Gift guides are the perfect way to advertise your products and provide helpful information for your customers. They’re very versatile, and you can use them as part of a social media campaign, a blog post on your website or even as part of your monthly newsletter. (Learn more about newsletters here)

Customer profiles

Customer profiles come in handy when putting together gift guides, as you can go in on details and specifics. Think about the different sub-categories of customers that your products would be suitable for and include this information in your guide. This could be different age groups, hobbies etc. This is also a great time to look at your competition and how they separate the various groups within their gift guides.

Themed Lifestyle shots

Refresh your product images by creating lifestyle shots that are themed. A great prop for these images is wrapping paper and the packaging you provide; this is a great way to encourage your customers to imagine giving your products a gift or even receiving them. Clear professional photos are key to really selling your products.

Use stunning graphics

Programmes like Canva and adobe illustrator are great for putting together an attractive gift guide. Having good graphics makes the gift guide much more inviting and will encourage your audience to read on. You can utilise Canvas templates to put together your photos and text to create fun and exciting newsletters that won’t get put in the junk folder.

Plan ahead of time

Keep a list of holidays celebrated with gifts. This can vary in different countries, so it would be a good idea to cover all bases if you do ship worldwide. You’ll also want to get your gift guides out ahead of time to ensure that those who plan in advance get to see your gift guide before making decisions on presents. If you offer next day shipping, it also might be a good idea to re-release these gift guides as “last minute” gift guides just before the holiday and emphasise that you offer next day shipping.

Offer different gift options

People often have a budget in mind when searching for gifts, so offering different budget categories on your gift guide can be very helpful. This could be separated from your smaller “accessories” up to bundles of multiple items.

Think of unique ways to present gifts

There are multiple ways to present your gift guide, whether this is an online pamphlet or blog post. Set yourself apart from the competition, make your gift guide immersive and fun. Buzzfeed has popularised online quizzes, and these can be a fun way to match your customer with the ideal gift. However, it is essential to include a written option, too, as some people may deem this a waste of time.

Overall, your gift guide is an invaluable marketing tool and can suggest products a customer may not think about. It’s important to refresh these every year and ensure you make them seen online.

How will you present your gift guide?

Trying to market your valentines day range? Learn more here.