Small Business Holiday Survival Guide

It’s that special time of year again. Holiday time is among us yet again. Over the years, holiday shopping has started earlier and earlier for retailers, now beginning in October. This is a result of the high profits businesses see during this time; some small business makes most of their yearly profits during the last three months of the year. To ensure your small business is properly prepared, careful planning and organization is a must. Here is a small business holiday survival guide with tips on making this last quarter your most successful.

IMPORTANT HOLIDAYS TO REMEMBER

November 22nd – Thanksgiving
November 23rd – Black Friday
November 24th – Small Business Saturday
November 26th – Cyber Monday
December 2nd – Hanukkah begins
December 10th – Hanukkah ends
December 24th – Christmas Eve
December 25th – Christmas Day
December 31st – New Year’s Eve
January 1st – New Year’s Day

BEGIN PREPPING EARLY

First off, prepare to start planning early. It never hurts to be prepared sooner. Take note of holidays you want to promote for your business, along with shipping deadlines, if you’re an online retailer. Begin brainstorming different promotions you want to run for your business.

GET ORGANIZED!

Take inventory of product you want to sell for your promotion. Next, take a look at last year’s sales and use that to decide which products were best sellers, which new product you predict will have great profitability, along with which promotions did best. Also, for holiday specific items, you want to start selling them at least two months in advance to the holiday. That means if you are selling Christmas-themed products, you want to start promoting and selling them in mid-late October.

GET TO PROMOTING!

After brainstorming different promotions for your business, utilize the best ones and promote, promote, promote! Set promotion goals for your social media, website and storefront. Engage customers and other audience members with giveaways on these platforms. If planning to run a sale, schedule it ahead of time. Staying on top of the ball is key to having a smooth holiday season.

REMEMBER: SELF CARE IS THE BEST CARE.

This is a busy time of year for everyone especially small business owners. While working hard to maximize success, remember that you cannot pour from an empty cup. Take a break often to collect your thoughts and regroup before the next task. Make sure to manage your time wisely and remember that this time is supposed to be joyous as well. Enjoy yourself!