Love is in the air, and this Valentine’s season, money is up for grabs.
Consumers are ready to splurge on themselves and their sweethearts.
They splurge a whopping $25.8 billion on Valentine’s Day every year. That’s $185.81 per person on average. That’s a lot of love and money for your business to tap into. But how do you beat your rivals and woo your audience?
The secret is automated social media and SMS marketing.
Successful businesses have tried, tested and proven these strategies. We’ll show you how they can skyrocket your sales on Valentine’s Day.
Want to transform Valentine’s Day from a Hallmark holiday to a sales bonanza? Keep reading.
| “SMSCountry gives us the best SMS services at a reasonable price, with immediate responses from their team whenever we need help.” – Nageswara Rao, Superintendent, GITAM University Learn how SMSCountry and TelebuSocial can help you create and execute successful Valentine’s Day campaigns to increase sales and customer loyalty. |
How can you make your Valentine’s Day sales a success?
Here are quick tips to boost your Valentine’s Day sales:
- Target millennials for Valentine’s Day sales (including the singles). Millennials have buying power and digital fluency. Even the self-loving singles are fair game – because #SelfCare is also a hot trend in town.
- Send SMS and WhatsApp messages to existing customers. Customers want fast and fun texts. Send bulk Valentine’s Day SMSes, sales previews, and recommendations. Or reach them on TelebuSocial.
- Curate a lovely selection. Don’t forget to spoil your customers. Make packages or boxes with various themes, prices, and styles.
- Optimise for mobile. People are busy and impatient online. Make it easy for customers to buy with one click and no hassle.
- Perfect your checkout experience. An easy checkout process makes shopping hassle-free. Give shoppers easy and transparent payment options.
- Reduce shipping costs. Love shouldn’t cost a fortune. Get better deals with your shipping companies. Or, offer flat-rate or free shipping.
| Check out the best Valentine’s Day messages to send your customers |
Moving forward
Here are 11 smart Valentine’s Day sales strategies to sell more in 2024.
11 best Valentine’s Day marketing strategies to get more sales
Tested and proven, these 10 Valentine’s Day strategies will boost your sales.
#1. Reach your customers wherever they are, 24/7
Your competition targets your customers via different channels and platforms.
How can you cut through the noise and get their attention? By being everywhere, they are.
Email, SMS, voice, chat, social media – you name it, you need it.
”Mobile usage and online shopping have transformed Valentine’s Day sales. Impulse buying for gifts is more common around Valentine’s Day. To capture the demand, you must have a strong mobile presence.” says Alison Lomax, Managing Director, YouTube UK and Ireland.
That’s why you need TelebuSocial and SMSCountry.
With TelebuSocial, you can
- Create and deploy automated sales chatbots that work round the clock
- Use messaging broadcast to send Valentine’s Day blast
- Integrate TelebuSocial with your website to capture demands from your website
With SMSCountry, you can
- Send customised and timely SMS and voice messages to your customers. (Nothing says we appreciate you like a text message.)
- Track your delivery rates and feedback. (Because communication should be a two-way street.)
- Integrate with your CRM, website, or app to automate communication workflows.
#2. Target last-minute shoppers
Last-minute Valentine’s Day sales are a hit. Why? Because shoppers spend more on Valentine’s Day.
Some lovebirds end up undecided even at the eleventh hour. This is where you come in.
- Offer express shipping options
- Last-minute gift suggestions and
- Extended customer service hours to cater to their frantic needs.
“Boost last-minute sales with discounted/free shipping. Online shoppers worry about shipping costs and delays. Remove this barrier and win them over.” – Connor Brooke, Tech Expert at Business2Community.
Partner with a reliable delivery service. Like FedEx or UPS, to offer expedited options.
Display “ready-to-ship” gifts on your website. And use bulk SMS to send them last-minute deals and reminders straight to their phones.
That’s a massive market for quick and easy solutions.
