5 Holiday Survival Tips for Levelland Small Business Owners

For small businesses, the holiday season is easily the busiest time of the year. In fact, according to the National Retail Federation, holiday sales account for nearly 20 percent of many small businesses' annual revenue. With so much at stake, it's important to have a plan in place to make sure your small business makes the most of the holidays. Keep reading to learn tips from Levelland Area Chamber of Commerce for preparing your small business for the holiday season.

Decorate Your Storefront

One of the best ways to get into the holiday spirit and attract customers is to decorate your storefront. When deciding how to decorate, think about what would be most appealing to your target customer. If you're a children's clothing store, for example, you might want to go with a whimsical Santa or snowman display. If you're a high-end jewelry store, on the other hand, you might opt for something more understated and elegant. No matter what approach you take, make sure your decorations are well-made and securely attached so they don't pose a safety hazard.

Hire Seasonal Staff

The holidays are one of the busiest times of year, so it's important to have enough staff on hand to meet customer demand. If you don't normally staff extra employees, now is the time to start considering who you might want to bring on board temporarily. In addition to seasonal salespeople, you might also want to hire additional customer service representatives, stockers, and cleanup crews. Once you've decided who you need to hire, post job listings and start interviewing candidates as soon as possible so you can get your new hires trained and up-to-speed before the holiday rush begins.

Rethink Your Marketing Approach

The holidays are a great time to update your marketing strategy. You can use seasonal discounts and promotions to attract new customers and increase sales. Be sure to promote your holiday offers through all of your marketing channels, including social media, email marketing, and paid advertising. You can also use this as an opportunity to reach out to past customers and let them know about any new products or services you're offering.

Creating a PDF Gift Guide                    

One way to boost sales during the holidays is by creating a PDF gift guide that features some of your best-selling products. You can even create your guide in Word and easily make it a PDF instead. Once finished, this gift guide can be emailed out to customers or posted on your website or social media pages. Be sure to create an eye-catching design and include clear descriptions of each product so customers know exactly what they're buying.

Have Enough Inventory

One of the worst things that can happen during the holidays is running out of inventory—it's vital that you have enough product on hand to meet customer demand during this busy time of year. To avoid any last-minute scrambling (and lost sales), do an audit of your inventory well in advance of the holidays and make sure you have enough stock on hand—along with backup supplies in case of unexpected spikes in demand. It's also important to keep an eye on popular items and make sure you're reordering them regularly so you don't find yourself stuck without them when customers come calling.

Remember, a little bit of planning now can save you a whole lot of headache later! By taking some time upfront to prepare for the holiday rush, you can ensure that your small business has a successful (and stress-free) season.