With the way 2020 has been, it’s hard to believe the holiday season is almost here. In a few short weeks, stores and websites will be decked out festive decor. This is a great opportunity to impress your clients and customers with your style and enthusiasm.
Train everyone
If you need to hire seasonal help for the holidays, make sure they know how your business runs. Marla Tabaka of Inc. points out a temporary employee telling a customer the wrong thing is a sure way to stress people out. While it can be difficult to pass on years of knowledge in such a short period of time, try to give everyone resources about return policies, gift receipts, and other common concepts. This is also a good opportunity to remind everyone on staff that sometimes it’s better to ask for the answer instead of faking it.
Make things easier
It’s hard to say what this holiday shopping season will look like, thanks to COVID-19 and social distancing. If you work in retail, consider ways you can make life easier for your customers as they try to balance safety with tradition. If possible, implement a curbside pickup option and easier ways for clients to see what you have on hand. Consider expanded shipping options as well to save them trips to the crowded post office. Regardless of how you move products from your facility to the final recipients, Jenny Beightol of HubSpot suggests upgrading your packing material to make pickups and deliveries extra festive. This could include a holiday theme, boxes printed and ready to slide under the tree or free gift-wrapping options.
Offer specials
Your retail business will probably see some of the best income of the year from October to January, according to Sujan Patel of Entrepreneur. Everyone will be trying to catch your customers’ eyes, and you need to do something drastic to draw them in. Patel recommends rolling out your most outrageous deals in this period. This includes drastic price cuts or including accessories for free with purchase of other things. Besides catching shoppers’ attention, if you choose products that you think will be outdated soon or that you don’t want to hang on to, Patel points out sales like this can help clear your inventory so you can bring on product in the new year.
Watch your wording
When you’re advertising your great deals, it’s all about how you present them. Beightol recommends presenting your deal as a savings instead of dollars off. For example, “a ‘Get $ Off’ promotion emphasizes achieving a gain, while the ‘Save $’ wording emphasizes avoiding a loss – and customers recognize that difference.” The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy has put a strain on finances as well, so make sure you emphasize how your products or sales items can improve a client’s lifestyle, if possible.
2020 has been a roller coaster ride for everyone, and the holiday season is a chance to rest and take stock of what’s important. With just a few changes to your business during this time, you can show your customers how much you care and truly impress them.