November is here and that means that the holiday season is right around the corner. Some may not consider the season to officially start until Black Friday, but it would be wise to start your holiday prep as soon as possible. Here are just a few tips to help you with your holiday prep!
Review Past Holiday Seasons
One of the best things for holiday prep is reflection. What did your business do well over past holiday seasons? What did you try out that wasn’t as successful as you would have wanted? Hopefully something stands out, and you already know what you want to repeat from before. That’s a great place to start building to a successful holiday season.
Turn Customer Service Up a Notch
Because the holidays are such a busy time, many people can become grumpy from all the shopping and running around. They’re on edge, and one bad customer service experience can stop this experience from being the joyful occasion it’s supposed to be. Part of your holiday prep should be reinforcing the customer experience your employees are giving out. This will really keep your customers cheerful.
Decorate and Organize Strategically
This is a part of holiday prep that many people take part in, and truly enjoy. Decorating is another great way to increase your customer happiness. It’s also the perfect time to reorganize your storefront a bit. Take some time to put the items you really want customers to see in the best spots. Make it a themed and festive display to really attract their attention.
Plan Out your Promotions
Black Friday? Cyber Monday? 12 days of Christmas? Many stores offer special deals around these days, but are they right for you? Think about what will bring in those extra customers, looking for holiday deals. Do you sell something that would make a great gift? Maybe give a gift card as a bonus after the customer has spent so much. The possibilities are endless, but you need to plan what’s right for your business during the holiday prep.
Consider Special Marketing
If your business has a strong social media presence, now is a great time to up your marketing game. Try posting holiday-themed pics to gain extra ‘likes’ and ‘followers’. Maybe even consider theming some of the other marketing you send out – changing things up can really catch a customer’s eye!
Think Long Term
Holiday prep can be a stressful time, and a time that business really increases. But when it all comes down to it, it’s just a few months out of the year. The real goal should be to bring customers back when the season is over. Bring new customers in with your holiday promotions, but keep them returning with your top-notch customer service. Using the holidays to tweak your methods can be successful – but you have to have more than just that in mind.