The holiday season is a key “make it or break it” time for small businesses. Constellation notes that many businesses rely on the holiday shopping rush to generate a large portion of their annual revenue. That's why it's so important to have a solid strategy in place to make the most of the holiday season.
There are a few key areas that you'll need to focus on to make sure your small business is prepared for the holidays. These include decorating your store, hiring additional staff, revising your marketing strategy, and creating a budget-friendly gift guide. Let's take a closer look at each of these areas courtesy of the guide below from the Higgins Lake-Roscommon Chamber of Commerce.
Add Some Holiday Decor
One of the first things you'll need to do to get your small business ready for the holidays is to start decorating your store. This will help create a festive atmosphere that will attract shoppers and get them in the mood to spend.
To get started, take a look at your store's layout and decide where you want to put up holiday decorations. You'll also need to think about what kind of decorations you want to use. There are a variety of options available, from traditional items like garland and lights to more unique options like inflatable snowmen and life-size nutcrackers.
Once you've decided on your decorations, it's time to start putting them up. If you're doing it yourself, be sure to take proper safety precautions. If you're hiring someone to do it for you, be sure to get an estimate in writing so there are no surprises later on.
Bring on Necessary Seasonal Help
Another important part of getting your small business ready for the holidays is hiring additional staff. Vend points out that this will help ensure that you have enough people on hand to handle the increased customer traffic during this busy time of year.
When hiring additional staff, be sure to take into account the skills and experience they will need to be successful in their roles. For example, if you're looking for someone to work in your store, they should have good customer service skills and knowledge about your products and services.
It's also important to give yourself enough time to find the right candidates. Start advertising your open positions at least one month before you need someone to start working. This will give you plenty of time to review resumes and conduct interviews so you can find the best person for the job.
Give Your Marketing Plan Some Added Attention
Your marketing strategy also needs to be revised for the holidays. This is because people are bombarded with marketing messages from all sides during this time of year and they can quickly become overwhelmed and tune out anything that isn't relevant to them.
To cut through the noise, focus on creating targeted marketing campaigns that speak directly to your ideal customer's needs and wants during this holiday season. For example, if you sell products that would make great gifts, create ads and social media posts that highlight this fact. You can also offer special deals and discounts that will entice people to shop with you instead of your competition. Just be sure not to discount your prices too much as this could erode profits margins and impact your bottom line negatively.
Make a PDF Gift Guide for Budget-Minded Shoppers
If you want to create a budget-friendly gift guide without breaking the bank, consider using PDFs. They're an easy and affordable way to create high-quality guides that can be emailed or downloaded from your website. All you need is this free PDF editor, along with some great photos and compelling text, and voila—you have an instant gift guide!
Make a Difference in Your Community
'Tis the season of giving, and what better way to show some holiday cheer than by giving back to the local community? There are many ways for businesses of all sizes to give back, whether it's through donations, volunteering, or running special promotions. Not only will this make you feel good, but it'll also help attract customers who appreciate businesses that give back.
As you can see, there are many different things that small businesses need to take into consideration when preparing for the holiday season. By taking care of these key areas, you'll be well on your way to making the most out of this festive time of the year.
The Higgins Lake-Roscommon Chamber of Commerce champions our community’s economic and cultural growth through networking, events, and advocacy. Become a member today!
