As the holidays approach, small businesses need to start thinking about their holiday strategy. There are a number of reasons why a small business should have a holiday strategy. First, the holidays are a busy time for consumers and businesses alike. This means that there is increased competition for consumers' attention and dollars. Conveyance Marketing Group notes that a small business needs to have a plan for how they are going to stand out from the competition and drive holiday sales. 

Secondly, the holidays are a time when many people are traveling and spending time with family, which can make it difficult to get customers into your store. A holiday strategy can help you attract customers who may be in town visiting family or friends. Finally, the holidays can be a challenging time for businesses due to increased expenses such as staffing, inventory, and marketing. A holiday strategy can help you control these costs and ensure that your business is profitable during the holiday season. Keep reading for more tips from the Glendora Chamber of Commerce.

Creating a Strong Holiday Marketing Strategy

One of the first things you'll want to do is revisit your marketing strategy for the holidays. This may involve creating new marketing materials such as holiday-themed flyers and posters, or simply giving your existing marketing materials a festive makeover. You'll also want to make sure that your website and social media platforms are ready for the holidays. This means creating holiday-themed content and making sure that your contact information and hours of operation are up-to-date.

Creating a Memorable Holiday Storefront Display

SpeedPro points out that another important step in preparing your small business for the holidays is having holiday-specific signage, as well as creating a window display or decorating your storefront. This will not only make your business more visible to potential customers, but it will also help create a festive atmosphere that will make shoppers want to spend more time—and money—in your store. When it comes to decorating your storefront, less is more. A few well-placed decorations will do the trick; there's no need to go overboard.

Hiring Experienced Seasonal Staff

If you don't already have seasonal staff, it's time to start thinking about recruiting them. The holiday season is one of the busiest times of year for businesses, so it's important to have enough staff to meet customer demand. When hiring seasonal staff, be sure to give preference to those who have experience working in customer service or retail environments.

Anticipating Those Last-Minute Shoppers

No matter how well you plan, there will always be some shoppers who wait until the last minute to buy their holiday gifts. Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to appeal to these last-minute shoppers to your small business. One way is to offer gift wrapping services. This will save shoppers time and hassle, and it will give them one less thing to worry about during what is already a busy and stressful time of year. Another way to attract last-minute shoppers is to offer discounts and promotions. This could be anything from giving a percentage off purchases made with cash or offering free shipping on orders over a certain amount.

Creating an Affordable Gift Guide Using PDFs

PDFs are a versatile and affordable option for businesses looking to create a holiday gift guide. PDFs can be easily created using a variety of software programs, and they can be emailed or posted online for customers to view. What’s more, if a PDF file size is too large or takes too long to send via email or posted on social media, you can separate out pages by splitting the document into smaller, more manageable sections. 

PDFs are also print-friendly, so businesses can include them in direct mailings or insert them into newspapers and magazines. Best of all, PDFs are low-cost to produce, so businesses can create a professional-looking gift guide without emptying their wallets. With a little creativity and some basic design skills, businesses can use PDFs to create a holiday gift guide that will impress customers and drive sales.

With so much at stake, it's crucial that small businesses have a solid strategy for making the most of the holiday season. Some things to keep in mind as you start preparing your small business for the holidays include updating your marketing approach, decorating your storefront, hiring seasonal staff, attracting last-minute shoppers, and creating an affordable PDF gift guide. By following these tips, you'll be on your way to having a successful holiday season.

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