October and November present a number of key opportunities for businesses small and large to boost their sales. National events like Halloween and Bonfire Night are celebrated by millions of people across the country (and beyond). And with these celebrations comes inevitable spending. But is your business ready to take advantage of these key dates? Here’s our advice on getting ready for sky rocketing sales over the next few weeks.
Halloween, 31st October 2017
Last year, 40% of Brits spent money on celebrating Halloween, and it may surprise you that that collective spending figure was £310 Million! This was a 5% rise from the previous year, and experts predict 2017 will see an even greater number of sales. With this in mind, what business wouldn’t want to get involved? No matter what you sell, you can offer a Halloween themed product, an exclusive discount or flash sale to draw shoppers in your direction. Why not open your doors and have a Halloween themed open event, or give your online presence a splash of spooky décor? Get creative and engage your customers, knowing that almost half of them will definitely be interested in making a Halloween themed purchase.
Bonfire Night, 5th November 2017
As you know, Bonfire Night is a cherished British tradition that’s been celebrated for over 400 years. What you may not know is that 20 million people attend fireworks displays on bonfire night. These displays tend to offer more than just fireworks and bonfires. Local businesses set up stands and stalls for visitors to buy refreshments and souvenirs from. If you think your business could benefit from getting involved, contact a local display centre and express your interest. Not only that, but you should think about how a consumer might benefit from purchasing your product in preparation for Bonfire Night. For example, if your business sells women’s clothing, you might want to promote a line of winter hats and gloves in the lead up to November 5th.
Black Friday, 24th November 2017
Like many popular trends, Black Friday originated in the USA as a thanksgiving weekend sale, offering shoppers heavy discounts and special offers. Britain picked up Black Friday in 2010, with Amazon being a key trailblazer in bringing it intercontinental, and has continued to see its success in driving business profits each year since. According to research, approximately £5.4 Billion is spent by consumers in the UK between Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In 2016 online spending over that weekend went up by 16% in comparison to the previous year, and another rise in online shopping is expected this year. Therefore it’s recommended that your business gets involved in Black Friday by introducing a flash sale, and also offers online purchases in order to make the most of both markets.
Cyber Monday, 27th November 2017
An extension of Black Friday, Cyber Monday is an opportunity for consumers to go online and take advantage of exclusive deals not available in store. If you’d like to benefit from Cyber Monday, ensure that your website is optimised to facilitate a higher level of traffic than usual and that your checkout is functioning. The last thing you want is for your site to go down at the crucial moment or for users to experience difficulties. Furthermore, if you haven’t done so already, you’ll need to make your website mobile friendly, as 38% of uk consumers make purchases using a mobile at least once a month and are more likely to do so on Cyber Monday.