Succeed As Your Own Boss

ENDING SMALL BUSINESS FAILURE

  • Home
  • About
  • Book Melinda
  • Consulting
  • SBL Store
  • SmallBizLady University
  • Subscribe to Podcast
  • #Smallbizchat
    • Be a #SmallBizChat Guest
  • Blog
  • Contact
    • We’re Hiring!
You are here: Home / Branding & Marketing / Do You Have a Holiday Sales Strategy Yet?

Do You Have a Holiday Sales Strategy Yet?

September 14, 2011 By Melinda Emerson 2 Comments

Feel free to share...Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Share on Reddit
Reddit
Email this to someone
email
Print this page
Print

Do You Have a Holiday Sales Strategy Yet?

If you sell stuff online or offline, it’s time to create a Christmas holiday strategy. Some businesses make 80% of their profit over the holidays, so you need to make sure that you get your share of the holiday spending.  You should be thinking about how you will stock up to fulfill holiday orders at least three months in advance. Preparation is key.  You should know the closing dates of magazines so you can get products samples to editors to be included for holiday round up features.  You also want to place your orders early for advertising you plan to do on local TV or radio.

Your supplies: Look at what your sales were last year to determine what you need to have in place. Order your packaging, shipping and raw materials in advance. Be sure to order extra too.

Your suppliers: Communicate with your manufacturer and distributers about your holiday plan.  Make sure you have a back-up for you main supplier in case they are slammed with other holiday orders.  Also keep in mind that your manufacturer may also be using temporary help too, so if you have a product which requires a high level a craftsmanship you may want to order product early, so that your quality does not suffer.

Shipping options: Know when you need to have your items read to ship so that they arrive before Christmas. Figure out your best shipping options. If you belong to a trade organization or association you may qualify for a discount with Fedex or UPS for shipping. You can also set up a USPS click-and-ship account so that they will pickup orders from your home or office.

Contact Your Merchant Account Provider: If you are going to focus on sales over the holidays you need to make sure that your credit card processor provides a daily limit high enough to process all the transactions. If you are fortunate enough to have your product featured in the media or in a magazine you can have huge amount sales in a day which could shut down your shopping cart.

Seasonal Staff: Have your seasonal help and interns lined up in advance. Develop a training program or a step b step guide with pictures so that you brand is not damaged by a temporary worker. You can also enlist your kids, spouse, church members and friends to help get you through the holidays.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Marketing Strategy: Figure out now what inventory or specials you must push for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. You want to develop special pricing and volume discounts as well. You may even want to develop a pay-per-click campaign (ppc) for the holidays. You’ll want to develop 3-5 different ads so that you can adjust your campaign to the one that is resonating the most with you target audience.

What is your best holiday sales tip?

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her the #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com  Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010) 

 

Feel free to share...Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter
Share on LinkedIn
Linkedin
Pin on Pinterest
Pinterest
Share on Reddit
Reddit
Email this to someone
email
Print this page
Print

Filed Under: Branding & Marketing, Customer Service, Grow Your Business Tagged With: Black Friday, Christmas, cyber Monday, melinda emerson, online retailer, retailers, sales strategy, shipping options, smallbizlady

Fix Your Business Now!

Order SmallBizLady's new book Fix Your Business, 90-Day plan to Get Back Your Life and Reduce Chaos in Your Business. It includes the 12 Ps of Running a Successful Business and readers will finish the book with a new strategic plan to take their business to the next level.

About Melinda Emerson

Melinda F. Emerson, “SmallBizLady” is America’s #1 Small Business Expert. She is an internationally renowned keynote speaker on small business development, social selling, and online marketing strategy. As CEO of Quintessence Group, her Philadelphia-based marketing consulting firm serves Fortune 500 brands that target the small business market. Clients include Amazon, Adobe, Verizon, VISA, Google, FedEx, Chase, American Express, The Hartford, and Pitney Bowes. She also has an online school, www.smallbizladyuniversity.com, that teaches people online marketing and how to start and grow a successful small business and publishes a blog SucceedAsYourOwnBoss.com. Her advice is widely read, reaching more than 3 million entrepreneurs each week online. She hosts The Smallbizchat Podcast and is the bestselling author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months, Revised and Expanded, and Fix Your Business, a 90 Day Plan to Get Back Your Life and Reduce Chaos in Your Business.

Comments

  1. Angelinvestor8 says

    September 14, 2011 at 9:38 am

    Entrepreneurs and small businesses should definitely craft their strategies early. Ideally, around late August-early September of the current year. It’s great that you mentioned the possible brand pitfall that comes with hiring temporary employees. Most business owners probably don’t give this as much thought as they should!

    Reply
  2. Charles says

    June 30, 2012 at 7:29 am

    It is something I have been trying to do but had no clue where to start from. These tips have given me a clear vision I’ll get to it right now.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let’s Connect

  • facebook
  • instagram
  • tiktok
  • pinterest
  • linkedin
  • twitter
  • youtube
  • feedburner

We’re proud to be part of the Mediaplanet Empowering Small Business campaign! The COVID-19 pandemic brought hardship and ruin on the nation’s small businesses, but there’s now reason for hope. Learn about the resources, support, and tools available to help your small business bounce back and grow stronger than ever by picking up a copy of the campaign in USA Today and reading it online here.

Get a FREE Chapter of SmallBizLady’s Book,
"Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months, Revised and Expanded"!

