Preparing for the Holidays! 

The holiday season is right around the corner and preparing your business for this season starts now! It is best to prepare early to ensure you take full advantage and make the most of this time of year. Here are some tips on how you can better prepare your business for this upcoming holiday season: 

1. Hire extra help: You may need seasonal help! Around this time of year, it is necessary to have sufficient staffing coverage. It is best to start looking for people to hire as soon as possible to start determining who those strong employees are who are going to aid in the success of the company. 

2. Set staff schedule in advance: It is beneficial to determine who is available to work in advance. Make sure you schedule more help around your busiest times. Figuring out how much help you will need based on past years’ busyness and allowing your employees to have an early understanding when they are required to work avoids misconceptions and frustration about working around the holidays.  

3. Review and upgrade technology: Around 80% of the population does their shopping online, so it is especially important to make sure all your online technology is working efficiently and effectively to ensure your online shoppers have no trouble. Make sure your website is ready for an increase in traffic. Run tests before big shopping days and make sure to have a plan if something goes wrong. 

4. Stand out: To stand out against competing businesses around the holiday season, you need to promote your unique products or services. Determine what makes your company stand out and highlight that. Maybe using a creative hashtag for giveaways or events to draw more attention to your company. You could support a charity, or have a festive campaign, or have a booth at a local event. Going beyond what your competitors are doing will bring more attraction to your business. 

5. Post on socials: It is important to update your social media with events and deals for the holiday season. This keeps your company fresh in your customers’ minds. If you have an email list, be sure to send regularly scheduled updates through that platform. Also, it is advantageous to figure out holiday hours in advance and post those on your socials. This will again put your business in the front of your customers’ brains and remind them of your schedule.   

6. Plan inventory needs early: To avoid supply chain mishaps and ensure customer needs are met, determine how much money is needed to allot to holiday inventory. Review the number of sales from prior years to help anticipate the amount of inventory you need to purchase. Also consider avoiding inventory that will only be purchased during the holiday. To make sure no money and products are being wasted, invest in goods that can be sold year-round. 

7. Battle plan for food services: If you have a food service, it is important to put together a plan in advance to have an idea of inventory and staff needed. This will ensure catering and other food services run smoothly and effectively. The holiday season is busier than most with parties and events, so making sure there’s organization is vital to your business’s success. If you have catering services, make sure to promote that through your social media.