The 2023 holiday season is a great time for retailers to boost their sales and engage with current and new customers. To ensure your business is ready to capitalize on this opportunity, it's essential to prepare. In this blog post, we'll share key strategies for preparing your retail business for the upcoming holidays.
Holiday Hours
Consider extending your store's operating hours to accommodate late-night shoppers and early birds.
Clearly communicate your holiday hours on your website, social media, and at your physical location.
Shipping and Delivery
Offer free shipping to incentivize online shopping.
Clearly communicate an order by date to guarantee delivery.
Provide free local delivery to cater to customers in your immediate area.
Inventory Management
Prepare inventory orders in advance and follow up with your suppliers and vendors to ensure you have sufficient stock of popular products.
Verify that your inventory is accurately updated on your website in real time.
Order gift cards. These are great gifts for all those last-minute shoppers.
Optimize Your Website
Ensure easy navigation to help customers find products quickly.
Feature top-selling items prominently.
Verify that prices are accurate and updated.
Check and activate any applicable discount codes.
Test the checkout process to identify and fix any issues.
Check and activate any applicable discount codes.
Store Atmosphere
Create an inviting ambiance in your physical store and in your online store.
Play holiday music in-store and use festive décor.
Use light scents or seasonal fragrances to enhance the shopping experience.
Holiday Marketing Campaign
Develop a cohesive marketing campaign to use across all channels.
Consider using holiday-themed visuals and colors for your branding, displays, and messaging.
Plan and schedule your marketing efforts in advance to build anticipation.
Important Calendar Dates
Be sure to send emails and share on your social platforms.
Black Friday: November 24, 2023
Consider offering a percent discount on our entire store or a deep discount on a certain product or category.
Small Business Saturday: November 25, 2023
Plan and prepare a special promotion or event for Small Business Saturday, which focuses on supporting local businesses.
Promote your participation in this event well in advance to attract customers.
Cyber Monday: November 27, 2023
Consider offering a percent or a dollar-off discount on the entire store.
We recommend running this promotion for the entire week to entire new and existing customers.
Another option is to offer a gift with a purchase over a certain dollar amount.
Last Day for free shipping: Typically falls on December 15
Verify with your shipping service when their guaranteed arrival timeframes are for holiday orders.
Factor in circumstances that may be out of your control like inclement weather or other situations that may result in your items not reaching customers in time.
By meticulously preparing for the holiday season, you can enhance your sales, customer experience, and brand loyalty. Make sure your business is well-equipped to meet the demands of the holiday rush and stand out among the competition. With the right planning and execution, your holiday sales can become a season of great success!
Need support planning for your holiday season?
Reach out to us and we can advise you on what will have the greatest positive impact on your sales. Schedule a growth strategy call today!