5 Tips to Get Holiday Ready
5 Tips to Get Holiday Ready
The sleigh bells are officially ringing, and the holiday season is HERE! As a small business owner, this means GO-TIME, because the holidays are often your busiest, most profitable time of year. And if we’re being honest, there’s a lot of pressure and planning that goes into making sure you’re ready! I know firsthand what it’s like to jump into the races of holiday sales thinking “Well, here goes nothin’!
And while you certainly can’t let perfection be the goal, there are things you can do to be as ready as possible! After countless holiday seasons as a maker and small business owner, I’ve learned just about all there is to know about successfully getting through the crazy days ahead. My biggest piece of advice? Just do your best! Below, I’ll share 5 Tips to Get Holiday Ready, but at the end of the day, remember that you can only do so much. Remember to give yourself grace, expect some mess-ups, and plan to do better next year! Most importantly, focus on being as present as possible. Because sure, this time of year is hectic. But it’s also full of beautiful inspiration - so don’t forget to look up and take it all in!
In my world, checklists are a lifesaver. So here are 5 Tips to Get Holiday Ready:
Get your social plan locked and loaded. Honestly, is there anything worse than being in the midst of a crazy selling season, just to remember that you haven’t planned any social media content for the month? Just because you’re busy, the holidays are NOT a time to go silent on social - so get ahead! Spend a few hours or even a day (whatever it takes) to plan out your entire social calendar through at least January. Remember, posting less is better than not posting at all. It’s also a great time to consider bringing in seasonal support like a college student who can respond to messages, post on your behalf, etc!
Prep your space. Remember, the holidays are most certainly the time to expect a rush of orders! So avoid the need to scramble put together products, organize inventory, etc. Prepping your workspace in a way that will allow you to send orders efficiently is sure to lower your stress levels, and it will also allow you to take care of your customers in a timely manner. And hey, if you’re offering any sort of “bundles” or “gift boxes” during the holidays, go ahead and put those together in advance. Taking them apart if they don’t sell is a way better option than rushing to put them together in order to fulfill an order!
Consider the reaction you want your customers to have when they receive your product. This comes down to what I believe to be one of the most important things you can do - quality packaging. And while branded tissue paper and high-end materials are great, even something as simple as a plain colored package and a handwritten note can make all the difference. Do your best to avoid USPS shipping envelopes/boxes. In a nutshell, there are simple and cost-effective ways to make your customers feel special and glad that they invested in your company from the second their eyes see the package. PS - stocking up on special wrapping, etc is a great way to save money in the long run.
Prepare for last-minute gift card purchases. We’re probably ALL guilty of being the person who waits until the last minute to buy a gift. So if we’ve done it, there are sure to be customers who want to buy a gift card at the very last second! Be ready for them by making sure the process for purchasing a gift card is clearly communicated in multiple areas like on your website, in your IG bio, etc. Because what you DON’T want to happen is lose business because someone couldn’t figure out how to buy a gift card, so they went somewhere else. Gift cards are an incredible way to yes, increase profits, but also to bring in new customers (the recipient) who might not have known about you before!
Make sure you’re taking care of YOU! Trust me - I know you probably want to blow this one off right away. But keeping a healthy mindset and taking care of yourself during such a high-pressure season is so important. We’re in a unique time of life, with the threat of recession in the air, and the lingering effects of a pandemic still hanging around. So remember to ground yourself daily. This might sound a little “woo woo”, but things as simple as going for an afternoon walk, writing down what you’re grateful for, and connecting with friends can make all the difference for your mindset. Want to know my biggest tip on this topic? Go ahead and schedule a time post-holiday season for you to have a FULL DAY to yourself. Whether this means a full-on spa day or just a quiet day at home, schedule it now! You work so hard and you deserve the time to recoup.
So off you go! Whether this is your very first holiday season as a small business owner, or you’ve been doing it for what feels like forever, I hope these tips will help you prepare and feel empowered to make this the best holiday season yet!
The holidays are the PERFECT time to start selling your products in stores. Want to learn more/see if you’re ready? Click here to watch the replay of my most recent Masterclass!
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