Revenue rocket – Timeline for last-minute gift campaign for Christmas ✉️
Last-minute shoppers, primarily young adults (40% aged 15-25 and 34% aged 25-35), fall into two groups: those searching for a gift idea until the last moment and those planning to purchase a gift card but waiting until the final moment to act.
What do last-minute shoppers expect?
Before launching your campaign, ensure you meet the expectations of last-minute buyers:
- Instant delivery: The e-gift card, with its immediate digital delivery, is the perfect last-minute gift. One in three last-minute shoppers selects their purchase based on delivery speed.
- A gift that quickly brings joy: Gift cards remain a highly appreciated solution for consumers.
- Personalization: Offer options for personalizing the card (message, Christmas visuals) to avoid the impression of a rushed purchase.
- Guest checkout & one-page process: A simplified purchasing process, without account creation, makes it easier to buy.
- Flexible amounts: Provide adjustable amounts to fit different budgets.
- Easy sending: Enable direct email delivery to the recipient.
- Mobile optimization: Most last-minute shoppers make purchases via smartphone. Ensure the buying process is smooth on mobile.
What marketing campaigns for last-minute shoppers?
As discussed in the "Gift Card Goldmine" section, focus on digital gift cards and leverage the three pillars of a successful gift card program: direct-to-consumer services, direct-to-business services, and reselling via third-party partners (benefit employee platforms, loyalty programs, etc.).
Here’s the breakdown:
1 – Starting in November: raise awareness and educate about gift cards
From the beginning of November, highlight your e-gift card across your e-commerce site, social media channels, and digital platforms. Educate your customers on the benefits of digital gift cards by emphasizing their convenience and ensuring they're highly visible. This will help last-minute shoppers know that you offer this option, making it top-of-mind for their last-minute purchases.
For direct-to-business services: Create campaigns to introduce or reintroduce your fast and convenient digital gift card services.
For third-party resellers, increase your visibility on the selected platforms by using homepage banners and promoting your cards in relevant categories. This will help end-users see your gift card as a practical option for employee rewards or loyalty point conversions.
2 – Late November to early December: launch last-minute campaigns for direct-to-business services
In B2B, last-minute purchases happen much earlier than in B2C. In 2023, 41% of B2B gift card sales in December occurred between the 1st and the 7th.
Create email campaigns with a sense of urgency, highlighting the speed and simplicity of digital gift cards. Run LinkedIn ads targeting business decision-makers and place banners on webzines dedicated to benefit employee and B2B audiences.
You can also offer a 4-6% discount to existing benefit employee solution clients who haven’t yet placed orders this year and choose digital versions, simplifying logistics.
At your strategic resellers, organize attractive contests, such as offering 3 gift cards worth €100 each, to encourage users to log in and make purchases.
3 – Mid-December: launch targeted campaigns to capture last-minute shoppers
Roll out a B2C email campaign emphasizing digital gift cards, with urgency to prompt customers to complete their purchases. Support this campaign with organic posts and paid advertising on social media to multiply touchpoints.
Increase your budget for Google Ads and Google Shopping to position yourself on specific gift card-related queries.
On the B2B side, send a “last chance” email to your business clients and continue your campaigns on social media.
For your resellers, especially those linked to benefit employee solutions (which account for 80% of year-end sales), increase commissions for two weeks to boost your visibility.
Remember, between December 26th and January 3rd, 50% of shoppers buy for themselves, taking advantage of discounts, purchasing desired items, or replacing others. If your resellers offer discounted gift cards, this can become an interesting way to capture this audience.
4 – Last week of December: launch B2C promotional campaigns
Increase the visibility of your digital gift cards to B2C audiences by launching promotional campaigns to encourage last-minute purchases. Continue sending targeted emails and posting actively on social media.
Extend these campaigns into the first week of January. Gift card sales don’t stop after Christmas; in fact, in January 2023, gift-related searches rose by 45% compared to September and 15% compared to October.
With all of this in mind, I’ve provided a global timeline to help you maximize last-minute gift card sales with digital gift cards.🔽🔽
Feel free to reach out if you'd like me to challenge your gift card campaigns and provide feedback!
