February the 14th is around the corner. This means it is almost time for gift-buying for loved ones, friends, and families. For small business owners who know the drill, it could bring a lot of sales and more income. For those who don’t, we got you.
We held the first 2024 Flutterwave Product Workshop for small businesses on January 31st, titled “Curating the Perfect Valentine’s Day Offer for Maximum Sales” on Zoom. It was a fireside chat hosted by Rotimi Okungbaye, Product Marketing Manager, F4B, and it featured Amaka Amaku, Founder of AmakasHairForDays, who has run a successful Valentine’s gifting service for her business and has recorded great sales every year since 2020.
Amaka shared many insights backed by real-world experiences, and we’ve discussed the top seven below. Let’s roll!
1. Value Beats Discounts
For most customers, it does not matter that you save them some money by giving 25% or 52% discounts if the quality of the product received is not what they expected. Instead, offering value-added services or experiences, such as gift wrapping, personalized (maybe handwritten) notes, or curating on-demand customized packages, might be all you need to enhance your customers’ experience and maximize your sales.
2. Be Intentional
“Understanding your customers’ preferences and buying behaviors is key to crafting Valentine offers that resonate with them,” Amaka said. While recognizing that a one-size-fits-all box of Valentine’s packages can work for most customers, small business owners must understand that there are exceptional customers who are always deliberate with their gifting. With this in mind, the goal is to create unique experiences for your customers to feel special and their loved ones well appreciated.
3. Usual is Boring
If you’re still unsure how to be deliberate with your Valentine’s Day offers, remember that usual is boring. Your Valentine’s package does not always have to be chocolates plus flowers and some jewelry. You can always spice it up. Whether by adding gift items that describe the personality of different customers based on their Zodiac signs or leveraging a trendy activity, you can try new things to create unique offers.
4. Collaboration is Key
Collaborating with other businesses is important for curating the perfect Valentine’s Day offer. With collaboration, you will spend less on curating a unique box, expand your reach, and attract new customers. It could also help you create great content, like videos promoting your Valentine’s Day offer, especially if one or two businesses you partner with have the tools to make professional content. Amaka believes “It is a win-win strategy.”
5. Videos Move Hearts
Amaka said, “There are no two ways to it; pictures don’t always do justice to Valentine’s offers. This is because emotions usually drive people’s decisions to buy during Valentine’s, and not all pictures can convey that. On the other hand, videos bring your offer alive and give it the essence needed to capture people’s hearts and drive your sales.” By using videos, you can capture more of a customer’s attention and create memorable experiences that resonate with them long after they’ve clicked away.
6. Create Payment Plans?
When asked if a payment plan–breaking down product prices and allowing people to pay in installments, is necessary, especially in the current reality where money is hard to find and harder to spend. Amaka said, “Yes, if you can support and will start promoting your offer as early as possible so you can get your full payment on or before Valentine’s Day. But if you cannot do that or if your products are affordable to most of your target audience, I don’t think you need to do a payment plan.”
7. Show Some Gratitude
The relationship with your customers shouldn’t end after the Valentine’s Day sales. Follow up with a thank-you email, request feedback, or provide an exclusive post-sales offer to facilitate long-term loyalty and turn them into your brand advocate who promotes your business with the world’s most effective marketing–word of mouth!
In conclusion, small businesses don’t necessarily have to create Valentine’s offers before making the most of the period. You can leverage the popular hashtags used during that period and add trendy sounds to your social media content. This might drive more traffic and possibly generate new customers for you. Without a doubt, these tips can help you maximize your sales during and beyond Valentine’s Day. Don’t forget to share with your friends. Happy Valentine!