Key Takeaway:
Grasp the importance of local gift guides for your retail business.
Learn tips for creating a local gift guide and sharing it online and offline.
Learn how to sustain your sales success from the guide after the holidays.
More consumers are opting to shop locally for the holidays. Recent data from Jungle Scout shows that 20% of shoppers purchased gifts from local or small businesses last year, a 10% increase from 2022. This trend is expected to continue for the 2024 holiday season.
With the holidays approaching, now is the perfect time to leverage a powerful sales tool: a local gift guide. These guides act as virtual holiday markets, showcasing top offerings from nearby retailers. For small and medium-sized businesses, participating in or creating one can significantly boost visibility and sales. Here’s how to get started.
“20% of consumers purchased holiday gifts from local and/or small businesses in 2023, compared to 10% in 2022.”
– Jungle Scout, 2023 Q4 Consumer Trends Report
What is a Local Gift Guide and Why It Matters for Retailers
A local gift guide is essentially a curated selection of products and services from nearby businesses, targeted at holiday shoppers who are looking for unique, convenient, and community-focused gift options. These guides often serve as a one-stop shop for consumers, offering handpicked recommendations from trusted local sources.
Local gift guides are effective because they offer several key benefits. First, they foster a sense of community, encouraging shoppers to support local businesses rather than large corporations. Second, they provide convenience by curating top products, making holiday shopping simpler for busy consumers. Additionally, they offer significant exposure for businesses, giving them access to a broader local audience. Shoppers are more likely to trust recommendations from local organizations, influencers, or businesses they know, making inclusion in a well-promoted guide a valuable opportunity.
4 Steps to Creating a Local Gift Guide
Creating a local gift guide can be a powerful strategy to attract holiday shoppers. Here are four steps to follow as you craft one of your own.
Identify Your Target Audience
Consider who your typical customers are and what types of products they’re likely to seek during the holiday season. Make sure the gift guide reflects your store’s unique brand while catering to your customers’ tastes and preferences.
Choose the Right Products
Highlight items that are unique, locally made, or exclusive to your store, as these can appeal to shoppers looking for distinctive gifts. Be sure to feature a range of price points to accommodate different budgets and include holiday-themed items like seasonal decor or gift sets.
Collaborate with Other Local Businesses
Partner with complementary stores to cross-promote each other’s products. For example, a local coffee shop could team up with a nearby bookstore to create themed bundles, strengthening community ties and expanding the guide’s reach.
Prioritize the Guide’s Design and Layout
Make sure the guide is visually appealing and easy to navigate. Invest in professional design or use user-friendly tools like *Canva Pro to create a polished look. Include clear product descriptions, pricing, and where customers can purchase the items, along with high-quality images that showcase the products beautifully.
How to Distribute Your Local Gift Guide
Once your guide is ready to go, it’s time to share it with local shoppers. It’s vital to leverage both online and offline outlets so your guide reaches as many people in your target audience as possible.
Share the Guide Online
Prominently feature your local gift guide on your website’s homepage. Creating a downloadable PDF version makes it easy for customers to share with friends and family. Email the guide to your local subscriber list, highlighting exclusive offers. Share the guide across your social media platforms, showcasing different products each week. You can also partner with local influencers or community leaders to promote the guide, increasing its reach and visibility within your community.
Share the Guide Offline
Don’t overlook offline distribution for your gift guide. Print physical copies to display in your store and hand out to loyal customers. Collaborating with local newspapers or magazines is another way to distribute your guide to an audience that values local shopping. You can also include the guide at local holiday market or pop-up events to engage shoppers directly in a festive setting.
2 Tips to Maximize the Reach of Your Gift Guide
There are two ways to promote your guide to as many holiday shoppers as you’re envisioning: email marketing and social media. We recommend prioritizing both channels to improve your gift guide ROI.
Email Marketing
Send out your guide early, ideally before Thanksgiving. This will give your customers plenty of time to plan their holiday purchases. Segment your email list by location or shopping habits to personalize the content and enhance engagement. Shine a spotlight on holiday sales or upcoming events featured in the guide to help stir up some excitement.
Social Media
On social media, create engaging posts spotlighting specific products or businesses from the guide. Running contests or giveaways can encourage followers to share the guide with their friends, expanding its reach. Consider using targeted ads on platforms like Instagram or Facebook to drive local customers directly to your gift guide and keep your offerings top of mind during this busy time of year.
“Once the shopping rush is over, track which sales were generated directly from your gift guide to evaluate its effectiveness. This data will be valuable when planning next year’s strategy.”
– Technology Therapy® Group
Leveraging Your Gift Guide for Long-Term Success
The follow-up actions you take with your gift guide are essential for sustaining your success after the holiday magic fades and the new year begins. Once the shopping rush is over, track which sales were generated directly from the guide to evaluate its effectiveness. This data will be valuable when planning next year’s strategy. Reach out to customers who made purchases through the guide by sending post-holiday emails, offering loyalty rewards or early access to upcoming promotions. Last, but not least, gather customer feedback to refine next year’s guide. That way, it remains a valuable tool for attracting local shoppers and boosting sales for many holidays to come.
Jumpstart Your Holiday Sales Success
Lower your holiday stress before it’s begun when you invest in TTG’s new Holiday Flipbook Package. Let the TTG pros set up your holiday gift guide!
*DISCLAIMER: Links included in this article might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that we provide, TTG may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you!
