Most business reports are now suggesting that this holiday’s buying season, already shortened by a late Thanksgiving, may be the slimmest in 35 years. My advice to business owners is to prepare by emphasizing the emotional appeal of choosing the right gift. By generating enthusiasm about the holy grail of the “perfect gift”, as well as how to save money, businesses may pick up some extra capital in the impulse buy.

For example, high-end retailers like jewelers can massage their customers by promoting less expensive selections such as C and customizable earrings. Using emotional language such as “Design the perfect gift!” is an effective strategy for shoppers who are not accustomed to buying jewelry. Bringing in this class of shoppers through advertising mom jewelry is even easier if you own a brick and mortar store in a mall or other highly trafficked area.

This isn’t just for the mall, however. E-commerce stores that promote their personalized gifts (which can include monogramming, etching, digital greetings or even options for personalized gift wrapping) will find that they can buffer their overall weak sales with this untapped consumer market. Usually, shop owners do not give much thought to the marketing of their less-expensive products, and in a thriving marketplace that is sound logic. But in a troubled holiday season like this year, paying attention to “that perfect gift” that usually is an impulse buy for consumers who buy big ticket items is a sound strategy for meeting consumers needs and propping up a eroding profit margin.