Become Your Own Boss

Sign up for the SmallBizLady Buzz Newsletter by Clicking
the Button Below:

Most Popular Posts

>Seven Ways to be More Profitable in Your Small Business
> 7 Ways to Attract Customers to Your Small Business
> 6 Tips for Managing Small Business Finances
> How to Run a Successful Multilevel Marketing Business
> 10 Ways to Grow Your Small Business With Instagram
> How to Sell on Facebook
> How to Get Over the Fear of Starting a New Business

Featured Videos

Bloomberg News Interview
How to Support Small Businesses During the Holidays

“12 Principles of Highly Profitable Businesses with Melinda Emerson” from Sonia Dumas
October 2020

MSNBC Interview
Top Tip: Never Let a Customer Down

National Speakers Association
Winter Conference 2016

Fox 29 Philadelphia
'Small Biz Lady' gives best advice for starting a new business in the New Year

Fox Business
Starting a Business

MSNBC
The importance of job mentoring for women

#SmallBizChat Live
National Small Business Week: Q&A

Good Day Philadelphia
Expert Shares Tips on How to Become Your Own Boss

Google
Best Practice for Social Media

Testimonials

Become Your Own Boss is a must read if you’re thinking of launching a business of your own.
Jean Chatzky, Bestselling Author of Money 911 and Financial Editor of NBC’s Today Show
Great step-by-step advice for anyone looking to start their own business.
Andrew C. Taylor, Chairman, Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Melinda Emerson has written a remarkable book. It is essential reading for anyone seeking to make the transition from working girl to successfully working it, as an entrepreneur.
Cynthia McClain-Hill, Past President, National Association of Women Business Owners
The perfect companion for those planning to go out on their own. Melinda delivers firsthand practical advice on how to be the successful entrepreneur. Read it if you want to get it right the first time.
Kenneth L. Shropshire, Professor at the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania
If you are looking for a versatile speaker who can talk about how to grow small businesses or get started with social media, look no further.
Heather Van Sickle Executive Director, National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE)
Her wit and depth of subject knowledge were entertaining and empowering. Melinda is definitely on our short list of seasoned entrepreneurs and business leaders we look to invite back in the near future.
Tennille M. Robinson Senior content & Event producer for Inc. magazine
Melinda Emerson, “SmallBizLady,” is an engaging and witty speaker and a great addition to any conference. Her terrific presentation and compelling delivery give people the information they need and want to become their own bosses and grow success… Read more
Laurie Dalton White Conference Director, Pennsylvania Conference for Women
Melinda Emerson has been a fantastic small business and social media resource for the Pitney Bowes team. Not only is she personable and easy to work with, but she also has an innate understanding of the small business audience. My marketing programs … Read more
Justin Amendola, Former VP, Global SMB Digital Strategy, Pitney Bowes

Latest #SmallBizChat

The Art of Successful Lead Follow-Up: Tips and Tricks Featured Image

The Art of Successful Lead Follow-Up: Tips and Tricks

As a small business owner, you know that generating leads is only the first step in the sales process. Following up is essential to turn them into paying customers. Lead follow-up is often neglected, yet it’s critical to converting leads into sales. This article will discuss why lead follow-up is important, different follow-up methods, and […]

Fix Your Business Q&A Video

Recent Posts

  • The Art of Successful Lead Follow-Up: Tips and Tricks
  • The SmallBizChat Podcast: Bringing in Industry Experts to Go Further Faster with Jy Maze
  • 20 Email Marketing Tips for Small Business Owners
  • The SmallBizChat Podcast: Building and Running a Strong Family Business with Christine Noh
  • March 2023 #SmallBizChat: What Your Customer Wants and Can’t Tell You

Categories

  • 10 Things Lists
  • 12 Things
  • 15 Things Series
  • 31 Ways to Boost Your Small Business
  • Ask Smallbizlady
  • Become Your Own Boss Tips
  • Branding & Marketing
  • Business Inspiration
  • BYOB2011
  • Cash Flow & Finance
  • Customer Service
  • Featured Post
  • Featured SmallBizChat
  • Fix Your Business
  • Grow Your Business
  • Guest Articles
  • How to Start
  • Leadership
  • Melinda Emerson @SmallBizLady
  • Mompreneurs
  • My Recommendations
  • Pink Slip Entrepreneurs
  • Q & A Interview
  • SmallBizChat
  • SmallBizChat Live+
  • SmallBizLady Recommends
  • SmallBizRadio
  • Social Media
  • Solopreneurs
  • Special Reports
  • Starting A Small Business
  • Teams
  • Technology
  • Telesummit
  • The SmallBizChat Podcast
  • Uncategorized
  • Women in Business
  • Your Small Business

#SmallBizChat

  • SmallBizChat Archive
  • @SmallBizLady

Business Advice

  • How to Start

SmallBizLady Store

Products

Free Chapter

Get In Touch

  • Write For Us
  • FAQ
  • Be a #SmallBizChat Guest
  • Contact Us
Copyright © 2023
Quintessence Entertainment, Inc
PO Box 280
Drexel Hill, PA 19026
(610) 352-0680
Privacy Policy · Refund Policy

Let’s Connect

  • facebook
  • instagram
  • tiktok
  • pinterest
  • linkedin
  • twitter
  • youtube
  • feedburner