Ready or not, the holidays are fast approaching and will be here before we know it! Let’s be honest, the holidays may look a little different this year as people have become even more accustomed to online shopping versus traditional shopping. Online shopping is far more than a mere trend, it’s quickly becoming the norm with online retail sales reaching new heights each year. For UnFranchise Owners, this is the perfect opportunity to tap into the online retail industry and collect their piece of the eCommerce pie.

Throughout the holiday season, everyone you know is buying gifts, decorating their homes, visiting relatives, etc. There are golden opportunities to fund your Shopping Annuity, build your business, and spread holiday cheer all at the same time. Although social media is the easiest way to connect with a large number of people, it’s important to do so with a One: One mindset. The biggest question is how do you use retailing through social media to grow your business during the most hectic time of year. We have a few tips for you to continue to build your business without it cutting into your holiday festivities and family time.

Testimonials: Ideally, you share your favorite products and SHOP.COM purchases on your social media throughout the year. During the holidays, tap into your customer base in order to amplify the message and give even more credibility to our products. Use your social media to share testimonials from other customers about an experience they had with you as their Shop Consultant, or testimonials on top products your customers are loving. During the holiday season, more than any other time of year, shoppers are going to rely heavily on the testimonials and reviews of other shoppers while trying to quickly make educated purchases. Speaking of purchases, SHOP.COM is FULL of incredible tools that will make shopping a breeze for customers, especially during the busy holiday season. Sharing is caring! Share these incredible resources that make shopping simple and fun such as buying guides, ShopBuddy, comparison shopping, and more.  The key is to be authentic by sharing what you have experienced and/or sharing something that you know will be helpful for your customer.

Host a Virtual Party: Did you know that you can have online Motives Cosmetics party and Layered Trunk Show? Before everyone gets too busy during the holidays, host a virtual Motives or Layered party and raffle off a chance for guests that make a purchase to earn the rewards. Not only does this introduce Motives and/or Layered to new potential customers, but you can also help the attendees find the perfect stocking stuffers and holiday gifts. Set up an invite-only Facebook group to host your party which will allow you to communicate directly with partygoers. We’ve created a whole guide for hosting virtual parties this holiday season, which you can find HERE.

Be a Personal Shopper: We’re all shopping for others during the holidays and sometimes even the savviest shoppers could use a little help. That’s where you come in! Start a holiday gift-giving Facebook group to help your friends, family, and customers find gifts for everyone on their list from teachers, kids, friends, service members, etc. Consider sharing deals with different exclusive products and budgets to fit everyone’s needs. For example, almost everyone attends a gift swap event during the holiday season – share gift ideas under $20 such as Motives lip-glosses or a great find on SHOP.COM. For teachers, coaches, and service providers; consider eGifts, eGift cards or get creative ideas with a coffee mug purchased from SHOP.COM stuffed with a few packets of Mochatonix. By sharing gift ideas based on the type of recipient or occasion, you can help someone find the perfect gifts for the people on their list and increase your BV and IBV during the process. We have a few different gift guides coming your way, so stay tuned to this blog for gift guides that you can share.

Overall, remember what works on social media throughout the year still apply during the holiday season.  Be yourself.  Keep it social. Have fun and connect with people.  Happy Holidays!