With Labor Day behind us, the countdown to the holiday season has officially begun; and it’s just not marketers thinking about holiday promotions and sales. Consumers are already planning their holiday shopping budgets. According to new research from Information Resources, Inc. consumers will take a more strategic approach to holiday shopping this year and are heading into stores with shopping lists and a budget in mind. The good news for marketers is the average holiday wish list will be less affected by economic factors than last year. The report states “… last year’s dismal holiday retail results are being left behind as consumers are slightly more optimistic about the economy and are much more savvy about how they attack their holiday gift and meal list.”

Despite this encouraging news, marketers need to be extremely strategic in their holiday promotions. Understanding how an audience shops and making sure to appeal to a shopper’s budgetary concerns needs to be a top priority. One of the best ways to successfully leverage this approach is to simply look at your past customers. You’ve already done business with them and know a little about them. This is the perfect opportunity to reengage the conversation and highlight holiday sales. There will be a terrific webinar about employing customer win back strategies next week. Be sure to check it out if you want to escalate your sales this holiday season.