Holiday season is right around the corner and as many business owners know, it is the busiest time of the year.
The long hours and long lines make it hard to make it through, the more you prepare for the increase in traffic (and increase in revenue) the better. Now, October might seem a bit too early, but a two-month cushion gives you enough time to test out strategies and make changes before the big holiday rush
At Cardiff, we know that it might not be easy, but it’s not impossible either. We understand that business owners need as much help as they can get and that is exactly why we put together a list of easy steps that will make your holiday season a breeze.
- Prep n’ prime!
Planning is your best ally, so taking a hard look at your business and being critical about the state it’s in (staff, equipment and facilities maintenance, stock, etc) is key to coming up with a strategy.
Check up on your business’ health and act on it, figure out a budget, you might want to look into getting a Working Capital loan to hire and train seasonal employees ahead of time or to stock up inventory to get you ready for the busiest time of the year.
- Optimize your online presence.
Consumers are more likely to shop online than ever. Make sure your website and social media are up to date in products and services.
Shoppers don’t want to deal with hard-to-navigate sites or slow load times when visiting your website, they want to find a product, purchase it, and check it off the list. If your website slows them down, they’re going to find a different place to shop. Avoid losing those coveted customers by updating and optimizing your website, once your website is optimized, go one step farther and make it mobile friendly
- Update your information.
Before things get busy, make sure your phone number, address, stock, services, prices, etc are up to date and accurate.
Go through your social media, website, business cards and any other listings your business might have an update any missing or incorrect information. Make it easy for future customers to find you.
- Plan your promos.
Promos, deals, specials, and discounts are a great way to show your customers some love and get people excited about shopping with you. It’s always smart to have a hook to pull people into your shop.
- Advertise wisely.
Know your brand and know your clients. Investing in advertising your business is always a smart thing to do.
9 out of 10 times, consumers will only buy from brands they know and trust, so, how do you get new customers to come your way? The answer is simple: Find what makes your business special and unique and build an advertising plan around it. You don’t need to go all out and advertise on big expensive media, you can start by focusing on a specific product to feature and go from there.
You can use your own business location to do the advertising for you by doing simple things such as changing your window display or your storefront to fit the season.
So what are you waiting for? Start prepping and get the most out of the holiday season now.
