and boost your eCommerce sales with these five easy to implement steps.

1. Don’t forget the goodies

Everybody loves a freebie, so get into the Easter spirit by giving your customers a little something extra. This can range from a trial of your service if you’re an online service provider, free eBook downloads (PS: have you seen our “How to grow your online business” eBook?) or online tutorial.

This not only increases your brand exposure but can be the perfect outlet to gather information (i.e. name and email addresses) in order to further connect with potential customers. Keep in mind that while this giveaway should be relevant to your product or service, ensure you are providing something of value instead of veering towards an entire sales pitch.

Additionally, consider a free giveaway with every online sale made over the Easter period – part ways with your chocolate eggs and put them in the post instead. If you’re not confident enough to place potentially melted goods in with your parcel, consider gift vouchers, additional product or tester samples of other goods.

2. Go for gamification

When browsing online, consumers are always drawn to something that offers them something a little different – especially when it gives them a sense of being a winner (queue the numerous invitations to play Candy Crush and Farmville from your Facebook friends).

While gamification may seem time-consuming, this is an effective marketing strategy that can be tailored to each annual celebration, giving you the opportunity to increase your exposure and engage your customers.  

Gamification offers great benefits for your online business. Statistics from PostFunnel show companies who successfully engage their visitors through gamification see 63% lower customer attrition and 55% greater share of wallet (the percentage of customers’ spending). So, how can you utilise gamification to boost your online sales over the Easter period?

Get creative – think quizzes, spinning wheels, digital Easter egg hunts and so forth. These gamification options enable you to change-up the online shopping experience into a more engaging and interactive experience for customers.   

3. Optimise your website for mobile sales

Like any festive season, Easter’s public holidays bring with it an increase in shoppers who now have more time to browse and buy. With the majority of users scrolling their phones avoiding the Easter tradition of face-to-face interaction, this presents a perfect opportunity for you to streamline your online shopping experience.

Optimise your website for mobile sales by ensuring your path to purchase remains clear and convenient. Ensure your chosen payment gateway system makes it simple for customers to make their purchase, whilst providing the highest level of security.

Additionally, consider offering customers the option to make their purchase via regular direct debit payments. This provides an added level of convenience to customers, whilst improving cash flow and customer retention.     

4. Opt for omnichannel marketing

Whether it’s bunnies, bags of goodies or a glorious long-weekend getaway, Easter’s visual appeal comes in leaps and bounds (sorry). Embrace this sell point by utilising omni-channel marketing and boost your online sales.

While engaging blog articles, social media advertising and captivating email campaigns please the eyes and offer aesthetics to your potential customers, refined SEO and Google Ads can ensure you stay front of mind for past, present and future consumers.     

5. Offer tailored recommendations

Ever get to the end of your online shopping expedition only to be met with the enticing “if you liked that, you’ll love this” offer? Thanks to the persuasiveness of tailored recommendations, you often end up purchasing one or two additional items to match your original purchase.

Upsell your online sales over the Easter period by offering tailored recommendations to your customers. After a user has been looking at one particular item, present them with a similar or complementary item based on their browsing history.

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