The Christmas holiday season they say is the time of year when companies move from the red into the black. And every year it seems like we hear the news media spouting off another huge dollar figure and celebrating the success of online sales. With so many people looking to spend money around Christmas it's imperative you do everything in your power to catch as much of that spending on your site as possible. So here are 5 ways to increase sales from your website around Christmas.

1. Accept the forms of payment people are using online. 

This is so basic but yet often overlooked. To capture the most holiday spending on your website you'll need more than just PayPal. PayPal is great but many purchasers are hesitate to navigate away from your site or setup a PayPal account in order to make a purchase. A website builder like WebStarts.com offers built in payment processing so you can start accepting Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover instantly. Accepting those forms of payment is sure to increase conversion rates.

2. Include a holiday logo on your site.

The internet is full of ghost towns, websites that's haven't been updated in years. Nobody wants to risk spending money with a website if they're not sure if anyone is on the other end. Putting a custom holiday logo on your website let's your shoppers know the site is active and they can send their money without risk.

3. Have a Christmas email campaign.

Just like with a website a relevant email campaign with a holiday themed email campaign helps shoppers understand someone is behind the scenes working at your online business. Sending emails is the highest converting form of advertising and you'll find people are eager to open those emails and find the best deals around the holidays.

The WebStarts Shopping Cart includes an email marketing suite that will let you send both scheduled follow up emails and broadcasts to your list. So if you don't already have an email campaign setup, one can be started in a matter of minutes.

4. Give away something to your customers.

Tis the season for giving and you shouldn't be the exception. Giving your customers something for Christmas is an excellent opportunity to build rapport, brand loyalty, and thank them. You don't have to give them something huge, in fact if possible give them something that will encourage them to spend more money on your site. Here's a short list of gift ideas that cost virtually nothing but may be appreciated by your customers.

• A discount on your products or services.
• An ebook sharing valuable knowledge about a relevant subject.
• An app or media they may find entertaining. 
• A swag bag of promotional materials like stickers and t-shirts.
• A funny or interesting photo of you and your team.

5. Increase your activity on social media.

Around the holidays more people are sharing photos and memories with loved one's across social media. Don't let your business go unnoticed. Be sure to share plenty of interesting things on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Always be sure to link back to your site or mention your brand in each post.