Life comes with certainties. The sun will rise tomorrow in the east. The government will tax your income. And last-minute holiday shoppers will flood stores in the days right before Christmas.

For small businesses, it’s a chance to get another quick boost to holiday sales as the season draws to a close.

But how do you attract those customers driven by desperation to quickly find a gift? Consider some of the following options.

Make It Easy For Holiday Shoppers

Last-minute Holiday shoppers don’t have time on their side. They likely are panicking. They want the ability to run into a store, grab what they need and run out again. They want a clear selection of choices. Consider grouping the selections by product type or by the intended recipient (Mom, wife, children, etc.). Make it easy for last-minute holiday shoppers and you will reap the rewards.

Offer A Gift Card

Gift cards bridge the gap between having to find a gift or simply handing someone money. Since handing out money is frowned upon (by some), a gift card is a wonderful way to go. It gives people the chance to buy from a store they like, but pick out what they want. This also falls into the “make it easy” category.

If your business offers a gift card, now is the time to promote it like crazy. Use email, social media, advertisements – whatever works best with your business budget. Grateful customers will respond.

Mobile Friendly

If you are looking for something quickly, where do you go? Your smartphone, of course. Last-minute Christmas shoppers will wake up the day or two before Christmas and immediately start searching for what they need. Make sure your business site has great content and also is mobile friendly.

Create Holiday Content

Want to show up on searches for Christmas gifts? Want to provide consumers with relevant content that ties into what you offer for the holidays? Of course you do. That’s why creating content for your website around the holidays is a smart move.

Social Media

Honestly, using social media is a clever idea for marketing during any time of the year. But at the holidays, you will want to create content specifically on what you offer as a potential gift. And maybe link to that great holiday content on your website. Social media has more reach than most other methods. Last-minute holiday shoppers will turn to it in their time of need.

Each year, there are millions of last-minute shoppers. As part of your holiday marketing plan, make sure to have something special ready to catch their attention as Dec. 25th draws closer.