6 Ways to Use Shoppers’ New Year Resolutions to Increase Sales

With a new year come millions of people striving to keep their resolutions. Less than 20 percent will succeed, though — according to U.S. News & World Report, 80 percent of new year resolutions fail by the second week of February. Giving focus to potential resolutions increases January sales; it can also go a long way in building lasting relationships with customers.

Common new year resolutions include:

• Losing weight or getting into shape.
• Making or saving more money.
• Stopping a habit.
• Living a healthier life.
• Finding happiness.
• Working hard toward long-term goals.

Targeting shoppers’ goals makes for a more personalized experience and can boost loyalty, especially if content encourages shoppers to keep working toward the finish line. For example, Fitbit’s blog focuses on customers’ top concerns, such as weight loss and increased energy.

Fitbit’s informative blog encourages users to get healthier in 2018.

This helps the company achieve three crucial goals.

• Keep existing users happy by providing more value to their original purchase. Articles, user forums, and challenges (via an app) make the initial investment in a fitness band worth the cost.

• Gain new customers by delivering content that matters. Shoppers are more apt to purchase products from stores that provide relevant content and appear to have a real community.

• Encourage current Fitbit users to upgrade or purchase accessories, including memberships to additional services. People who are happy with current products and services are more apt to purchase again from the same company.

Here are six ways you can “speak” to a shopper’s need to fulfill new year resolutions. The methods are dependent on the types of products you sell and the target audiences.

6 Ways to Benefit from New Year Resolutions

Trigger purchases by product placement. Each year, Amazon groups various types of products in “New Year, New You” sections. In the books department, subjects are along the line of self-help, organization, saving money, and unique hobbies.

Amazon’s “New Year, New You” sections focus on popular resolutions. The products highlighted may or may not be discounted.

By creating a few store categories you can encourage more sales. Organize products by goals — saving money, getting organized — and include items from various price ranges. Writing compelling category headers also helps, as does spotlighting products with multiple ratings and reviews.

Ideally, you should tie all interests or categories into a master section page, and link to it from the home page and from banners that appear on every page of the site.

Give sound advice, even if it means mentioning products you don’t sell. The idea that you should only talk about products you sell can stifle sales. That’s because people ultimately want a real game plan. So, if you’re going to offer help via supporting content, try to present the site as an authority on the topic. Keep in mind that people have more respect for stores that aren’t afraid to send them to competitors.

Fitbit’s store does not sell TRX straps, but it still recommends them via its blog.

Tell success stories. We know that customer product reviews help sell. So publish real stories. Incorporate quotes, photos, and video to lend legitimacy. Don’t have any user-generated content? That is another reason to analyze product reviews and customer feedback and reach out to those that would make an interesting article. In the interim, writing a first-person account of product’s quality and providing links to reviews (on the product page) can help.

Utilize existing scripts and features that provide automatic personalization. If your website tracks shopper activity to deliver relevant content (like categories, products, and blog posts), see if it allows you to include customized messages for certain interests. For example, if it’s clear a shopper is looking for drawer organizers, include links or messages that relate to getting organized in 2018.

Use custom product fields to turn year-round products into “resolution keepers.” Recommending items as “new year resolution” keepers can increase visibility and conversions. Use product fields to create custom message types and display them as headers or bullet points. You could also create icons to display as new year goal helpers. Then, schedule the display to turn off after January 31.

Want to add a custom heading or bullet point that recommends a product for keeping a new year resolution? Use custom product fields that you can later toggle off. This page from The Container Store could include a heading, for example, of “Get organized in 2018!”

Link directly to helpful content. Many stores rely on blog posts and articles to recommend products. But what about recommending stories and video from category and product pages? By cross-referencing direct and supporting content, you can instill more trust and build better relationships with shoppers. The Container Store, for example, links to featured tips and stories to help shoppers decide on the best organizing product.

The Container Store links to supporting, relevant content to help shoppers make the best decision.

With a little effort, you can target shoppers wanting to better themselves in the new year. Include these practices on your own resolution list to create a more personalized experience for shoppers year-round.