The best time to start creating a plan for retail success over the holidays was months ago. The second best time is right now. Here are some tips to help you prepare for holiday retail success this year and any year.
Tip #1 – Deck the Halls
A little seasonal spirit goes a long way for retail selling, whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, or another holiday entirely. Decorate your retail space, give your online presence – including your social media profiles and website – a festive makeover, and update your marketing materials, including mailers, fliers, brochures and more, to reflect the special season. Not only will this help drive sales through amplification of your holiday promotions and deals, but it will also tell your customers something about your business; namely, that you are fun, approachable and relatable. It’s simply a great way to establish your brand as memorable and noteworthy in the minds of your customers.
As you decorate your retail space and refresh your marketing materials, be sure to also promote your consumer financing options. Update marketing materials to emphasize "Flexible Payment Plans Available." This approach will encourage customers to explore payment options, making holiday shopping more accessible.
Contact us to review your marketing plan or to connect with our strategic marketing agencies for direct mail and digital campaign support.
Tip #2 – Stock Your Workshop
If you’re planning on holiday sales success, you need to make sure you are ready for the increased volume that comes with those sales. Make sure you are all stocked up. You never want to over-order, of course, but having a little bit of extra stock – which you can caught down on with New Year’s specials after the main holiday shopping season, if need be – is better than not having the product your customer wants to buy.
In a similar vein, ensure that your staffing is where it needs to be during this busy season. Many employees like to take vacation during this time, so carefully coordinate your team’s time off to cover all gaps, and consider bringing seasonal help aboard or moving staff between locations, if you have more than one, as needed.
Tip #3 – Spread Some Cheer
The holidays are a great time to share positive customer stories, including testimonials. If you’ve gotten good reviews from customers or featured customers in case studies, highlight their warm sentiment through email campaigns and on in-store displays. Customers have a lot of different flashing signs, digital and otherwise, vying for their attention during the holidays. Some actual customer feedback put in the spotlight could be the difference maker your business needs to truly stand out.
Tip #4 – Make a List and Check It Twice
The last thing you want during a slammed holiday season is to realize you ran out of a basic supply or didn’t account for a simple logistical problem that ends up costing you sales. As part of your holiday planning, make a list of what you need to have ready for a busy sales season, and consider what could go wrong. Double check that you have everything you need to deliver value for your customers and keep the revenue flowing for your business all season long.
Tip #5 – Tune Up Your Sleigh
As part of your holiday preparations, you want to make sure your store and equipment are in great shape and ready for a customer surge. But you should also take a look at your systems, technology, and processes to make sure they are ready for the bright lights.
A great example of this is your consumer finance program. A strong consumer finance program driven by cutting-edge technology can be a fantastic gift for your business over the holidays, while an outdated, burdensome one is more like a big lump of coal under your tree.
If you want to ensure that your consumer finance program is well-positioned to bring some revenue cheer to your business this holiday season, be sure to check out FormPiper. As a comprehensive consumer finance automation solution, FormPiper is the smooth-gliding sleigh that helps you make the most of your consumer finance program and save both your team and your customers a lot of time and hassle, while putting more revenue in your pocket.
Here’s one easy item to check off your list: schedule a FormPiper demo today and see how our solution can help you achieve sales success over the holidays and all year long.
