If you have a business in Taiwan, November 11 (aka Double 11) is an important day for sales and promotion that you can’t miss. On this single day, many companies get sales that surpass several regular months. It’s also a chance for you to expand your client base, and convert them into repeat customers!
In this article, I will explain what Double 11 is about, and why you should do a Double 11 promotion.
I’ll also share 4 promotion tips and strategies, and how to convert the new customers you got on Double 11 into long term ones.
What is Double 11 about?
November 11 is coined “Singles’ day” in mainland China. On that day, single people treat themselves to gifts. It became the largest online shopping day in the world when Alibaba, the eCommerce giant in China, organized a one-day promotion offering deeply discounted merchandise on its platform for 24 hours, starting at midnight on Nov. 11, 2009.
Double 11 has since caught on in Taiwan and become synonymous with crazy sales and spending.
Related reading: 14 actionable steps for driving sales to your online shop
Why should you do a Double 11 promotion?
1. Capturing customers’ purchasing power
In Taiwan, customers are so accustomed to the Double 11 promotion that they expect every business to offer discounts on that day. Customers would wait until that day to purchase things that are on their wish-list. I’ve a client asked by their customers if he will be offering a Double 11 discount weeks before the day.
Your clients are likely to expect your Double 11 sales and are waiting to buy on that day.
2. Day of impulse purchase
Since Double 11 promotion lasts only one day, consumers often shop with a FOMO (fear of missing out) attitude, which results in a lot of impulse buying on that day, and this makes it easier for you to sell than on a regular day.
3. Expand your customer base
Through Double 11 promotion, you will easily get new customers who are willing to try on your product or service for the first time. If you can build a membership system to maintain a relationship with them, it will be easier for you to turn them into repeat customers.
Here are 7 digital marketing tips for helping you to succeed in the Taiwan market.
Four Double 11 promotion tips and strategy
1. Trigger customer’s interest with product benefits
Although the discount on Double 11 will help push your customers off the fence, since your competitions are likely to offer discounts as well, effective promotion material is still needed to trigger the interest and persuade your customers into buying.
To prepare an effective copywriting, you’d first need to understand your target customers’ needs, and how your product/service can help solve their problem.
Offering a discount alone isn’t sufficient for persuading customers into purchasing, they are still looking to see the benefit from the product.
Adding some FOMO elements in your promotion. For example, highlighting the fact that the discount will only last for one day, is also important for creating the sense of urgency for buying .
2. Persuasive Chinese promotional materials that resonate with customers
If you are selling in Taiwan, your promotional material must be in Chinese as most local customers read only Chinese advertisements.
Hiring a local copywriter to help you to create Chinese promotion material will increase the success rate of persuading your customers into buying, because local copywriter understand the psychology of local customers better, and they are capable to use local wordings and expressions to bring out the benefits of your products, and engage with the clients more powerfully.
Read these 5 marketing mistakes you should avoid in Taiwan.
3. Warm up the customers
Don’t announce your Double 11 promotion on the day-that will be too late.
In weeks ahead, you should start warming up your customers and letting them know that you’ll be doing a Double 11 discount, so that they will stay tuned to your offer.
This will also be a great opportunity for you to invite customers to follow you, either on social media, subscribing to your email newsletter, or following your LINE official account, so that they can receive exclusive news on your Double 11 offer.
4. Ad strategy
If you are planning to run a paid ad for promoting your offer, you need to be strategic.
Whenever it’s close to major festivals such as double 11, Christmas and new year, paid ads on social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram will be more expensive than usual, as many business owners are running paid ads at the same time.
If you don’t want to pay for an expensive ad, promoting via email, or sending messages to your customer via LINE official account would be good alternatives.
Here are 7 tips for enhancing the effectiveness of your Facebook and Instagram ads.
How to turn new customers into repeat customers?
Having an effective system to stay connected with the new customers you got on double 11 will reduce your promotion cost in the long run, and help grow your business.
The promotion cost for getting new customers is always high, because they haven’t developed trust with you yet. However, once they have become your customers, it will be much easier to get them to make repeat purchases.
How to stay connected with your customers?
Collecting their email, and sending them regular newsletters will be one possible way.
Another way is by asking them to add you as a “friend” on your LINE official account, so that you can send them regular news and updates. LINE is the top instant messaging tool used by more than 95% of the Taiwan population, and it allows you to send 500 free broadcast messages every month, so it’s an essential promotion tool which you should use in the Taiwan market.
I hope this article will help you to prepare your upcoming double 11 promotion, and take full advantage of this festival in growing sales and customers for your business!
Need help in preparing effective Chinese marketing materials which will persuade your customers into buying? Contact us!
