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Is_Your_Internet_Business_Ready_for_Holiday_Shoppers
| Is Your Internet Business Ready for Holiday Shoppers?
Okay, I confess: I can be a terrible procrastinator when it
comes to shopping for the holidays. I don't much like fighting
my way through crowded shopping malls. So, instead, I'm ready -
even willing - to surf the web looking for the perfect gift.
And I'm not the only one. According to one article from
Internet.com, experienced web buyers found online shopping more
satisfactory than traditional 'brick-and-mortar' stores or
catalog shopping.**
It seems that Internet shopping is poised to become bigger each
year. By preparing your online business for the throng of
holiday shoppers, you too can pick up additional sales, both
from new customers and from repeat business. Here are a few tips
to help your business make the most of the holiday season ...
== Offer discounts and specials - free shipping, bonus gifts,
whatever's appropriate for your business. Display these offers
prominently on your website and make sure the ordering process
is simple and obvious.
== Use your customer list! Email a special offer directly to
previous customers and newsletter subscribers. They already know
you and conversion rates are much higher than for first-time
visitors.
== Redo your pay-per-click campaigns. Provided that your bids
will still give you a reasonable return, bid on select holiday
or gift-related key phrases to boost your visibility to holiday
shoppers. Read the article, "How to Instantly Boost Traffic and
Sales for Just Pennies!" for more on pay-per-click search
engines.
http://onlinebusinessbasics.com/articles/payperclick.html
== Encourage referrals. Put up a 'Tell a friend' button or
script on your site so that visitors can let their friends know
about your great holiday offer. Or offer a coupon and invite the
customer to 'share' it with a friend. More on encouraging
referral business is available in the article, "Building a
Referral-Friendly Business":
http://onlinebusinessbasics.com/articles/referrals.html
== Send out a holiday-related press release. For instance,
people love to hear heartwarming stories and acts of charity,
particularly during the holiday season.
== Write holiday articles or stories that relate to your product
or service. Distribute the article and encourage others to pass
it on. At the end of the article, leave a small link or blurb
about your business and the current holiday specials.
Sometimes all it takes is a few minutes' work to grab the
attention of eager holiday shoppers! Have a safe, happy, and
prosperous holiday season.
About the author:
Angela is the editor of Online Business Basics, an exclusive
newsletter for eBusiness beginners. Every issue is packed with
helpful tips and useful tools, specially selected to fit a
beginner's shoestring budget. Visit her online today at
http://onlinebusinessbasics.com/article.html OR
mailto:businessbasics@workyourleads.com for a series of 10 free
reports on building a business on the web.
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