Here’s how to target last-minute shoppers:
- Offer free or discounted express shipping or delivery.
- Create urgency with countdown timers, limited stock alerts, or flash sales.
- Provide gift guides, suggestions, or bundles. Offer gift cards or vouchers, too.
- Use email marketing, social media, or SMS to remind your audience about Valentine’s Day and your offers. Use retargeting ads to reach those who haven’t bought yet.
| Check out the best Valentine’s Day messages to send your customers |
For example, ProFlowers increased their conversion by 13.5% with free shipping and a countdown timer. Also, through email marketing and social media, Shari’s Berries increased revenue by 110%.
#3. Run a Valentine’s Day sale
Everyone loves a bargain.
In fact, promotions influence 73% of consumers, especially when they want to impress their partners or treat themselves.
So, give your customers a reason to buy from you.
A discount, free shipping, a gift card, or a bundle will do the magic.
Discounts and deals are Cupid’s arrow to any shopper’s heart (and wallet). It’s a classic for a reason.
Your competitors show your customers many ads every Day. Here’s how to stand out.
“Start early. This will make your Valentine’s Day sales offer more appealing. It will increase the chances of them noticing and remembering your promotion.” – Mike Moran, Private Level CEO.
Use social media, email, or SMS to limit availability. Let your customers know that they have a limited window to grab your amazing product.
Take a cue from Pandora, the famous jewellery brand.
Every year, they launch a new charm for Valentine’s Day that is only available for a short period. This creates a buzz and a sense of urgency among their fans.
| “SMSCountry gives us the best SMS services at a reasonable price, with immediate responses from their team whenever we need help.” – Nageswara Rao, Superintendent, GITAM University Learn how SMSCountry and TelebuSocial can help you create and execute successful Valentine’s Day campaigns to increase sales and customer loyalty. |
#4. Offer gift guides
Finding the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day can be stressful.
Gift guides will make life easier for your shoppers.
They’re lists of products or services that match a theme, audience, or occasion. They showcase your best offers, attract new customers, and increase conversions.
Tips to create great Valentine’s Day sales gift guides:
- Pick a theme or niche for your audience or product.
- Choose relevant, high-quality, and in-stock products or services.
- Write catchy titles and descriptions.
- Highlight benefits, features, and unique selling points.
- Use keywords and add prices, discounts, and links.
- Design your gift guide with images, videos, or GIFs. Match your brand and theme.
- Make it easy to navigate, share, and print.
- Promote your gift guide on various channels.
- Optimise it for SEO and mobile devices.
Etsy does this perfectly on its website. They created a gift guide to make Valentine’s Day sales easier.
Their gift guide features products from various categories and price ranges, such as personalised clothing, jewellery, home decor, and art prints.
#5. Promote self-love
Valentine’s Day is more than just a day for couples.
It’s a Day to celebrate all kinds of love, especially the most important one: self-love.
Many of your customers may not have a partner. Or may not be interested in the traditional notion of romance. But they still want to feel special, appreciated, and happy on this Day.
So, consider a different approach as you implement your Valentine’s Day sales.
“As opposed to other campaigns, Misfit uses this unique approach, ‘Why not treat yourself to something you love? We design our products to help you feel good and look good, no matter what.” – Seray Keskin, Managing Director at Sleeknote
Your products may not be the typical gifts.
It could be a massage, a book, a gadget, or a chocolate bar. But you can still make them appealing and delightful for your customers.
Let them know that they are worth it and that they can treat themselves. Treating customers well will boost your sales on Valentine’s Day.
Ensure to include catchy and positive slogans like “Love Yourself First”, “You Deserve It”, or “Treat Yourself”.
#6. Create a limited-edition product
Scarcity enhances value, you’ll agree with me. And nothing appeals more to customers than value.
So, create a new or modified version of your existing product or a bundle of love-themed products.
A limited edition will enhance your Valentine’s Day sales. Take a cue from Starbucks and Godiva.
