Preparing Your Business for This Holiday Season
nnnn
It’s upon us – the Holiday Season! Frantic marketing, discount sales planning, festive decor, events, AND making time for our families and personal well-being. Business owners have a lot on their plate in general, but Holidays can throw a wrench in even the most well-oiled process if it isn’t planned and executed well – we can help with the planning AND the funding!
Now, before the holidays get hectic, is the perfect time to plan ahead for success. Many experienced business owners start this planning process in June or July! Don’t worry, if you waited too long, or just started your business, you can still get your affairs in order with our quick guide to the basics to get you through this season and prepare you for the next:
1. Order supplies
nnnnCheck last year’s orders to anticipate how much of basic supplies you’ll need, whether that’s shipping supplies and packaging, paper towels and toilet paper for your restrooms, or branded gift cards for holiday shoppers. If this is your first year in business, your network may be able to guide you through your first holiday ordering season. Remember to order soon to avoid rush shipping charges later in the season. Being prepared can help you meet your customers’ needs with ease.
2. Holiday Schedules
nnnnIf you didn’t already plan this out, now’s the time to determine your holiday operating hours (make sure to update social media platforms with these as well). Will you be open longer than usual? Do you plan to close your business for a few days? Be sure to tell your staff about holiday hours, and explain your expectations of them during the holiday season. Ask your team to request any holiday time off by a certain date, so you can plan employee schedules accordingly.
3. Extra Inventory / Staff
nnnnThe last thing you want is to run out of product or staff at a time with such a high sales opportunity. Anticipate holiday orders by manufacturing additional product or placing orders with your vendors. Your suppliers are under their own pressure, and they may have ordering deadlines to get product to you in time for the holidays. Mark these deadlines on a calendar you can see easily so these ordering deadlines don’t pass you by. If your business provides a service, make sure you have extra staff on standby if needed, or backup vendors to make sure everything runs flawlessly.
4. Holiday Website Format
nnnnGive your business website a once-over to make sure it’s ready for a busy holiday season. Is the design tidy and easy to use? Can customers easily find your most popular products or services? Does your ecommerce checkout work smoothly? Are your holiday hours updated? If you’re the person who works on your website most often, hand this task to a staffer or a trusted friend. They’ll be able to spot the issues you might miss.
5. Get Festive!
nnnnEven if you feel like the Grinch when it comes to holidays, add a little extra flair to help stand out from the crowd during this busy season. Your whole team can get involved: plan a late-night or early-morning decorating party. Order takeout for your team, play festive music (or regular music, for the Grinches among us), and transform your business in a matter of hours. Remember to check corners for cobwebs and dust your fixtures to help your merchandise shine.
6. Holiday Marketing
nnnnWhy will customers want to spend time at your small business this holiday season? What makes you unique? Determine the answer, and build a marketing campaign around it. Maybe you have the best selection in town. Maybe your pumpkin spice desserts are coveted all year long. Maybe your customer service can solve any shopping conundrum. Build your holiday marketing about what makes your business stand out from the crowd.
Don’t forget to plan for Small Business Saturday on November 30th! Kick off the Holiday Season by adding your business to the Shop Small map now, and take advantage of free promotional materials available to small businesses. More than 112 million customers reported shopping on this day celebrating small businesses last year!
Bigger Budgets are Necessary for the Holidays!
With all the preparation, you have to factor in the budget. Why? Because you have to spend money to make money, and the Holiday Season is all about utilizing the increase to your best interest. Marketing pushes, extra inventory, extra staffing, emergency funding – it’s all part of an effective Holiday strategy. Apply with us today to see what type of cushion we can provide for the holidays!
Looking to Start a Business?
With the opportunities for small businesses booming, why wait another moment. What else is keeping you down? Financial restraints have been a complaint for many of the dreamers, limiting themselves to their immediate funds. There is an alternative. If you have the dreams and decent credit, Small Business Loans and No Doc Loans are available to you. Our goal is to provide you with the knowledge you need and the resources available to make your dream a reality. Give us a call – we have the education and the perspective to help you obtain the loans you need for your small business. Visit our website or give us a call to find out what financial backing is available to make your business soar!
Unsecured Finances has over 10 years in the consulting business! We specialized in educating and assisting clients on acquiring Unsecured Business Loans and Start-Up Business Specialty Loans including; Unsecured No Documentation (No-Doc Stated Income) Loans, Unsecured Business Loans, and Unsecured Start-Up Business Loans and Lines of Credit from $10,000 to $500,000 without Assets.
nnnnApply on our website to find out if you qualify, or call today for a free consultation: 1-888-294-2584
