Valentine’s Day is just a couple of days away! As a retailer, restaurant owner or service provider, know that you still have plenty of time to promote your brand before the special occasion. Many Valentine’s Day shoppers complete their gift shopping excursions with minutes to spare before the big day arrives. To attract those shoppers, you have to make your advertising strategies count over the next two days!
Here are five last minute Valentine’s Day marketing ideas:
1. Offer gift wrapping and personalized messages.
Make it easy for customers to send gifts to their loved ones by offering gift wrapping and personalized messages. This can add a personal touch to purchases and increase the chances of growing sales.
“If you’ve got the space to set up a station for it, consider offering limited-time or specialty gift-wrapping services,” suggests CandyClub.com, “For an added fee, you’ll gift-wrap the items with themed paper. Some customers will be inclined to purchase this service, especially those last-minute Valentine’s Day gift shoppers.”
2. Run a Valentine’s Day contest.
Host a social media contest where customers can submit photos of themselves with their significant others or post about their favourite Valentine's Day memories. Offer a prize to the winner, such as a gift card to your store.
“Contests and giveaways are one of the best ways to attract traffic to your website and social media accounts,” says Shane Barker on Medium.com, “This Valentine’s Day campaign idea can never go wrong. You can start promotions on your social media accounts by announcing giveaways and contents well in advance. These giveaways should be attractive enough that couples are persuaded to participate.”
3. Introduce a special Valentine’s Day menu at your restaurant.
Create a special menu for Valentine's Day that includes unique and romantic dishes. Make sure to highlight the ingredients and preparation methods to make the menu sound irresistible. Offer a special deal for couples on Valentine’s Day, such as a set menu or a discount on a bottle of wine. This can be a great way to entice customers to come to your restaurant.
“Don’t be afraid to have fun with Valentine’s Day by offering holiday-specific specials like pink alcoholic beverages or heart-shaped desserts,” encourages Megan Prevost of Modern Restaurant Management, “Offering specials that are unique to Valentine's Day is a great way to encourage returning customers. By advertising a menu with new drinks, appetizers, or entree options, past customers may be intrigued and come back to try something new.”
4. Send out a Valentine’s Day email.
Write a Valentine's Day-themed email and send it out to your customers. Highlight your Valentine's Day collection or sale. Make sure to include eye-catching images and clear calls to action to encourage customers to make purchases.
“In email marketing, one way to catch the reader's attention is to tell or promote stories,” enlightens Jonas Fischer on MailerLite.com, “For example, if you sell jewellery, tell the story behind the symbolism of a particular precious stone that’s used or of how a piece is created. You can even share the meanings behind Valentine’s traditions or fun facts. It’s all about drawing your reader in and getting a reaction.”
5. Promote your payment options.
At Unity Payments, we proudly offer Canadian merchants a variety of high-quality payment terminals to choose from. They include the Poynt Newland 910, the Ingenico Desk/5000, the Ingenico Move/5000 and the Poynt C Smart Terminal. To learn all about your options, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-661-3761. You may also email us at info@unitypayments.ca.