As your company prepares for the holidays, there is a lot to think about. The holiday season comes with joy and a lot of stress for small business owners. Here is a checklist to help you ensure you make a profit and have a productive season.
Be Ready for the Rush
Preparing for the holiday rush can be a big point of stress for many small business owners. To prepare for the rush, you may need to hire extra help. Consider hiring additional support in your shop or working with Holdingbay for your web design or marketing. In addition to preparing your store, keep track of shipping dates. For example, if you want products to arrive before Christmas here are some important dates to remember.
- Parcelforce Worldwide express48 - deadline is Wednesday 22nd December
- Royal Mail UK 2nd Class & 2nd Class Signed - deadline Saturday 18th December
- Royal Mail 1st Class & 1st Class Signed For - Tuesday 21st December
- For USPS Priority Mail in the USA - follow this link for the deadline for USPS Priority Mail.
As a part of the holiday rush, remember that the holidays are also a giving time. Try to give back to your community through volunteer work, acts of kindness, and charities. Show your community you care and not only will it feel good, but you may draw in more business.
Create a Festive Environment
Eye-catching, beautiful holiday displays are one way to pull customers in during the holidays. Not only does it fill the store with the holiday spirit, but it can bring you more profit. One of the most common ways to decorate your front windows is chalk paint. You can create beautiful designs, and slogans, and it's easy to remove after the holidays. Other simple ideas include garland, hanging ornaments, or a Christmas tree display. Some stores may even choose more elaborate scenes for their front display.
Having a well-designed logo is a part of a good business plan. You can add to your logo through the holiday season to make it more festive. Your logo creates brand awareness and makes an impression on customers. Generally, your logo separates your brand from the rest of the competition. If you do not want to pay for a logo designer, you may want to use an online logo maker to create one of your own. You can choose the style and text and view various fonts and colors for your logo.
Stay Memorable in Your Marketing
Social media is one of the most critical places to focus your marketing. Consider hiring freelancers for your holiday marketing. Freelancers tend to be more flexible and consistent with their creativity. To market for the holidays, create holiday-related web content to promote yourself. For example, you can hire a TikTok agency to draw people in through the popular social media app. Find TikTok agencies through online job boards to analyze costs and reviews.
Surveys show that about 79% of shoppers leave their holiday shopping until the last two weeks of Christmas. Of those shoppers, about 35% will wait until the previous week. Consider directing your marketing towards these shoppers. A gift guide makes shopping easier and may also attract customers to your business. Create your day of sales aside from Black Friday and Cyber Monday to help those looking for gifts in the days leading up to Christmas. Another option to offer is expedited shipping to help gifts arrive on time.
Most people need more time to shop during the holidays. With more shoppers, you may want to consider holiday hours for the season. Holiday hours impact your business by boosting your sales and attracting customers who need to shop outside of typical business hours.
The holiday shopping season is a lucrative time for businesses. To ensure you are ready for the rush, keep a checklist. Preparation and marketing are critical to making the most out of the season.
Article submitted by Daisy Jones, Safest Baby
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