5 Ways to Benefit From a Holiday Sales Plan
This article updated from original post in 2021.
Life in 2020 and 2021 were stressful and under numerous lockdowns with government oversight of our lives. Add in the supply chain crisis that began in the Panama Canal, stir in Putin’s War on Ukraine and uncertainty abounds.
Whether you’re an on-premises or online retailer, you need to put together a plan for the Holiday selling season. There are still 5 things you can do to boost your sales
- Let your customers know you’re alive and well.
- Provide encouragement and support for your employees.
- Plant seed of Hope for 2023
- Identify your December offerings
- Use November to emphasize your Gratitude for the positive things in your life.
How can you position your store for success this holiday season?
#1. First, get the word out that you are open for business and how shoppers can enjoy your offerings. If on-premises retailing is your forte, figure out a special for each week between now and Christmas. Make it available on-line as well as in-store. Figure out a way to provide curbside pickup. And reward those customers that visit your in-person store with a special discount or gift.
Some ideas for instore discounts - gift wrap for free, an additional % off, a coupon for a purchase in the first quarter of 2023. Give them a reason to like you and trust you’ll be there in 2023.
#2 Second – Spend time with each of your employees, marketing vendors, social media gurus, whomever is a part of your team. Listen to their story of where they are and find out if they plan on continuing to be part of your team. What will it take to keep them? (This is not the time to train new employees).
#3 – Third - Talk about upcoming shows – new product – how you’d like to hear what they would like to buy. And be clear about your expectations for 2023. Retail Dive talked about shoppers having fewer store visits but when they do go into a physical space they will purchase more – a much more purposeful visit. You want to be able to take advantage of those by listening to their on-line questions and following search queries. Social Listening will be especially important in 2023. If you want to know how to do that, schedule a 30-minute free zoom consultation so we can talk about it.
#4 Fourth – Identify your offerings in 3 price ranges for the Holiday Season.
If you can offer your customers three different price ranges, you’ll help them choose you for their purchase. Make it by price range and have at least 3 special items in each range. Impulse sales will suffer this year, but if you can show the benefits of each item in each level, they’ll buy it if they can afford it.
#5 – Last but not lease - November is the time to express your Gratitude.
Offer key players on your team a Gratitude Journal. Make sure they know how much you appreciate all they do, especially this year. Use the time to write notes to special customers and send them in the mail. Begin to wrap up your journals, financial books, and inventory for end of year work.
Read back through your Business Journal and determine what worked and didn’t, what product sold the best, and which one is a close-out. Write notes to salespeople for the products that did well, tell them what a good year you had with their product and are looking forward to 2023. If supply lines of merchandise get hung up again, they’ll remember you took the time to thank them and be sure you get product in 2023.
During your November summations, begin to think about what you’d like to do in 2023 and how you might go about making that happen. Whether it’s a cash flow issue, staffing concerns, or how to market your business in 2023, now is the time to plan. An overall plan for each quarter will get you started, along with a budget. Somewhere along the line, either in person or virtual trade shows are going to happen . Be ready with your budget so you know what is available for each segment of your offerings.
As we get ever closer to Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, you may be wondering if your business can benefit. Of course, it can, but you’ll need a plan. Need help? A complimentary 30-minute business coaching session could help. Schedule a time here.
Need a Gratitude Journal? Here’s my recommendation.
Just have a question? Post in the comments section below. I’d love to hear from you.