Have You Planned Out Your Holiday Resale Marketing Strategy?

Getting ready for the upcoming holiday season, we want you to think about connection.  With your community, with your team and especially with your customers.  Even if you aren’t among them, shopping for gifts and for seasonal décor is already in full swing and your store should be right in the center of it all. 

Storytelling is an AHmazing way to highlight your store and stand out from all the other local businesses in town as you promote sustainability, engagement and the appeal of discovery.  Your customers are looking for experiences, authenticity and trust with your brand.  And when you tell why you are different, how you help and why it matters, they’ll come looking for you. 

As with everything you do, resale/consignment business strategy is key and the time to start is right now…create sustainable shopping promotions showcasing your business and its local community impact.  And, because we know marketing for resale stores can be a little tricky during the holidays, we’ve got 4 tips on how to tie your marketing strategy and the stories together with a big, red bow.

Highlight Your Resale Store Within Your Community

Take the time to tell stories that resonate with the spirit of giving and sustainability.  Does your store have a unique tradition during the season like going to assisted living facilities and setting up a store where the residents can shop for their families?  Do you host or participate in a donation drive for the local food bank or children’s charities? 

There is usually a reason you chose these organizations.  Is one special to you because how they helped you in the past?  Are they important to your team members?  Tell the WHY!  Why did you choose this particular group to donate to or volunteer with? 

When you share the stories behind what you do, your community will fall even more in love with your store...creating emotional connections with holiday shoppers that are looking for meaning and purpose in helping small businesses.

Holiday Idea:  Tell your story of who/why you support the local organizations.  Post on your social media and invite your customers to be a part of it by donating or shopping with a purpose.

Let Your Customer’s Story Shine

Customers are in your store for a reason and when the holidays bring them joy because of their finds in your store, highlight them!  Encourage your shoppers to take pictures of how they used something purchased in your shop – it could be the perfect sweater for the holiday party or a holiday centerpiece for their big festive celebration.

When you share these stories of how they had success, it will inspire others to shop with you as well. 

Holiday Idea:  Create a campaign where your customers can share pics of their outfits or holiday finds.  Offer a gift card to your store to one lucky winner!  #ResaleHolidays2024

Go Behind the Holiday Scene at Your Store

People LOVE behind the scenes and right now is really the perfect time to show how you get ready for the holiday season.  And, the best part is that it is simple!  You’re doing it anyway…just take pics and video along the way!

Show how your store does it all – from taking down the fall to bringing in the holiday season boxes.  Your audience wants to see you decorating, unboxing your seasonal items, putting together displays…all of it!  When your posts are engaging, they build excitement and keeps customers coming back to see what’s new.

Holiday Idea:  Post time-lapse videos of you resetting your store into the winter holiday season mode.  If you’ve ordered in new wholesale items, show the unboxing and then the display where they can find the inventory.  Get your team involved in taking the pictures and videos so you can get all different angles to it – and don’t forget to include a pic or two of yourself.  Customers want to see how you get it all done. 

Be the One to Inspire Sustainable Holiday Shopping

There is so much waste in the holidays, but you can absolutely position your resale store as a solution by promoting the idea of sustainable gift-giving.  Use storytelling to educate your customers on how shopping secondhand for the holidays is a greener, more thoughtful option during the busy season. 

Holiday Idea:  Give ideas!  There’s always a story in the fun of gathering…this can make the holidays extra special!

• Is your family doing a white elephant this year? Set the theme as a Green Elephant instead!  All items they purchase have to be secondhand! 
• Planning a fun night out with friends? Make the theme be Secondhand Saturday Night! 
  • Set a budget of $XXX
  • Gather everyone at our store on Saturday afternoon
  • Everyone draws a friend’s name and they get to choose the outfit they’ll wear on Saturday night

This upcoming holiday season give you the perfect opportunity to weave a little storytelling magic into your marketing and in your secondhand store promotions.  When you put into play these four tips, you can engage customers with heartfelt stores about your store, your products and your community...all you have to do is wrap it up!