BUSINESS + TECH
THE MINUTE THE LAST HALLOWEEN TRICK-OR-TREATER HAS RUNG YOUR DOORBELL, CHRISTMAS CREEPS UP LIKE AN INCOMING TIDE; IT’ S BEAUTIFUL, IT’ S A LOT OF FUN, BUT IF YOU’ RE NOT PREPARED FOR ITS ARRIVAL, YOU’ LL END UP WITH WET FEET. NEVER IS THIS TRUER THAN WHERE SMALL BUSINESSES- THE GROWTH- FUELLING, PEOPLE-EMPLOYING BACKBONE OF THE ECONOMY- ARE CONCERNED. SEASONAL TRADING CAN MEAN BIG BUSINESS FOR A LOT OF COMPANIES, SO FORWARD-THINKING, TIME AND EFFORT IN PREPARATION FOR THE FESTIVE SEASON SHOULD TRANSLATE INTO HIGHER PROFITS, LOWER STRESS LEVELS AND, WITH ANY LUCK, A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR. BY POLLY HUMPHRIS
Keep on top of Christmas chaos
Christmas strategy, whether that’ s about filling seats, getting feet through the door, or making sure clients remain switched on as end-of-year fatigue sets in, waits for no( wo) man- rumour has it that massive retailers start planning their Christmas window displays in January! So, if Christmas is a particularly busy time for your business, it’ s best to avoid playing catch up. Make sure you have enough stock for extra footfall and then work out whether you need extra resources and / or staff to ensure that any crazed festive crowds can be steered in the right direction. Even if you start to think ahead now, you’ ll still be more prepared than the millions of businesses that choose to wing it every year.
Get ahead with staff holidays
Time off work, simply to eat mince pies, watch every Home Alone film ever made and wash it all down with a Baileys is( for grownups, anyway) the very essence of Christmas, but life goes on and business doesn’ t often come to a complete standstill just so a jolly old man can make it safely down your chimney. This also doesn’ t mean you should shy away from the meticulous planning that is coordinating staff holidays and come over all Scrooge about the situation, however. Ask way ahead of time for staff holiday requests and set a clear deadline for receipt of those requests, so you can work out how to keep everything ticking over while the festivities are in full swing. Don’ t just assume everyone will want time off either; some people are happy to work over the holidays, especially if some extra cash is a possibility, so incentivise your staff with the offer of more money or some time off during quieter months in lieu of hours worked over Christmas.
Spread goodwill( about yourself)
Not every business booms at Christmas of course, and December can be a much slower month depending on the services that you offer. But, this doesn’ t mean you should rest on your laurels- instead, have a think about how you can catch the attention of any prospective customers by shouting about what sets your business apart from everyone else’ s. A determined social media drive just before the holidays can breathe new life into your marketing strategy leaving you at the forefront of your target market’ s mind as they consider with whom they’ ll be placing their custom in the new year.
Spread goodwill( to your customers)
If you have physical‘ halls’, deck them with the most eye-catching decorations you can lay your hands on to entice customers through the door. If not, a Christmas countdown promo on your social media channels, or better still a new year discount perfectly timed for when everyone needs to tighten their purse strings is the ideal gift for clients new and old. Most importantly, say thank you to your loyal customer base, but please, for the love of Saint Nicholas himself, do not send out a generic, mailshotted email. People can sniff out a template that’ s been rushed out from a database very easily and it’ s neither personal, nor worth the effort. It’ s fine to send an email in thanks, but spend a few minutes making it more personal and, for your biggest, most loyal clients, consider sending a card. If you have a shop, a mince pie and some mulled wine during late-night shopping will work wonders.
Plan an office party that works for you
It’ s all very well wanting to throw the party of the year for your fabulous employees, but a West End show followed by dinner at a swanky restaurant, drinks and probably some more drinks is a very expensive night out- especially for small businesses and even more so for remote small businesses who then have to consider the cost of travel and hotels, too. Instead of going for the wow factor, plan a
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