HOW TO ENSURE A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS OVER THE HOLIDAYS
- Live Ariix
- Dec 4, 2018
- 4 min read
This time of year can be a distraction for most. Diets get thrown off course, holiday shopping becomes the regular exercise routine, and the budget gets tighter and tighter along with the pants. But as an entrepreneur you know that your business is the last thing that should fall off the tracks.
You might be thinking to yourself, “But I don’t’ have the time!” While that may be true, it is also true that this is the time of year that you—and those you know and love—need a little extra income. So why not make your business work with your holiday plans? Here are the very best tips for ensuring a successful business during the holidays.
Set goals
How much do you want your business to grow this holiday season? Create short term business-specific goals and keep them in mind over the next few months. Be honest with yourself while goal setting and make sure you set yourself up for achievements that are not only attainable, but that make you happy, and support business growth.
Help your friends find gifts
‘Tis the season for holiday parties, so why not take advantage of this opportunity to host a few of your own? Package together products that are ideal for someone to give away as a gift. Cellophane and a ribbon can go a long way in influencing purchasing behavior.
Have you ever noticed how coveted gift baskets are at a silent auction, given as a gift during a party, or even displayed in a store? Most people avoid the chore of wrapping as long as possible and can be drawn to the appeal of a pre-packaged gift. A pre-packaged gift is an opportunity to upsell your products while providing excellent customer service.
How to gift wrap: Place a brand new sheet of cellophane on a clean surface. In the middle of the cellophane place a thin sheet of cardboard. Take a few of your products that work together and place them on the cardboard, standing the products straight up. Take each corner of the cellophane and gather it up directly above the products. Then tie a big ribbon around the cellophane, making sure that it is placed in such a way that there is plenty of cellophane above the ribbon to emphasize the product and create excitement. Viola! You now have a gift that someone could buy for their significant other, spouse, sibling, best friend, co-worker, parent, or grandparent.
Be your own spokesperson
During the parties you’re hosting, utilize the opportunity to infuse your home with a cinnamon scented essential oil that also serves as a disinfectant. When someone comments on the wonderful scent in the air make sure to share all of the product benefits with them.
Have all of your own products clearly displayed throughout your home in their appropriate areas. Offer drinks and party food made with the products—you can find some great options here and here. And make sure to talk about the benefits you have personally experienced and play product videos.
Collect leads
Maybe someone isn’t ready to buy during the holidays, but they’re interested in a simplified weight loss strategy or a new skin regimen to try after the new year. Make sure to collect any useful information from an interested party to use later. After the holidays you can follow up with them by sending a thank you card or personalized email. Then schedule a one-on-one presentation with them to show them the benefits others have had with the products.
Plan ahead
Use social media to schedule business-oriented posts in advance. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can be great places to show off the benefits of your products.
Video and imagery are much more successful nowadays than plain-text messages. Take some time to snap a few artistic images of your products and pre-packaged gift options, and share them strategically with your friends. This is also an opportunity to share product videos to generate excitement about the benefits your customers will experience.
Scheduling these posts in advance using a free tool like Hootsuite allows social media to work for you while you’re hosting those incredible holiday parties. Then make sure that you have all of your online tools set up—like your replicated websites—to collect leads and make sales for you when you’re not available in person. Every social media post or email you send should lead your potential customers to your websites.
Utilize “shopping holidays” to your advantage
During Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber-Monday offer holiday specials on social media and via email. Make the most of those pre-packaged gift images to show your customers the gift options you have available and the great price they can get them for. Having easy gift ideas available could be a good way to appeal to last minute shoppers or less creative individuals that still want to make an impression.
Implementing all, or just some of the tips above, could help your business remain successful this holiday season. Don’t start off the New Year wishing you had less work to do. Keep the momentum going now and let the excitement of a new and promising year be your focus for 2019!
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