3 Ways to Capture More Holiday Sales

Consumers nowadays are far more proactive than ever before. Many prepare for holiday shopping before Halloween festivities even begin. Not only are they prepared, they're ultra savvy in trying to find the best price possible. According to Shop.org's eHoliday survey, 61.6 percent of online retailers began their holiday marketing programs before Halloween, up from 52.9 percent who did so last year.

Whether consumers shop via websites, social media pages, mobile apps, brick-and-mortar stores, etc., it's important for retailers to understand their purchasing behavior. Adding to cart as opposed to abandoning the shopping cart is, of course, the ultimate goal. Here are three ways retailers can capture consumers' holiday purchases:

1. Enticements: Shopping is a visual experience. It's a moment where you picture yourself in that perfect outfit. Is there a color scheme in mind? What retailer is offering the best deal? Once that visual is complete, the next step is finding the perfect deal.

In order to remain visible, retailers are offering free shipping, promotions, coupons and other incentives to further attract holiday shoppers. Most consumers will be more prone to buy a particular product if it comes with free shipping. Today's consumers aren't only savvy, they're also thorough in their search. There might be thousands of searches done online, but only a lucky few products are chosen. Those chosen products will hopefully have dynamic imagery and an interactive experience that results in "add to cart." Product imagery must be a "grab right away" deal — i.e., a strong enough emotional connection to where the consumer will revisit the retailer's site.

2. Digital delight: With the unveiling of the new iPad Mini and iPhone 5, the holiday shopper has even more ways to shop online. Do shoppers use a mobile device or tablet to access your site?

As smartphone sales overtook PC sales in 2011, the future of e-commerce may very well be on mobile devices. Forrester Research forecasts U.S. mobile commerce to hit $10 billion this year, up from $6 billion in 2010.

With the array of digital devices available to consumers, it's often understood why they would opt for a smartphone or tablet for shopping convenience. Fifty-one percent of Americans said they will be shopping online this year. Cyber Monday can bring in just as much of revenue for your brand as Black Friday does. It's of utmost importance to have your commerce site (both desktop and mobile) be engaging and interactive for visitors this holiday season. Doing so greatly enhances your chances for higher profits.

3. Social sharing: Social influence on consumers' purchases is evident, therefore retailers need to make social a part of their marketing strategy. Which social media channels do your customers use?

Social media tools can convert users into customers. Keep in mind that messaging isn't the same for all social media channels. A marketing plan must be in place for each site and put into motion dependent upon which social media network your customers and prospects are spending the majority of their time. With several categories such as home décor, technology, women's fashion and many others, Pinterest seems to be overpowering Facebook in driving e-commerce sales.

Integrating your commerce sites with specific social media shopping tools such as Pinterest, Google Catalogs and Facebook Gifts can create brand loyalty and ultimately higher sales.

Developing significant digital experiences, offering shopping incentives and establishing a strong social marketing strategy will enable your company to fully capitalize on the busy holiday shopping season.

Mike Molinari is the director of new business development at KSC Kreate. Mike can be reached at mike.molinari@ksckreate.com.