Starbucks’ Cherry Mocha drink, a Valentine’s hit in 2018. That’s the perfect example of a limited edition. In the same way, Godiva Chocolate’s limited collection brought smiles to customers.
Here’s how to make it work:
- Pick a product that suits your audience and the Valentine’s theme.
- Give it a catchy name and a unique design that shows your brand personality.
- Market it on your website, social media, email, and other channels. And ensure to emphasise its benefits and features.
- Set a clear limit on time and quantity, and tell your customers to act fast.
- Track and update your sales and stock, and let your customers know how much is available.
Then, combine it with fast delivery.
“A limited-edition product + fast shipping gives you a winning promotion.” – Jean Gregoire, founder and CEO of Lovebox.
#7. Showcase customer photos
Nothing sells your products better than happy customers. And ModCloth understands this Valentine’s Day sales strategy perfectly.
Ask customers to share their photos with your products on social media.
Use a hashtag or tag your brand, like #MyModCloth. Then, as ModCloth does, feature customers’ photos on your website or social media.
You can also run a Valentine’s Day contest or sales giveaway with customer photos. Reward the best photo with a prize.
At the same time, keep your focus on your real targets.
“The real success of a contest is not how many people join, but how many people buy later. Offer a prize that appeals only to your ideal customers. Otherwise, you’ll attract freebie seekers who don’t care about your products.” – Wishpond
| “SMSCountry gives us the best SMS services at a reasonable price, with immediate responses from their team whenever we need help.” – Nageswara Rao, Superintendent, GITAM University Learn how SMSCountry and TelebuSocial can help you create and execute successful Valentine’s Day campaigns to increase sales and customer loyalty. |
#8. WOW your audience with videos
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But like Pandora (the popular jewellery brand), we say, a video is worth a million.
Videos can make your audience feel something they never saw coming. They can delight your audience, touch them, and make them smile.
“Make video content that touches the consumers’ hearts. Once it hits home, it’ll boost your Valentine’s Day sales.” – Zare Petkov, Customer Value Growth Manager at Videobolt.
So, create videos that:
- Show how your brand helps people enjoy the gift of love.
- Share how you celebrate Valentine’s Day as a brand.
- Teach your customers how to create a unique Valentine’s Day with your brand.
- Launch a video contest or sales challenge with your customers, brand, or Valentine’s Day theme.
- Collaborate with influencers or experts who can endorse your brand or give Valentine’s Day tips.
Pandora’s video was full of emotion, authenticity and quality.
They showed that love is not just about buying jewellery. But about celebrating the moments that matter.
Grab your camera and make some sales with heartwarming videos for Valentine’s Day.
#9. Launch thematic email marketing campaigns
“Catchy email marketing campaigns boost your clicks and conversions. It can make you irresistible to your audience.” – Mailbakery
Here’s how to spice up your email campaigns:
- Say thank you to your loyal customers. Give them discounts, coupons, or freebies. They deserve it.
- Know your customers. Send them offers that match their interests or actions. They will appreciate it.
- Make them hurry. Use timers, limited offers, or scarcity.
- Show them the love. Use social proof, testimonials, or reviews.
- Tell them what to do. Use a clear, catchy call to action. And,
- Use media in your emails. GIFs, emojis, imagery, videos, name it. They catch your reader’s attention and make them curious.
Moo creatively used GIFs in their emails. Their mysterious box is a tease. Readers can’t resist the “do it, do it, do it” call to action.
They made subscribers click the call to action to unveil the offer. This earned the subscribers a discount or a free treat for being curious.
# 10. Run the classic “2-for-1” promotion
Nothing says “I love you” like a bargain.
That’s why where “2-for-1” deal (otherwise called BOGO – Buy One, Get One) comes in. It’s a surefire way to boost Valentine’s Day sales.
Offer exciting chances like this to spoil customers and their partners on this special Day.
At the same time, it depends on the things you want to sell on Valentine’s Day.
