The coming months will bring lots of new registry activity, from babies and birthdays to spring weddings and graduations to summer moves that will be here before you know it. Since we don’t want you (and your registry) to miss a beat, here are some quick marketing tips to help you make the most of those opportunities. In the coming months, we’ll share even more!

Maintaining Momentum

We’re big believers in building on the momentum already in place. Right now, that’s engagement season. For all of you partners with products that make great gifts for couples starting their lives together, this is your time. As excited couples plan for their big day, a flurry (and not the snowy kind!) of registry creation will begin. That’s your cue to remind customers that you, your registry, and your product assortment are there to create their dream gift list.

Gift registries, and the way they make it easy for registrants to let family and friends know just what they want, perfectly support the idea of “happily ever after.” Registrants are happy to have an easy way to share the gifts they want, while gift givers are happy to avoid the stress of shopping — and you, the retailer, are happy to have satisfied customers and a low return rate.

Of course, registries are not only for weddings. (We shared a handy calendar of yearly registry events in our January blog.)

Below, we offer three tips that will keep your registry service active throughout the year. Refer to them often as you tweak your gifting theme.

Tip #1: Maintain a spotlight on your registry

You added a gift registry — now make it part of your everyday business. Advertise your gift registry the same way you play up the other great products and services you offer. Include it as part of your marketing with a simple mention or tagline in your customer communications, advertising, and signage, to let customers know it’s there whenever they’re ready to use it.

● In stores, look for ways to mention your registry on posters, banners, product hang tags, or bag stuffers. Something as simple as a sign in a pretty frame at checkout points can work as well.

● Online, add a burst or banner around top-selling items to keep the idea of gift registry top of mind.

After you weave gift registry messaging into relevant marketing plans, turn your attention to the customers who will be using your registry. To start simply, consider these types of programs:
● A communications plan (for example, an email campaign) targeted to registry users.
● A few examples of ways to engage are:
     o Registrants: Connect with them in a personal way:
        ▪ Say thank you or congratulations when they set up their registry.
        ▪ Stay in touch in the time leading up to their event by sharing new product arrivals they might want to add to their registry or offering tips for managing their registry.     

(Want to know more? Contact us at marketingguru@myregistry.com.)

        ▪ For major events like a wedding or new baby, another note of congratulations will be greatly appreciated. Offering to help review and manage any loose ends with their  registry will win loyalty points too.
      o Gift Purchasers: Follow up with these customers as well. They’ll be pleasantly surprised if you acknowledge their gifting with a thank you, and even happier if you also share an offer to shop for themselves. Our research shows that many of these gifters will be first-time customers who’ll turn into regulars.

Tip #2: Weave gifting and registry into your merchandising stories

Tie in trending topics and products. Talk up “must-have” items, and then invite customers to add them into their lives by putting them on their registry list. Current trends we’re seeing include:

● Making life easier: Share products that will help your customers stay organized, save time, or entertain with flair.
● Doing it yourself: Support customers who want to DIY, or at least do it with style, by showing products that will enhance their homes or gardens.
● Living well: Offer products to help customers keep on track with New Year’s resolutions to stay fit, healthy, and active all year.

Tip #3: Create registry materials and content that entice customers and give them another reason to love your gift service

● Regularly update your look to be seasonally appropriate. Consider the new 2020 “it color” — Classic Blue, according to Pantone — and refresh signs, banners, and content in stores and online.
● Review your content. Show your commitment to being a helpful resource as gifts are selected, and talk up the special perks and benefits you offer to registry users (be it product exclusives, special discounts, or completion programs). In other words, make them feel special.
● Highlight services that are always available to your customers, from special shipping offers and gift wrap to hassle-free returns. Amenities like these are especially appreciated during gifting times.

Your registry service is your opportunity to shine. Use it brightly!