Ah, Valentine’s. That beautiful day of expressing love and gift-giving is almost upon us. Couples will be writing poems (or buying them in Valentine’s cards) to give to each other, clearing out their vases to make way for fresh flowers and putting aside their diets for just a little bit, to dine on delicious chocolates. We will all be witnessing this front and center on social media.
But what does all this mean for your business? Why should you care about Valentine’s Day—especially if you’re not in the business of selling candies, flowers and chocolates? I’ll tell you why. It’s because every event can be an opportunity for your business to generate some extra sales, and Valentine’s Day is no different. In fact, it’s the perfect holiday to show your customers some genuine love for all that they have helped you accomplish in sales throughout the years. Totally confused about how you can use Valentine’s Day to your business’s advantage? Well, don’t you worry because I’ve got you covered. Here are a few Valentine’s day sales ideas to help your business ride through the Valentine’s Day frenzy with ease.
Valentine’s Gifts in Exchange for Purchases
Show your customers some holiday love by offering them a Valentine’s treat when they make a purchase at your store. Instead of the usual branded items like magnets, key chains and t-shirts, try offering a gift that is specific to your unique products or services. If you own a tech company, you can gift your customers a free flash drive with purchase. If you’re in the beauty industry, you can offer a cosmetic bag for all their beauty supplies. And if you’re in hardware, a sturdy case for the tools they have just bought would definitely come in handy. The more tailored your gift is to their needs, the more appreciated and happier your customers will feel.
Valentine-themed Events
If yours is a company that’s big on events, give your customers something fun to do or look forward to, on the romantic holiday. If you’re a restaurant owner, you can whip up a special Valentine’s dinner menu, and even throw in a complimentary wine for couples. You can also collaborate with local singers or musicians to entertain customers with lovely music to put them into that romantic mood. Do advertise this special treat before the actual event to draw in as many customers as you can. You can also have other exciting events such as hosting a raffle to be drawn on Valentine’s Day or having random-like giveaways on your online store where you can offer generous discounts on certain items (E.g. You are the 100th customer to purchase at our store today! Here’s a Valentine’s gift for you - 75% Discount Coupon!!)
Give Your Customers a Valentine’s Day Gift Guide
If you own a newsletter, you can create a Valentine’s gift guide for your subscribers to help them decide what they should buy for their loved ones on Valentine’s Day. Some examples may be, ‘Gifts for Him/Her’, ‘What Every Mom Wants on Valentine’s Day, etc. You can make some of the gifts you suggest in your guide specific to the items at your store so that customers know exactly where to make their purchases. Your customers, therefore, don’t waste time looking at the items of your competitors since you have already paved the path to your store by approaching them first.
The Importance of Self-Love
Valentine’s Day is not only for couples! It’s a day of love! That means, love for your partner, love for your family, and not least of all, love for yourself! Your business may not have very couple-y items, but that doesn’t mean it cannot promote Valentine’s as a day of self-love where you get to treat yourself with whatever you want! Do this, by putting front and centre all those items or services that you know will appeal to the individual customer. Arrange these in a lovely Valentine-themed display, and then create a banner for the area with a catchy slogan, such as, ‘Celebrate You this Valentine's. It’ll make your single customers feel less resentful and more accepting of the holiday too when you also include them into your Valentine’s sales strategy.
Show your customers some love
At its core, Valentine’s Day is a day people use to express their appreciation and gratitude for the people they love, through gift-giving. It therefore also acts as the perfect way for your business to show customers (current and future) some love and appreciation for their support. Be creative and, using these sales ideas, show your customers how much you care and how far you are willing to go to make them happy. Doing so will increase your likability, strengthen bonds of trust and loyalty and, of course, help you to increase those sales!