Yes, it is still a little early for holiday shopping talk!  But, this past weekend there was an article in the Sacramento Bee, our local paper, called “Specialty Stores, Boutiques Need Survival Smarts.” The gist of the article is about the need for specialty and niche stores to be prepared for less business this holiday season.  With many people still out of work or cutting back, holiday spending is expected to be down again this year.  Also, many shoppers plan to shop at large discount stores, instead of smaller, specialty stores.  Most of the shop owners in the story have planned, and have less inventory.  But, there was no mention of using the internet or social media to help increase business.  This is not really surprising to me, even with the rapid increase in adaption of social media, there are still plenty of people who don’t believe in it.  But, being a huge fan of social media, my immediate thought after reading the article was that specialty stores should be using the internet and social media!  I think there are many ways specialty boutiques can use social media and the internet to boost business.  But with the holidays quickly approaching, there are a few tools you can start using now!

• Twitter – would allow you to connect with others in the area, share promotions, and share unique gift ideas.  This article from Mashable has great information on how to find local Twitter users to connect with.  Just spending some time each day to connect with others on Twitter can help get your name out there, and  find those customers searching for your products.  Plus, it is free!  Yes, you have to put some time and effort in, but if you are passionate about your business, then this isn’t hard to do.  You can reach a whole section of the community that spends a lot of time online, who may never know your store exists otherwise.
• An email newsletter is also a great way to reach customers.  Sending out coupons and promotions reminds your list subscribers of your store.  With the rush of the holiday season, these simple reminders via email are very helpful!  Plus, you can share new products and unique gift ideas.  Participating on Twitter can also generate more subscribers to your list.  People who find you on Twitter, can then sign up to receive your newsletter – giving you another chance to follow up.
• Creating a Facebook Fan Page is another great option.  Make sure to let all of your current customers know, so they can become a fan.  That will help to spread your business among their friends.  You can start discussions about holiday shopping, finding unique gifts, and the holiday season to get your fans involved.  As well as sharing your promotions and sales.

Being a busy, working mom, who spends a lot of time on the internet for work and play, I feel like joining the social media conversation should be a no brainer.  The opportunity to reach new customers is huge!  With a little time and effort, specialty stores could really increase their business this holiday season.  To get started, grab a free copy of my report “Social Media 101: Top Ten Tips”  using the sign up box on this page.