Regardless of what type of business you are in, the coming months are chock full of event planning and celebrations.  And, in every instance, the gift recipient (aka the registrant to all of us),  typically knows just what they want to receive, and all those gift givers out there who want to show how thoughtful they are will find that using a registry to shop makes everything stress-free. No one really wants to be the source of disappointments or create the hassles of returns or exchanges.   

Opportunities for Everyone…

That’s your signal to heat up your registry. Consider:

•  Life-changing events like weddings and the arrival of a new baby - both the source of lots of gifting..
• Weddings remain at 40 year highs as we continue to see some covid catch-up adding to the normal levels of engagements. Expect to see a 10-20% increase in activity over coming months.
• Babies arrive every day; this year we are enjoying a slight resurgence…a small but steady growth that’s expected to continue.

• Milestones like graduations and new homes/moves also tend to change lifestyles and routines.  These key celebrations, peaking in coming months, offer registry opportunities right now.
• Graduations mark big changes for millions. An anticipated 3.3 million young adults will graduate high school and move on – and an even larger number of students will complete college/other studies and prepare for a new job or lifestyle. 
• Housewarmings are about to ramp up, too. New moves, including second homes, also spike between May -August.  New environs always call for new, fresh furnishings.

• Events that happen every day. Don’t overlook recurring events like birthdays, anniversaries, or even Mother’s and Father’s Day celebrations that are quickly approaching. These celebrants are just like any other gift recipient:  ‘they want what they want.’

• A nod to four legged friends. Last, but certainly not least in the eyes of pet lovers out there. Don’t forget that adding a new pet to your household also represents a special event.  Pets, like new babies, have all sorts of special needs, so let family and friends help get prepared properly.

 So, with all that activity going on, let’s make sure your gift registry is working up a sweat while you keep your customers calm, cool, and relaxed.    

Here’s a quick reminder of some basic registry Marketing ...these ABCs are always worth a quick review.

A Is For Addressing Your Audiences….

Keep in mind that your customer base presents you with three audiences to address with distinct messages. 

• All customers/anyone you can reach:  It’s a safe bet that everyone has something to celebrate or knows a dear friend or family member who has a special event coming up. Remind them that your gift registry is ready to help make gifting easy.

• Current Registrants:  All those who already have a registry list deserve some attention.  Depending upon the event and its timing, here’s a chance to suggest they refresh their registry with new merchandise arrivals (that’s a great excuse to review the list and make sure it still has an array of choices for all gift budgets). Then, be sure to tell them to share it for easy shopping.

• Gift Purchasers:  Gift givers represent prospects for new gift shopping or just self-purchase. Encouraging them to do more/other shopping (even if it’s not connected to any registry activity) builds business today and potentially sets them up to become more loyal customers in the future. For more about tapping into gift givers, revisit last month’s blog here. 

B Is For Building The Story Of Benefits…

Knowing you have 3 different audiences you can talk to, now think about your messages. In all cases, your goal is the same:  Build a story that demonstrates all you do to support registry users and gifting; it’s the ‘why register with you’ is a smart idea.  

• Start with your products.  Think about what makes your assortment so appealing – its fit with today’s lifestyles and an ability to align with specific tastes and important customer values all matter. Talk up both actual products and their features.  Be sure to point out what’s fresh, unique, and exclusive as well as those top sellers that are sure to please.   

• Recap the current features, amenities, and services already in place that customers value.  Take advantage of shipping offers, gift wrap services, personal assistance, and other services you offer as they are worth mentioning.  Loyalty and rewards programs in which registrants can participate also deserve a mention. Product care and usage guides are helpful, too.

• Overlay special registry user perks.  Since a registrant can serve as a brand champion (and their registry provides a source of brand marketing for you), showing a little extra ‘love’ for these loyal customers can go a long way.  These extra perks need not be costly and can start with enhancing an existing benefit (i.e., offer free shipping on all registry purchases, give registrants added rewards points, etc. or give them insider access to special offers or product exclusives). Beyond that, you could include gifts, special discounts (i.e., completion discounts are especially popular), and more. While you may feel competitive pressure to act, remember that a small investment during this process can pay back in a big way into the future – beyond the sales generated by the initial gift list to ongoing loyalty/future shopping and potentially access to new customers (their gift givers).

Keep this in mind and spread your efforts across ‘connecting’ with them as your bandwidth. 

C Is For Communicating In All Channels…

Now, look for every opportunity to get your registry message out there – don’t be shy.  The easiest thing to do (and the most cost effective) is to add a message/hint about registry and gifting in whatever marketing and customer communications you are already doing. Steady mentions will help solidify your role as a gift resource and ‘go-to’ whenever a customer is registry ready.

• Online:  Consider adding a carousel message about events and registry use on your landing page. Alternatively, a more subtle message would be a burst or shout out that highlights a great gift idea with a prompt to register for it.

• In Store:  There are many possibilities here; any and all signage (from posters, hang tags, merchandise displays, and even strategically placed notices and bag stuffers) provide platforms for talking up your registry and gifting expertise.

• Direct-to-consumer communications:  In whatever form(s) you engage with customers, look for ways to talk about your registry service and its benefits. Whether you rely on print, email, social posts, or even advertising programs, messaging about the joy of giving (and getting) the perfect gift for any occasion always resonates.

It’s always even more impactful if you can occasionally dedicate the entire message to your registry and how it helps make gifting so seamless.

And while these tactics can be beneficial to you, the most important thing to remember is just to focus on the ideas that best fit into your specific business priorities, and what can be workload manageable for you. Whatever you choose to do will pay off and keep your registry activity growing.

If you have any questions in particular or want to learn more about managing your registry data, we can always be reached at marketingguru@myregistry.com