So, ensure that you use the right product.
Krista Fabregas, a retail analyst at FitSmallBusiness.com, shares her insights.
“Do it with items that go well together or have little differentiation, such as socks or wine. For other products, they are not very effective. For instance, a ‘Buy 2 Get 1 Free Bottle of Wine’ is a great deal. But, ‘Buy 2 Get One Free Ottoman?’ Not so much.”
Starbucks understood this perfectly.
They offered a “buy one, get one free” deal on selected drinks for Valentine’s Day.
They then encouraged customers to share their experiences on social media via the hashtag #StarbucksDate.
#11. Create love-themed polls and fun tests
“Fun tests captivate consumers from the start. This repeated exposure builds familiarity, comfort and trust. And trust leads to more consumer data sharing.” – Ron Shulkin, B2B Expert, Fractional CMO Group LLC.
Create online quizzes about love, romance, or Valentine’s Day.
For example, what’s their favourite rom-com, dream date, or ideal gift?
Or create fun tests that reveal their personality, compatibility, or love language. Then, run such polls on social media, email, or your website.
Netflix successfully did this by matching users with their Netflix date.
The benefits?
- People notice your brand as users spread the word about your brand
- You’ll get user-generated content, and
- You’ll collect data about your audience. Which you can use to create content, offer insights, or personalise your offers.
How to get started with fun tests and love-themes polls?
Use SurveyMonkey, Typeform, or Google Forms. Or use social media features like Instagram Stories polls, Facebook quizzes, or Twitter polls.
And, ensure they have catchy titles, images, and hashtags.
You’re now at the end of this guide on Valentine’s Day sales.
Congratulations.
But don’t go yet – it’s time to act.
You’ve so far learned the secrets of irresistible offers, campaigns, and connections.
But there’s more.
To ace your Valentine’s Day sales, you need TelebuSocial and SMSCountry.
Learn more about how SMSCountry and TelebuSocial can help you this Valentine’s period.
Sign up or schedule a demo with TelebuSocial and SMSCountry today and prepare to impress and cash in on your Valentine’s Day sales.
Frequently asked questions on Valentine’s Day sales
What is the most oversized selling item for Valentine’s Day?
Statista records that the most popular gifts for Valentine’s Day were candy, greeting cards, flowers, and jewellery.
How are you preparing for Valentine’s Day?
There are many ways to prepare for Valentine’s Day. It depends on your goals and budget. Some common steps are:
- Researching your target market
- Planning your Valentine’s Day promotions
- Creating your content
- Setting up your website
- Testing your checkout process
- Launching your campaigns, and
- Measuring your results.
How to sell on Valentine’s Day?
To boost sales on Valentine’s Day, follow these steps:
- Know your customers’ emotional, practical, and aspirational needs
- Offer them a solution that matches their needs and wants
- Communicate in a clear, persuasive, and creative way, and
- Automate your WhatsApp and send bulk SMSes to reach your audience faster.
How to prepare for Valentine’s Day?
To prepare for Valentine’s Day, consider what you want to do for yourself and/or your partner. You must plan, set a budget, make reservations, buy gifts, and write cards. You must also be flexible and adaptable in case something changes.
What are the basics of Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day celebrates love and romance every year on February 14th. It is named after Saint Valentine, a Christian martyr who was executed by the Roman emperor Claudius II for performing secret weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry. People usually express affection for their loved ones by exchanging cards, flowers, chocolates, jewellery, and other gifts.
What is the dark history of Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day has a dark history. It dates back to ancient Rome. It is believed that it originated from a pagan festival called Lupercalia. This involved sacrificing animals and whipping women with their skins to ensure fertility. Later, it was Christianised by Pope Gelasius I in the 5th century AD to commemorate Saint Valentine’s martyrdom. However, it was not associated with love and romance until the Middle Ages when poets like Geoffrey Chaucer and William Shakespeare popularised it.
