Certain holidays get brands hopping on the marketing bandwagon, and Easter is no exception. This year, the holiday feels especially powerful as more people are vaccinated, and it appears we are on the verge of a rebirth, or at least the birth of a new normal. Your brand can use this holiday to spice up your marketing, especially in the COVID era.
Even though 79% of the country will be celebrating Easter this year, most with gifts, candy, and food at the top of their spending list, fewer people plan to have in-person gatherings this year compared to the last survey by Numerator.
How do you engage customers this Easter season? Here are some eggcellent ideas to jumpstart your marketing.
Keep It Sweet with User Generated Content
“Easter isn’t just about candy,” your mom may have told you as she handed you an Easter basket filled with Halloween-level amounts of sugar. That’s because, despite the desire for a healthier lifestyle, Easter is still all about candy for many children and adults alike.
This year is likely to be no different, and a campaign with user-generated content about how your customers will be spending their Easter holiday is a good way for you to engage and get their attention.
This also allows you to build empathy. We’re all in this Easter season together, and showing your customers you both understand and care is vital.
Focus on Growth and Renewal
After a year filled with less than great news at every turn, the renewal of this spring is an excellent opportunity for you and your brand to reach customers with what is new and extraordinary. Growth and renewal are always great messages during springtime anyway, but in the COVID era, they have even more special meanings. Focus on:
- New products or product lines.
- Renewal customers will experience because of your product or service.
- Getting started on something new or starting over.
- Rebirth of old traditions/habits or the creation of new ones.
Keep this focus by using social media stories and even contests that engage your customers and encourage them to share their own stories. Your campaigns can genuinely make a difference this season.
Give it Away
There is no better way to spark interest and activate that principle of reciprocity than hosting an Easter giveaway. Free is always a good price, and often the lifetime value of a customer is worth far more than what you give away.
Think about what loss leaders you have. What can you give your customers that will add value to your other Easter offerings? What will inspire loyalty to you and your brand? Set up an Easter giveaway, and then promote it everywhere. Give them what they need: free shipping on gift purchases, a discount on Easter-themed products, or a bonus if they purchase a gift card.
Send Customers on an Easter Egg Hunt
Want to be even more creative? “Hide” your freebies in certain places on your website and elsewhere you are online. Reward the customers who “find” them. Your very own “Easter Egg hunt” could be a big hit.
You can hide other items, too: discounts, special sales, and even limited edition Easter-themed goodies. Make it fun for the whole family, with searches for everyone, kids included. (Make sure these searches are mobile-friendly).
Have fun, be creative with your ideas, and engage your customers with a sense of community and hope.
Pop Up Online
While in-person events are still emerging from hibernation, there are still plenty of opportunities online. Just as you would run an “Easter pop-up” shop downtown in your city, you can do the same thing online. Run a Facebook live event, use the new Instagram Live Rooms for some live shopping, or run a Tik Tok competition.
The options are endless. Where do your customers hang out? Where do they find you most often? Go to them, show up, and have a compelling offer or even a giveaway to seal the deal. Your Easter Pop-Up could be the hit of the season, especially if you include last-minute, time-sensitive deals and promotions.
Schedule Creative Emails
How do you spread the word about digital events? Use your mailing list and send an engaging and entertaining email. Send a series of emails the week of Easter, building up to a special occasion or limited-time offer.
Encourage your subscribers to forward the email to their friends and offer them incentives to do so, making it worthwhile for them to help you grow your list. Offer limited-time incentives during Easter week, and even use paid ads to promote your email list and your seasonal deal. This can be a great opportunity to build your customer base.
Jump into Paid Ads
Late to the Easter party? Paid ads are often the way to get the traffic flowing. It may be a little late to dominate organic search, but the proper ad placement with the right keywords can do wonders.
And think beyond Google. Social media paid ads can perform well, too, as long as you can easily define your audience. Give them a try this Easter season for potentially eggcellent results.
It’s not too late for the Easter season. Set up a promotion or giveaway, encourage customers to create and share their content, and have contests that reward them and their loyalty.
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