With about a week until Christmas, you may be brainstorming last-minute sales strategies while there’s still time to ship. With proper planning, you’ve likely already done a great job attracting a steady stream of customers throughout the season, so last-minute shoppers will be simply be icing on the gingerbread!

Last-minute shoppers will always be searching for gifts at the 11th hour – and they may be willing to pay top dollar to avoid visiting the mall. First, you’ll need to decide how much you want to accommodate them. If you value their patronage and think the ROI is worth the effort, try one or more of the 10 strategies below:

Give concrete gift ideas – or assemble a gift guide

There’s a reason why last-minute shoppers wait so long to buy gifts, and one common reason is that they simply don’t know what to get for their loved ones. Consider sharing a gift guide on your social media profiles or via your email marketing. Let’s face it: we’ve all seen (and passed over) countless gift guides. Get creative and specific with your guide, so it can’t be missed!

Put pressure on customers by emailing a shipping calendar

Some shoppers procrastinate without even knowing they’re procrastinating. December passes quickly, and shoppers may not be aware that Christmas is right around the corner! Email your customers a reminder with an easy-to-digest shipping calendar. A visual representation of how much time they have left to shop might be just the thing they need.

Offer free or reduced expedited shipping

If it makes financial sense, consider offering free or reduced-cost expedited shipping, since all the major retailers will be doing it too.

Provide an option for gift wrapping and/or a handwritten note

Someone who’s doing last-minute holiday shopping probably doesn’t want to think about gift wrapping too. Not only does offering a gift wrap option provide your last-minute shoppers with convenience, but it also opens opportunities for branding. Customize gift wrap with your brand colors or attach a gift tag with your logo. When the gift wrap is as beautiful as the gift inside, your customers – and the gift recipients – will remember you and may even share the packaging on their social media profiles.

Push email-friendly gift cards and avoid shipping headaches

If you simply don’t want to deal with holiday shipping, encourage your last-minute shoppers to buy gift cards instead, especially if you have the functionality to email gift cards to recipients. Even better for your business, the best part about gift cards is that “65% of gift card holders spend an extra 38% beyond the value of the card“.

Promote limited-time flash deals exclusively for social media followers

For your social media followers, offer a new promotion every day. For example, do a flash sale on a featured product. When you make it clear that the promotion will only last for a limited time, it could inspire some of those last-minute shoppers to finally seal the deal.

Upsell at the checkout page

Last-minute shoppers likely aren’t just looking for one gift. What if you could make their lives easier by offering an add-on gift idea at checkout? For example, if your shopper spends $500, he or she can also buy a pair of silver earrings for half off the original price. That way, your shopper can buy one other gift without the stress of having to hunt it down!

Include a gift card with purchase

If you promise a gift card for last-minute shoppers who spend more than a minimum amount, the shoppers may be more likely to buy from your store. They may keep the gift card for themselves or give it to another recipient. Either way, the recipient will likely end up spending more than the gift card is worth.

In the Christmas spirit, organize a giveaway

Christmas is an excellent time to exercise your generosity. Organizing a giveaway can help keep your brand top of mind for last-minute shoppers. If they enter your giveaway but don’t win, you can follow up with those shoppers and give them a special holiday promotion for entering.

Remember: shopping doesn’t necessarily end on Christmas

Just because Christmas comes and goes doesn’t mean shoppers won’t still be shopping. Not everyone exchanges gifts on Christmas, and some shoppers might even be shopping for themselves with holiday cash or gift cards. Remember to extend promotions through Christmas and beyond!

Which last-minute holiday marketing strategies have been most successful for your jewelry brand? We’d love to hear about your own experiences.