The time for eCommerce holiday shopping is quickly approaching, and if you are not already developing your plan to maximize your return on the spike of online sales, you need to start now!!  According to a report provided from comScore , the 2009 eCo mmerce Holiday S pending reached $27 billion.   This year will be no different -- and I am willing to bet that this number will rise even higher.  Are you prepared to take advantage?

Be   Prepared for the Online Holiday Rush

• “5 Reasons Ugg Boots and Slippers Will Dominate Holiday Gifts”   
• “3 Great Tennis Shoes for a Boy’s Christmas Present”  
• “Christmas Basketball Shoe Sales Will Be A Slamdunk in 2010”

Writing content that includes your products and the holiday terms (Christmas, holiday presents, holiday gifts, Christmas ideas, boy holiday gifts, girl Christmas gifts, ect.) will help your website rank better for these longer-tail niche keywords.  Make sure that you have strong call-to-action buttons on each of your blog posts that link to landing pages explaining holiday promotions for specific products or product categories.  

2.  Develop Promotional Landing Pages that are designed to target Holiday traffic.  Entice your visitors to buy from you by giving them time-sensitive pricing incentives that are only available during the holidays.  Showcase your top performing products on holiday themed landing page with great offers.  “20% off when purchasing $50 or more before X date.”  “Free t-shirt included when you purchase before X date.”

Maybe your visitors are interested in your products, but not committed to purchasing immediately. Help convert these visitors to customers by giving them incentive to sign up for exclusive promotional offers.  “Sign up for exclusive holiday deals only available for existing or new subscribers.  This Special will expire on X Date.  Sign up now to secure your discount!”   

3.  Send Holiday marketing emails and use lead nurturing.  Increase your holiday revenue by nurturing your visitors that haven’t committed to a purchase and rewarding your existing customers with exclusive offers.   Existing customers have already purchased from you and like your products -- reward and entice them to buy more for their friends and family!  Send an email reminding your existing customers that the holidays are quickly approaching, and that you are offering them an exclusive, limited time offer.   Give a coupon code with a reminder that this code will expire by “X” date.  Make sure that this email includes links back to either your blog posts about your most popular seasonal items or landing pages designed to show additional value for shopping early.  

Additionally, you should use lead nurturing emails to leverage the holiday season in your favor by placing new leads into campaigns designed entice earlier purchases.  Remembering to segment your lead nurturing campaigns is an important step.  If a visitor comes to your website and is interested in getting a special holiday deal on jackets, make sure that you send them emails designed to sell jackets, not shoes!  

4.  Monitor and promote your brand and products in social media with holiday keywords.  Monitoring and promoting your most popular products is essential for eCommerce stores in 2010.  Tracking holiday centric keywords is an advanced skill that can help you sell more.  Instead of just tracking the keyword “Ugg boots” track “Ugg boots christmas” and “Ugg boats holiday present.”  Tracking these terms in Twitter will allow you to see tweets that say, “All I want for Christmas are Ugg Boots!” and “Are Ugg boots for my daughter for a good holiday present?”  You could then engage these tweeters to let them know about your new article “5 Reasons Ugg Boots and Slippers Will Dominate Holiday Gifts”.  Or you could send them links to a landing page that offers 20% Off Ugg Boots when signing up for promotional discount emails.

Utilizing these inbound marketing tactics will ensure that your eCommerce site is prepared for the holiday rush.  Have you seen your favorite stores already using some of these tactics mentioned?  Do you have other suggestions?  I would love to hear your feedback!

Photo curtesy of Luiz A. Villa