The best way to enjoy the holidays is to know you’ve done all you can do to optimize your website for consumers and drive business results. At ZaneRay, we’ve seen and learned a thing or two over the years, so we’d like to share our collective guidance and give you a head-start on your road to readiness.
Tip 1
Start with the Data
- What worked last year and what didn't? Were there any surprises?
- What takeaways can inform this year’s strategy?
- Define your key objectives for this year and how you will measure success.
- What key products will drive the business this year?
Tip 2
Plan Your Campaigns
- Work with cross-functional teams to build an editorial calendar with an integrated approach for all channels
- Build anticipation and generate excitement, make sure it’s compelling to your audience
- Consider an abandoned browse/abandoned cart series
Tip 3
Provide Helpful Gift Guides
- Make them authentic, helpful, and inspiration
- Chose key items that are a mix of revenue drivers, brand drivers, and at a range of price points
- Curate collections for specific recipients (Gifts for Mom, Gifts for Grom, Gifts Under $100)
- Add Gifting collections to your site navigation, optimize onsite search and product pages for key items
Tip 4
Get Inventory Right
- Plan for enough inventory to support the digital channel
- Provide inventory messaging early in the shopping flow
- Offer ‘Notify Me’ functionality for out-of-stock products
Tip 5
Implement Shipping Messaging
- Provide clear messaging along the purchase path and beyond on expected delivery timing
- Launch a shipping-based campaign for last-minute shoppers. Buy before XX to get your gift there in time.
- Holidays begin before Thanksgiving… prioritize required work to handle early shoppers
Tip 6
Optimize Your Checkout
- Obsess every step of checkout to remove friction
- Checkout updates can be time-consuming and require lots of QA testing – prioritize the necessary work
- Offer appropriate payment options for your consumer base and regions, including installment pay and buy-now-pay-later options
Tip 7
Level Up Your Customer Service
- Assign a core team for daily holiday operations, reviewing results, and escalating site or service issues.
- Prep your team and staff to handle a higher-than-normal volume of calls and questions
- Ensure your website reflects any critical customer service information
- Consider live chat and SMS communications
Tip 8
Site Readiness for Increased Traffic
- Performance testing for speed and stability
- Code review for security vulnerabilities
- Load testing if applicable for holiday traffic spikes
- Accessibility testing and remediation – aspire to have a website that can be enjoyed by all.
Tip 9
Plan To Spend Time Doing What You Love
- Backcountry hut trip with your besties
- Enjoy some outdoor hockey or ice skating
- Family game or movie nights
- Cook Thanksgiving dinner in the forest
- Escape to a remote tropical paradise
- Come visit us in Whitefish for an FY24 Strategic Planning Board Meeting