Deadline looms for Aussie retailers to kick off online Christmas sales

Tim Beveridge, Director of Insights at Responsys, reveals golden rules for successful digital marketing during the festive season

14.11.12: Australian digital marketers have until Monday 19th November to start their Christmas campaigns, warns Tim Beveridge, Director of Insights at Responsys. The USA’s biggest retail weekend including Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday is fast approaching and with a significant proportion of sales occurring online, and now available to Australian shoppers, Beveridge is advising local retailers to get moving on their campaigns before the avalanche of Thanksgiving offers hit Australian inboxes.

“Aussie retailers should be planning to get ahead of the competition and rework their marketing calendar so they don’t lose out on sales,” comments Beveridge.

To have a successful seasonal sales strategy, Beveridge is advising retail marketers to follow these eight golden rules:

1. Target through browser activity, not preferences: Marketers need to be careful when using subscriber preference data because at Christmas most consumers are looking for others, not just themselves. A more accurate way of sending targeted emails is to base them on web browsing so that emails can be tailored to what shoppers are looking for.
2. Spruce up email subject lines with special characters: Marketers should consider using images as tests show they can lift revenue per click by up to 25%. A Santa, snowflake, turkey or bauble could be enough to increase conversion rates.
3. Make converting friction-free: The number of clicks from opening an email through to making a purchase on a brand’s website needs to be minimal to avoid consumers dropping off. A rule of thumb is that any more than four clicks is too many.
4. Mobile is a no-brainer: Marketers that ignore the opportunities of mobile will be losing out on sales at the most lucrative time of year. According to Nielsen, the use of mobile has grown 189% in the past 12 months. Mobile SMS messages are a must for marketers to include in Christmas programs now more than ever.
5. Test, test, test: Starting seasonal campaigns early means marketers will have plenty of time to find out the content their audience is most responsive to and can update their plan accordingly. A tool such as Responsys Winner Selection allows marketers to automate true cross-channel testing of subject line, send date/time and creative content simultaneously to optimise festive campaigns.
6. Time is of the essence: Marketers need to plan campaigns with milestones in mind. Reminders such as ‘12 Days left until Christmas’ and ‘last day for free delivery’ can help lift conversion rates. Offering guaranteed delivery dates and in-store returns gives Australian retailers an edge over the US competition. Promoting extended return periods for unwanted items will also encourage shoppers to make purchases earlier than usual.
7. Get a coordinated content plan in shape: Content needs to be kept fresh and exciting so open and click through rates don’t tail off. Some brands will be sending up to one email a day in the run up to Christmas, so including a range of different promotions such as dollar and percentage discounts is important.
8. Responsive design is key: Marketers need to ensure their emails are formatted correctly for mobile devices so they don’t risk losing consumers when they are out and about. By designing responsive messages marketers can change the content of their emails so it adjusts to the resolution of the device it’s being read on and is displayed correctly. As a general rule of thumb, responsive design can result in an uplift in response rates between two and five percent.
Beveridge concludes, “Global retailers are targeting Australian consumers every day which means the tried and tested marketing calendar may need some adjustment. Local retailers can use their natural advantages of being a trusted brand, offering fast or guaranteed delivery, pick-up and returns at local stores and having local call centres and in-sync seasonal ranges to out-manoeuvre the international monsters.

“The number of emails combined with weight of chatter in social and mainstream media about Thanksgiving sales will entice Aussie consumers to spend. Smart Aussie retailers will start aggressive marketing campaigns in advance of this to avoid losing sales off-shore in this key retail period.”

About Responsys
Responsys helps the best brands in Australia and around the world effectively execute campaigns across all digital channels including email, mobile, social, display and the web. As a leading provider of email and cross-channel marketing solutions, Responsys helps marketers create, execute and automate highly dynamic campaigns and lifestyle marketing programs that are designed to grow revenue, increase marketing efficiency and strengthen customer loyalty. Responsys’ New School Marketing vision, flexible on-demand application suite, and customer success-focused services aim to deliver high return on investment, increased levels of automation and fast time-to-value. Founded in 1998, Responsys is headquartered in San Bruno, California and has offices throughout the world. The Australian headquarters is based in Melbourne. In Australia, Responsys works with world-class brands including: Flybuys, Qantas, Jetstar, SBS, Jeanswest, Virgin Australia and Vodafone Hutchinson Australia. Visit www.responsys.com.au.

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