HOW TO MARKET PRODUCTS DURING THE INDIAN FESTIVAL SEASON
The coming months bring with them a line of festivals such as Dussehra, Durga Pooja and Diwali. Festivals have the power to bind us together. It is also the time where brands receive maximum profits as the enthusiasm of shoppers during this time knows no bounds. The festive season has become synonymous to a shopping frenzy. Retail sales in India have a history of soaring throughout the festive season, particularly in October and November. This is because people tend to buy gifts for their near and dear ones and companies seek gift bags and baskets for both their staff as well as their clients. New clothes and accessories are bought by the entire family for these festivals. The festival days are also considered to be auspicious for buying new things. Added to this, the festive season has also become a season of discounts and offers. The overall tendency in the Indian retail industry, both offline and online, is that sales peak in the final quarter of the year, owing in part to the festive season. Sellers have been using this to their advantage by carefully employing offers, discounts and deals to boost their profits.
Therefore, it is vital to start building an effective marketing campaign for the festive season. Let’s have a look at how this may be accomplished.
1. Story campaign
Marketing campaigns with the ability to tell a story, capable of establishing an emotional connect with the viewers can attach them to public memory. The festive season is a wonderful opportunity to tell beautiful stories that resonate with the audience. Classic ad campaigns for years that dominate TV during the festive season include innovative and emotional stories. You can also incorporate the festival itself into the story. Since the holidays are emotional times, with families reuniting and spending more time together, friends catching up, creating associative links between these emotions and your brand and the product you are selling will help in boosting sales to a large extent. This can be done either by creating a full-fledged story or merely a catchy line that is relevant to the festive time.
For example, Cadbury has been making ads with beautiful storylines for Raksha Bandhan and Diwali which quickly became very popular. Keep in mind that you should strive to create something that stands out from the rest.
2. Offers and Discounts
The festive season is known for offers, sales and discounts. It is highly likely that your competitors will be putting forth such offers. To optimize sales and attract customers to your offers, ensure longevity of your campaign throughout the festive season and insert spikes on certain days that are most important. It is also important to create anticipation and buzz. The prime days to introduce such offers can be studied using the data from previous years. This can help you strategize and make the most out of peak periods. Additionally, you can also offer financing options such as EMIs on electronics, buy-back guarantees on cars, etc.
3. Networking
Sending greeting cards or digital greetings to your clients or frequent customers during the festive season is an effective networking method and may also induce them to buy your products. Treat customers like they are part of your family. Your brand becomes etched in their memory and this can also influence future purchasing decisions. You will also be likely to gain word-of-mouth appreciation for this. You can also run contests on social media and award prizes for the same. This allows customers to engage with your brand and increases your visibility.
4. Create a Consistent Campaign Experience
Keep your target audience in mind while deciding which medium, such as print, TV or social media, to choose. For example, if your target market is a younger demographic, you can choose social media where they are most active, whereas for an older demographic, you can opt for television. You may also opt for different forms, such as both digital and print media, but it is important to maintain consistency across the different channels. Design, colours, fonts and logos are integral to your brand identity and must be maintained even if there are slight variations included depending on the medium.
5. Sponsoring events and celebrations
Indians love celebrating their festivals in a grand manner. Therefore, you can host events during the festive season and simultaneously promote your products and your brand during such events.
6. Launching new products
The festive season can be considered as one of the best periods of time to introduce a new product into the market as the usual barrier to trying new products often vanish during this time. Customers are more open to trying and buying new and different products.
7. Monitor and Optimize
A successful festive season campaign requires you to put in a lot of effort both prior to, and after the campaign material is disseminated. It is necessary to track and monitor how the market responds to your campaign. A proper logistical system should be in place to address customer queries and grievances. Analyze the data to focus on particular days to optimize sales and promote those specific dates through your campaign by providing the best offers on those dates.
Therefore, smart utilization of the festive season for your marketing campaigns by incorporating these tips can deliver exceptional results.
