Cut through the noise to reach your customers

At this time of the year, as more and more entrepreneurs are gearing up for the final retail quarter and the holiday preparation season, the need to cut through all the market noise in order to reach those precious customers becomes a key focus. The just published 2017 Holiday Retail Outlook report published by Alliance Data has some useful findings that can help guide any entrepreneur and brand to that breakthrough. One of the most interesting facts is how customers are influenced to make purchasing decisions by much more than simple promotions in-store or online. 84% of buyers are influenced to buy a particular product or brand by family and friends - that means the customer experience is key to repeat sales. 79% are influenced by the product information on a company’s website - is your online presence impactful and engaging enough? 77% buy on the basis of great product reviews - are you getting that all important customer feedback to use for your marketing? And interestingly, 75% buy as a result of receiving a free product sample - are you using product giveaways to tempt your customers to buy? So, how are you planning to make your products and brand stand out and appeal to customers in this critical retail season?