As a small business owner it can be intimidating to navigate the holiday shopping season, especially if you’re new to the scene. We’re here to help you feel confident stepping into the holidays, ready to show off your business and all the amazing products and services you have to offer. 

In this blog we’ll share this year’s holiday shopping trends, how you can boost your small business sales, and how to get your one-of-a-kind products in front of shoppers. 

Let the holiday marketing begin!

2021 Holiday Shopping Trends

While it’s no secret that the busiest shopping days of the year are Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Small Business Saturday, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a huge opportunity for sales beyond the days following Thanksgiving. 

Many consumers are still looking for gifts throughout December, and while others may have slowed down their marketing efforts, the month of December is a great time for your business to take advantage of this and make some noise. 

Worried you didn’t take advantage of  the busiest shopping week of the year? If you’re late to the marketing game this holiday season, the bright side is that you can be ultra prepared for next season. Start gathering ideas from what you liked and didn’t like and make a plan for next year so you’re ahead of the game. 

Boost Your Small Business Sales

Small business marketing is special in that by simply being a small business, you’re already unique. Rather than aiming for the masses, leverage your uniqueness and concentrate your marketing efforts on the right target audience. 

So where should you be marketing? On social media, of course! 

According to AdWeek, nearly 8 in 10 consumers said they used at least one Facebook app or service for discoveries products last holiday season. Get your products on your app store to begin with. Most holiday shopping happens on smartphones these days, so make sure your website or eCommerce platform (like Shopify) is connected to your Instagram and Facebook account. 

And don’t forget about Pinterest. According to Simple Pin Media, shoppers come to Pinterest first for their holiday shopping. Pinners search for exactly what they want, so keywords in your descriptions and titles are important when creating your product pins. 

How To Get Your Products In Front Of Shoppers

Think outside of the box when it comes to online shopping. Recreate the in-person shopping experience online through how-to videos, virtual fashion shows, or behind the scenes Reels. 

Don’t shy away from partnering with other local small businesses to amplify each other’s brand and promote their holiday specials. 

When writing copy and designing your content, emphasize the holiday focus. You want to be sure that customers know these deals only happen once a year. While you don’t want to scrap your brand awareness content, you’ll definitely want to prioritize product-focused content during this season in particular. 

Host giveaways and promotions to increase the incentive to purchase, while also getting your products in front of new customers. 

Finally, the most special part of being a small business is that there is a face behind the brand. Don’t forget to showcase yourself! Share the behind-the-scenes, the “why” behind your business, and what makes your story stand out.