As the holiday season approaches, the wheels inside the heads of marketers no doubt begin to swirl. How can you, as a business owner, capitalize on this period when many eager people live with their wallets open but may get turned off by excess sales calls and emails? Not every marketing approach is suited for this time of year, but there are certainly a few sure to entice customers while giving your sales a boost. Read on for some tips.

Create Urgency through Time-Sensitive Promotions

“Act now!” This is a tried-and-true marketing tactic that can encourage people to buy — and quickly! The gist is that you make a really attractive offer (like a 40 percent discount or free expedited shipping), but only make it available for a short time. This type of perceived scarcity can be all a potential prospect needs to buy your product. Make it even more effective by narrowing the sale to, say, a 48-hour window, and offer this type of incentive sparingly throughout the holiday season. In fact, don’t run more than three of these types of promotions or you’ll run the risk of not being seen as reputable.

Make the Process Easier for Consumers

As we near closer to 2017, people will continue to experience more and more stress. Planning for holiday festivities, travel and gift giving translates into a lot of added pressure for consumers already strapped for time. Do your part by making transactions as easy as possible. If you have a brick-and-mortar store, consider taking the steps now to accept Apple Pay. What if you only have an online presence? Look into partnering with Stripe, which also offers customers a one-click purchasing option. Bottom line: Don’t let cumbersome transactions stand in the way of a potential purchases.

Use Content to Give Value (and Attract New Customers)

It’s no secret content marketing can be effective in business. However, the trick is adopting a strategy that creates value for customers and prospects. As we approach the holiday season, consumers look for anything to make their lives easier. Consumers seek personalized options that reflect their unique style. As part of crafting an impactful holiday marketing strategy, consider how products like those allowing you to design your own holiday photo card can cater to this desire for customization and add seasonal appeal. So, what can you do to cultivate energy around your products or services and create raging fans in the process?

Take a page out of other successful companies’ books by creating a guide to give direction to shoppers. For example, Tire Buyer created a buyers’ guide that provides shopping tips for those looking to get the most out of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals with the least amount of hassle. So, what’s the main takeaway here? Tire buyer is proving how timely content can be useful and relevant to consumers, as they and other similar-minded companies can tie all sorts of great advice into holiday themes. Remember, get creative, and make sure to offer substance.

Rethink Upselling; Make it about Pairing

Many businesses are all about the sale, followed by upselling. Did you buy the cell phone? Great; how about a new phone case and car charger, too? This is fine for specific business models, but a different approach works even better this time of year. Instead of merely upselling, think in terms of “pairing.” This will take some extra time on the front end but ultimately delivers more convenience to customers (and should offer more revenue, too).

Companies can achieve this strategy by cobbling gift baskets of similar, complementary items and charging for the basket as a whole. Another idea might be to revamp your store layout (or digital layout) and place items near one another that are similar in theme or function. Either way, this idea lets you connect the dots for customers about which products should be purchased together.

As you gear up for one of the busiest times of the year, remember to start planning out your marketing ideas now. The more thought you put into strategically incorporating the ideas above, the more return you’ll see in sales. Cheers to a holiday bonus!