What Customers Buy on Hanukkah

Hanukkah is celebrated during the biggest sales season of the year, a time when many companies are scrambling to figure out what customers buy. But trying to answer the question of what customers buy on Hanukkah isn't necessarily the best way to plan your holiday sales strategy, as the following dictates.

Consider your customers’ needs

First of all, consider that every customer is different – they have different needs and desires as well as different motivations. Sure there are certain trends that experienced retailers and other sales staff can rely on from year to year, but overgeneralizing with an all-encompassing answer to the question will not help you get to your customers' hearts. The simple answer is that customers buy everything on Hanukkah. They're shopping for gifts for moms, dads, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, bosses, spouses, boyfriends, girlfriends and even themselves. And that means they could be buying anything – and everything. Thus, the question of what customers buy is not so important as the question of why customers buy on Hanukkah – or, more importantly, why your customers buy on Hanukkah.

Create desire

Making sales starts with creating desire: Consider how your product or service fulfills a need or desire that your target customer has. Know who your customer is and identify how you can help him (or her). After you do that, all you have to do is let your customer know you have what they want or need and make an attractive offer. After all, your customer can't buy from you if they don't know you exist. As you can see, making Hanukkah sales is not about knowing what customers buy, but knowing why they buy. They're motivated to purchase based on need or desire, a can't-refuse offer, your own credibility and ease of doing business with you. You can satisfy all of these requirements with a well-targeted direct- marketing campaign.

Use printed marketing materials

Your strategic approach should incorporate some combination of direct-mail postcards, catalogs and brochures as well as flyers, banners and posters. All of your printed marketing material should lead off with a strong headline that highlights your great offer and a direct benefit to your customer. Your body copy should systematically break down features and benefits – it's a good idea to stick to one key benefit – and then cover your offer in more detail. Add in a limited-time call to action and response mechanism, and wrap it all in a stellar, attention-getting design printed on premium paper to close the deal. While there is no doubt that Hanukkah brings about sales of menorahs and dreidels, it's just as true that these items do not make up the bulk of Hanukkah-related holiday sales. Whether you're in the retail business, the hospitality business or the service business, it behooves you to completely understand your customer and cater to his or her needs with your strategic marketing plan. Find out what motivates your customers to buy, become the motivating force, and you'll have a very happy Hanukkah indeed.