With Amazon’s Prime Day kicking off on October 13, the holiday season is here. In normal years, this season drives significant retail revenue. However, in a challenging 2020, brands are preparing for a very different shopping season. Many brands are more reliant than ever on good holiday results.

To succeed this season, retailers must adapt to shifting trends, particularly with online shopping. Two-thirds of consumers will shop for holiday gifts online this year, many through mobile devices. Mobile marketing has a wide range of effective, engaging channels:

• SMS/MMS Marketing: Users open text messages within an average of five minutes after delivery. Text subscribers are typically the most loyal customers in your base, and text messaging CTAs can generate 5x-20x higher engagement than other channels.
• Mobile Wallet Marketing: Mobile wallet passes provide an app-like user experience. Customers can store coupons, promotions, and loyalty cards in their mobile wallet apps.
• App Marketing: Deliver targeted, timely messaging through push, app inbox, and web push communications. Brands can create a better app experience through deep app insights and better personalization.

Our latest webinar, “Delivering Outstanding Retail Experiences in the 2020 Holiday Season,” discusses ways to connect with your customers through relevant, empathetic messaging across channels.

Don’t have time to watch the recording? We’ve got six takeaways here. Keep reading to learn how you can keep customers engaged this season.

1. Increase your reach with list growth strategies.

The first step in mobile strategy is to grow your audience. Promote your mobile channels through email, social, or even in-store displays. Onsite capture widgets can showcase the benefits of joining your brand’s mobile list. Offer an instant benefit to joining the list, such as product offers or one-time discount, mobile-exclusive offers, or a gift with purchase for joining.

2. Get creative with holiday campaigns tailored to your audience.

Create fun and engaging holiday campaigns to promote your products. Black Friday is no longer one big day, especially with COVID restrictions. Consider spreading out your deals over several days or weeks. You can gamify campaigns to drive engagement, or create “secret” promotions that reward your most loyal customers.

Still, remember that not everyone celebrates the holidays, so choose your wording with care. This year’s holidays may be very different – gift-giving priorities are changing, and some people may not see their families this year. Use empathetic copy and themes that reflect this.

3. Give back!

Consumers are becoming more socially aware, and that affects their shopping decisions. Consider partnering with a charity to offer combo deals with your products. Create a product or line that benefits a social issue in line with your brand’s mission. Giving back can be a great way to attract more socially conscious consumers at this time of year.

4. Optimize the mobile experience.

Ensure your customer experience on your mobile channels is of the highest quality. A must-do best practice at any time of year is utilizing A/B testing. Each channel listed above offers testing features to ensure that you’re creating the most engaging communications for your customers.

While you’re optimizing your messaging, don’t forget about your onsite mobile experience. For instance, filling out forms on mobile devices can be cumbersome. You can elevate your onsite user experience with expanding mobile CTAs. In the example below, customers can click on the small, blue CTA at the bottom on the left phone, which expands into the larger CTA on the right for improved usability.

5. Provide consistency during uncertain times.

In a year full of surprises, many customers will appreciate consistency. If you offered Black Friday discounts last year, do the same this year. If you introduced a new line of holiday products, continue doing so. Customers don’t want any more surprises – offer them consistency in your holiday plans.

6. Be attuned to your customers’ needs.

Finally, be aware of consumers’ needs this season. Offer flexible delivery methods that work for them. Curbside pickup and “buy online, pick up in-store” (BOPIS) are increasingly popular with customers seeking speed and convenience.  Consumer expectations for free shipping have grown significantly. Consider a strategy that allows you to offer free shipping, such as minimum cart values or building shipping into pricing.

Brands must prepare for this year’s changes in both shopping needs and consumer behaviors. It’s critical to meet your customers where they’re shopping to differentiate your brand this season and keep your customers engaged. Sign up today to see how Upland Mobile Messaging can help you achieve all your holiday shopping goals.