Think outside the box: marketing ideas to incentivise your customers in January and beyond

No matter your industry, you are likely to experience a hike in activity before and over the Christmas period, followed by a dip in January, which is why it is so important to invest time and energy into your January marketing plan. Keep the momentum of the silly season going by thinking outside the box with these January marketing ideas and incentives.

The basics of January marketing

Outside the box thinking can truly set you apart from your competitors too; consider challenging the usual ‘New Yeartone’. Never mind ‘new year, new you, how about some feel-good messaging to your customers letting them know you love them just as they are? Incentives that work include positive reinforcement, encouragement, and messages of appreciation – all these tactics feed into the region of the brain that produces feelings of reward or pleasure. Your customers will link these feelings directly to interaction with you and your company, making them want to engage further with you in the future.

January marketing ideas for those in creative industries

January is International Creativity Month, making it the perfect time for creatives to showcase their talents and abilities. If you have a specific portfolio, design, or creation you are particularly proud of, International Creativity Month gives you the perfect excuse to share without coming across boastful! Sharing your best work raises awareness of your brand and places you in the forefront of people’s minds, whether through e-shots, social media or aphysical brochure or book for something super unique!

Likes and shares increase brand awareness without any cost to your business and competitions can increase engagement and followers, so they are always worth considering. So, why not start the new year off with a bang with an Instagram competition for your followers to enter (by tagging their friends and sharing the post) to win a free service or product? Whether that’s a photography session with friends, a painting or whatever creative product or service you provide!

Discounted rates for pre-paid bookings in January can incentivise customers to book now, save later. For example, ‘Get 60% off a family photography shoot! Book and pay in January and redeem your session anytime up until the 30thof April 2022!’

If you don’t have a social media page for your business, keep reading to find out the many benefits and tips on getting the most out of this free resource.

January marketing ideas for hairdressers and beauty salons

The beauty industry takes a financial hit in January; the festive frenzy of November and December seems like a distant memory! So, how can you maintain cash flow in January with so few customers requiring treatments?

Incentives that work for the beauty industry include January Sales offers. That’s right! The January Salesarenot just for high street and online retailers. Why not encourage gift voucher sales by upgrading the purchase, i.e., ‘Buy a £20 gift voucher in January or February and we’ll top it up to £30’. It is worth noting that most people spend more than the value of a gift card when the appointment is attended, so businesses often end up earning unexpected extra cash off the back of gift voucher sales.

January blues is real – and what better way to make yourself feel better than revamping your hair style or getting pampered, so this could be the perfect opportunity to provide incentives in January to your customers to get them through the door to do just that? Send a personalised greeting card inviting your loyal customers to a pamper session with their friends, including a buy one get one free style offer. If they book on, it has the added benefit of making your salon look fuller than ever in January, a perfect opportunity for social media!

You could also link special offers and packages in with dates in the social calendar. For example, encourage customers to book their Valentine’s Day treatment as soon as the New Year rolls in, securing February revenue. Put together couples' package sand highlight any cost savings these packages offer, ensure you take payment for the booking at the time(or at the very least, a healthy deposit to aid cash flow in quieter months).

The trick is to be ahead of the curve, get customers thinking about the next social event in advance and consider outside the box thinking when it comes to offers and messaging. Provide financial incentives to take advantage of offers and encourage a sense of urgency in language used, I.e., ‘book early to avoid disappointment!’

January marketing ideas for tradesmen and gardeners

The quieter period for tradesmen and gardeners, January, is the opportune time to focus on marketing and put energy into brand awareness. Details of your skills and offerings, plus examples of your work should be readily available, and you don’t need a fancy or expensive website to portray this information. You can highlight these through the simple super-power that is social media!

If you don’t already have a business page on Facebook, take some time to set one up this January – it is a lot easier than you might think and keeping your portfolio of work up to date is as simple as the click of a smartphone button.

Try putting yourself in your potential customers’ shoes, what would you want to know? What would you want to see?

All those pictures you have taken but never used can be showcased in one place, displaying your enviable portfolio of work and client base.

Remember that those who do not work in your industry have only their eyes to guide them and if they like what they see, you are far more likely to get called out for a quote or booked in for some work.

Reviews are vital for all business types but especially when the work you are doing is in a person’s home or on their premises. The relationship is far more personal, and the potential spend higher than, say, buying a new pair of trainers or a nice lunch! Customers need to know they are investing their money wisely, and recommendations go a long way in building trust, so always encourage reviews from current or previous customers.

With a well-maintained and responsive social media page, you can engage with your customers, get valuable feedback by way of reviews, and show off your skills and credentials to both new and existing customers. Once you have created your Facebook business page, be sure to ask all friends and family to like and share it and stay on top of interaction with customers (whether good or bad!)to keep the page fresh and engaging.

Once you’ve set this up, or if you have a Facebook page already, why not take the January time to look into your brand identity and create new marketing materials for the new year. By having business cards and brochures to send to your customers, you can showcase your work and get in front of the eyes of those you may otherwise miss.

The key to any successful marketing campaign is to keep your customers engaged so you remain their ‘go-to’ company, and you can do this through a range of mediums. Digital marketing helps you reach a vast demographic of new customers, whilst traditional marketing such as leafletsthrough the door and branded cards or vouchers are far more personal. This type of marketing means lotto existing customers, making them feel appreciated and remembered. Getting the balance between digital and traditional marketing is key, and with the full range of products and services offered by WTTB, we are sure we can help you to make your January marketing campaign a roaring success.