“Oh, shoot! I forgot to get Dad something!” Tons of people have this realization in the last few days running up to Father’s Day, and so do quite a few brands. Similar to how many people treat their dads, marketers may have neglected to give their Father’s Day marketing campaigns the attention they deserve. In the same way that people can get a last-minute gift for Dad that is still meaningful and sincere, they can also implement an effective, relevant Father’s Day campaign even in the final stretch.

In fact, “last minute gift ideas for Dad” is a recurring topic on social media and online during this time. On Google, “Father’s Day gifts” queries always peak in the final week leading up to the third Sunday in June, never before. So, brands are actually doing people a favor when they remind them that it’s not too late to give their dear-old Dad a nod.

Here are some ways that marketers can tap into this sentiment and deliver sales lift even in the final hours before Father’s Day:

Double, Triple-Check Your Local SEO for Business Locations

Since most people don’t want to gamble on their gift coming late, they will look to brick-and-mortar purchases to ensure that their dad has a gift in hand this Sunday. Brands with a local or regional presence must in turn ensure that they have all the right local SEO parameters in place.

Audit your local SEO practices for brick-and-mortar locations by reviewing how your schema markup is configured for store address, business hours and phone number. List your store’s unique local number rather than an 1-800 number or a generic corporate line. Look for redundant store listings, like two locations listed when there should be one, and see if you can merge the listings immediately by removing one or adjusting your schema.

Also, we cannot emphasize enough the value of searching for your company from several devices on both Google and Bing to test what your store listing looks like in results. Many business owners or franchise managers are unaware of issues like incorrect addresses or misspellings because they neglect to look at what their customers will see.

Remind People It’s Father’s Day

It sounds simple, but many people need an explicit verbal reminder that Father’s Day is this Sunday. When executing Father’s Day marketing, ensure your wording on social media posts, your website homepage and SEM campaigns includes reminders for Father’s Day and encourages people through taglines like: “Don’t forget about Dad!”

Use PPC Ads to Promote Your Local Inventory

Google AdWords campaigns can now display local inventory available at your brick-and-mortar store, including a colorful photo and a price listing. These ads grab attention and help last minute gift-getters feel one step closer to having their item in-hand.

Promote a Flexible Return Policy and Free or Next-Day Shipping

More so than the right brand name or item, last-minute shoppers will want to know that the website or business they are buying from will allow Dad to return the gift they got him without any hassle.

Prominently feature your return policy guidelines on your site, including whether or not Dad needs a receipt and whether he has more than 30 days to return the item. Something as simple as a “No Hassle Returns!” guarantee can be the differentiator that wins you business over someone else.

For ecommerce operations, people will be looking for either free shipping or low-cost next day shipping to get Dad his gift quickly and at a reasonable price, so feature these terms prominently on your website and on SEM campaigns.

Switch From Targeting Kids to Dads This Sunday

Recognize that your Father’s Day marketing hardly ends on Father’s Day! Some kids may still be purchasing gifts within the next few days, but chances are even more likely that Dad will want to be buying something of his own choosing!

Whether through a gift card balance or a return resulting in store credit, dads will be looking for ways to treat themselves after Father’s Day ends. Brands should therefore continue targeting dads through SEM, display re-targeting and paid social campaigns. Items like tools, grill accessories and craft beer can give these dads a shopping list for what to do with their well-deserved gift balance.

Start Planning Ahead for Father’s Day Marketing Next Year

The most important lesson is to not get caught off-guard next time! Have SEO strategies in place to confidently compete on SERPs, and test campaigns on SEM and paid display to gradually hone in on the most effective messaging or offers to prompt purchases.

And keep the stragglers in mind, too! If you can plan ahead for helping those who want to buy last minute, you can be the lifeline they need to express to Dad just how much they care, even if they forgot until Saturday morning.

If you need help planning your next big seasonal campaign, you can partner up with an experienced digital marketing agency like Vonazon to deliver effective local SEO practices and tie together all of your campaigns online. Make your marketing work hard for you and put bread on the table, something any father can appreciate!