How to Survive the Holiday Sales Roller Coaster
The holiday season is literally a sales roller coaster. In November and December, you are riding high as customers eagerly search for the perfect gifts and spend liberally. Then January rolls around and you watch sales plummet as customers pinch their pennies and close their wallets.
What’s a Small Business Owner To Do?
If you’ve ridden this roller coaster before, you have likely realized that you must take a slightly different approach depending on the season. While you always want to provide customers with a pleasant and positive experience, each season requires its own unique spin on promotions and marketing in order to lure shoppers into your store, whether physical or online.
In a recent article on The Business Journals titled How Staples Helps This Retailer Weather the Doldrums after Holiday-Sales Rush, I read about how one company uses Staples Print and Marketing Services to adapt to the seasons and give customers a positive experience.
According to Michael Kane of the fashion brand Karen Kane, Staples Print and Marketing Services helps the company create packaging and marketing materials, including boxes, hand tags, stickers, labels, tissue paper, mailers, posters and other promotional items. These branded elements help customers recognize and develop an attachment to the company. These signature touches also give customers a high-quality experience that makes them want to spend – whether it is the peak of the holiday season or the lull thereafter.
As you are reading this, your business is likely gearing up for the holiday season. What unique things are you doing to make customers feel special and make them want to shop at your store versus at a competitor’s store? And after the holiday season – are you prepared to push through the post-season sales dip? What will you do to promote your business and increase sales at a time when customers are more reluctant to spend?
A wise small business owner knows the value of planning in advance. Check out The Business Journals’ article to learn how a fellow business owner relies on Staples to boost sales through the holiday season and beyond. It is sure to spark some creative ideas for how your business can successfully ride the holiday sales roller coaster too.
This article was written in partnership with Staples; however, all opinions and experiences expressed are my own.