This upcoming weekend on May 13th, Mother’s Day is to be celebrated. This year, spending on Mother’s Day is expected to reach over $23 billion. According to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey, 86 percent of Americans will celebrate Mother’s Day. Of those celebrating, 35 percent of shoppers will head to department stores and 31 percent will shop online, while 29 percent plan to shop at specialty stores such as florists or jewelers. Here are a few ways your business can get in on the action this Mother’s Day:
- Interacton social media. Mother’s Day-related posts will get customers engaged. Ask them to share the best advice their mom has given them or photos of them with their moms.
- Giveaways. Offering a free gift with purchase to every mom who visits your business is a great way to increase the day’s business. You can also host a contest that offers a product or service for free. In fact, this could be in combination with a Mother’s Day post on social media; for example, share a photo with your mother and we will chose a winner from the photos to receive a prize.
- Offer a special. If customers come in with their mothers, offer a “buy one, get one free” or “buy one, get one 50 percent off” deal.
- Offer giftwrapping. If you sell Mother’s Day related gifts, offer a free giftwrapping service or provide free gift bags and tissue paper with purchases. This is a simple act that saves the customer time and many shoppers will appreciate it.
- Sell gift cards.The National Retail Federation reports that 45 percent of Americans will buy gift cards for Mother’s Day this year. If you offer gift certificates, promote them heavily in your store, on your website, and on social media. Gift cards can benefit your business as often times gift cards go unredeemed, which means money left straight in your account.
- Stay open late. Many people often wait until the last minute to shop for presents. By offering extended hours this week up until Saturday night, you are appealing to a market that is scrambling for a gift and will often come with the intention to buy something. Try capturing more sales by staying open a few extra hours.
It is not too late to utilize these ideas so your business benefits from this upcoming holiday. With just less than a week left until Mother’s Day, start posting on social media, offer specials, and make your business available and easy for customers to come to!
Amy Simpson, Senior
WEC Intern
The University of Scranton
Small Business Development Center
#MothersDay #nepa #sbdc #scranton #May13 #mom
