How to Prepare Your Small Retail Business for Holiday Season

As you count down the days to Thanksgiving and Christmas, there's no better time to start drawing out your plans and marketing strategy for the holiday shopping rush ahead. If you're running a small retail business, you'll need to start preparing for the holidays well in advance; in most cases, holiday promotions can begin as early as November 1.

Right after Halloween, the average retail business enjoys a speedy sales increase with an influx of shoppers, record-breaking sales, and fresh inventory lines throughout unveiled in each department. Whether you're running a retail business completely online, or a ‘traditional' brick-and-mortar store, here are just a few tips to prepare for holiday season this year:

1. Start with a holiday brainstorming session. You can do this any time of year, and it's likely that you already have some ideas and plans for this oncoming holiday season. Get together with your team and start thinking of creative ways to attract customers this year.

2. Begin sending out perks and discounts as early as November 1. This is the perfect time to get your customers thinking about shopping in the upcoming weeks, and keeping your discounts and promotional offers close at hand as they start to plan their routes.

3. Start hiring extra staff members right after Halloween. This will depend on the size of your business, but you will need extra help to manage extended hours, inventory replenishment, and even some administrative duties with the influx of shoppers.

4. Increase your advertising budget through January. This can help you focus extra attention on new campaigns and strategies, especially with the increased competition ahead.

5. Schedule and confirm all deliveries before mid-November. The post-Thanksgiving rush is bound to catch you off guard if you run out of inventory; plan ahead by ensuring that all purchasing is complete by mid-November, then place your re-orders right before the second week of December to catch late Christmas shoppers and any New Year's sales.

6. Announce your New Year's sales the day after Christmas. Even though this may seem early, you may be surprised how many shoppers will be responsive to a fresh sale amidst the holiday buzz.

7. Develop a sales goal and plan for all staff members in November. You can start your incentives and bonus plans by mid-November or during Thanksgiving, and it's a great way to encourage your employees to boost sales through the holiday rush.

8. Begin a cross-training program. This is a great way to have all your departments covered should you be short-staffed, or simply need more help in handling a customer rush. Cross-training lets your employees wear multiple hats during their shift, and you can start training as early as November for holiday-specific tasks and projects.

In addition to these simple preparation strategies, be sure to order your advertising and marketing materials right around Halloween. This gives you plenty of time to store and organize your displays, posters, and other materials-especially if they're custom made and have a tight turnaround. Preparing for the holiday retail season ahead can help you and your team handle the oncoming rush with ease, enjoy increased sales, and maintain smooth operations week after week.