How can an SME boost their business for the upcoming Lunar New Year season?

Lunar New Year is around the corner. Do you know that the Lunar New Year as a celebration is observed by numerous cultures? Not exclusive to China, the Lunar New Year as a celebration is also observed in Korea, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia. Here are some tips for your SME to stand out from the crowd to make use of this festive season to make some special marketing promotions.

Make good use of the red packets 

Red packets have been used in China as a symbol of good fortune and good luck. The colour red symbolises good luck and prosperity in Chinese (and other East Asian) cultures. Red packets are a monetary gift given during holidays or for special occasions. By making use of the red packets, your SME can slip some promotional materials or coupons for your SME.

Special New Year Campaign

Even for companies not based in Asia, the Lunar New Year has been seen as the time of the year to showcase brands’ creative and culture-focused marketing campaigns. Companies like Apple, Red Bull, and McDonald’s all have made a tailor-made campaigns in the West about the Lunar New Year. For instance, McDonald’s worked with Shanghai Animation Film Studio to launch two Chinese New Year hamburgers. McDonald’s showcased Chinese culture that can be immersed into American fast-food culture. Thanks to globalisation, we are seeing more and more out of box campaigns that tailor both the taste of Eastern and Western countries. Your SME can also think out of the box to generate new ideas for the upcoming holiday season.

Special window display/special limited edition

It is also prime time to make use of this festive season to make some special window display or offer some special limited-edition products. If you have a window display at your store, it could be a good way to stand out. In Belgium, the famous Manneken-Pis, an iconic statue in the Belgian capital of Brussels, once donned a Chinese costume to mark the Chinese New Year. As the first visual contact of your store, your SME can stand out from others by displaying eye-catching lunar new year costumes or products. It would eventually increase the walk-in traffic and convince the customers toward making a purchase.

In-store special event

If you have a physical store, why don’t you host an in-store special event for the Lunar New Year? The customer would usually need an excuse to shop. It would be a good way to remind your customer about your store. It would be best to organise some events that customers would not resist making a purchase. You might also make it exclusive so that only for your most loyal customers to thank and appreciate them for their support.

Run a free contest

You could also use Lunar New Year as a pretext for a free contest. Hardly anyone can resist free gifts, Contests are a fun and exciting way for your SME to engage with your target audiences. Contests are also a good way to grow your business. Not only can you gather potential clients’ data, but your company could also drive Customer Engagement. Contests encourage people to comment, like and share your posts on social media.

People love videos and sharing photos. You could ask your potential clients to make creative ways to share your business idea as well as make Instagram posts. These posts and content are long-lasting and will stay even after the contest ends. By encouraging user-generated content, it can be a one-stone-kill-two-birds situation where both publicity and revenue would be enhanced. 

Last but not least, Heymate! also wishes a restful, joyful Lunar New Year!