ARTS THREAD’s career education specialist and digital editor Jacqui Rudd’s guide to taking part in Virtual Markets and supporting customers online during Holiday and Christmas 2020.

2020 has certainly been the year of embracing and enhancing our digital methods of working and this festive season will be no different. One big change for designer-makers this year is the cancellation of many Christmas Markets and others being moved onto online platforms.

There are many benefits to virtual craft markets such as the reduced costs to take part, lack of travel and the increased exposure to new customers online, which has the potential to lead to higher customer retention than an in-person market. Some potential downsides of it being in an online space include discount culture, customers not being able to try things on, a lack of personability and customers don’t feel an urgency to buy then and there. But there are ways you can tackle these drawbacks. We have put together a short guide to making the most of Virtual Christmas Markets and promoting your products through the festive season.

TAKING PART IN VIRTUAL CHRISTMAS MARKETS

There are a lot of brilliant online markets in the lead up to Christmas 2020 for you to get involved in. Each virtual market will be different in how they are hosted and run but we have some key tip to help you make the most of a virtual market.

Be Creative
- Include a temporary special offer for the event - e.g free delivery, gift-wrapping, 10% off a line of products or a free handwritten note. This will combat the reduced urgency of the market being online and it will also reduce the impact of discount culture because you’re giving them an extra incentive to buy from you.
- Time a competition to go alongside the event on a social media platform to utilise the increased exposure of the event and hype your brand, products and the host of the event itself.

Get Organised
- Revamp your website for the festive season, most virtual markets direct customers to your website or sales platform so make sure it is user friendly for customers.
- Prepare your inventory ready for the event.
- Assemble your packaging materials.
- Arrange your delivery options ready.

Be Approachable
- You won’t be there in person but you can be available on emails and DMs and respond to enquires quickly.
- Speak on Instagram stories before and during the event so customers can put a face and voice to your brand.

MARKETING YOUR PRODUCTS FOR CHRISTMAS 2020

There are a lot of unknowns and vague guesses around how people will be spending their Christmas’ this year, which means marketing your products needs to be met by a new level of flexibility and sensitivity. Flexibility to change the message if restrictions ease or increase and to sensitively avoid messages around large family gatherings as that is unlikely to happen this year. Here are some quick marketing tips to help your business thrive in an online sales space this festive season.

• - Use relatable copy that shows you understand and are going through the same changes to your festive plans.


• - Promote sneak peeks of new products that are launching for the festive season.


• - If you offer fashion, jewellery or wearable products include imagery of people wearing them, so even though customers can’t try them on they can get an idea of the dimensions and how it looks on, if you can get multiple diverse models then even better.


• - If you offer homeware or interior products include imagery of them within suitable settings.


• - Use images and videos of unboxings on social media but avoid family gathering images.


• - Do Christmas gift guides, newsletters and blog posts.


• - Promote restocks of favourited products ready for Christmas.