“There’s no place like home for the holidays” is a refrain that rings true for the 2020 holiday shopping season. Most of us will be unable to travel to visit family for the holidays. Many people will be staying home for the holidays but shipping gifts across the country.

This unusual holiday shopping season can be a great way for local small businesses to connect with customers who will be traveling less and seeking ways to celebrate at home.

Here are some tips to help you make good connections with your customers.

Survey your customers now

Find out what your customers want and provide it. Spend a little money on a survey tool, such as SurveyMonkey, and send your customers a short survey. Ask what products or services they want most for the holidays. What products are they having trouble finding? What hours of operation would work best for them?

Keep your survey short and geared to deliver insights into your customer’s wants.

Communicate

Be open about what your brand offers and how you operate across as many platforms as possible. Be sure you have any holiday specials and updated hours on your website.

Use social media to promote your holiday sales, holiday hours, and new products. Take the time to create an email campaign. Let your customers know what new items you have for the holidays and any other information they need to know to enhance their holiday shopping experience with you.

Use your Google My Business listing so customers can find your store, see when you’re open, and contact you directly. Google My Business is a wonderful, free tool every storefront business should use.

Consider kits

With so many customers staying home, businesses that can deliver supplies for at-home merriment will be busy. See if your business can tie in a crafting class, handmade gift-giving, holiday decorating theme into your holiday business schedule.

Kits can be a welcome all-in-one resource for many shoppers. Can your brand offer one?

Help your customers celebrate the upcoming holidays in their own way.