We have been on the road non-stop for the past 10 days so our posting has not been as often as we'd like. We're back and ready to blog! Here's a little something to get you thinking about the holidays ...
Six Steps to a Great Christmas
Even if you're already made a list and checked it twice, heed this savvy holiday advice:
EVENTS ARE ESSENTIAL. Customers need a reason to visit your store. Plan on having at least one major and two minor in-store events every week in November and December.
ROTATION DEVICES. Perception is everything! Move the displays and fixtures at the front of your store every Monday, so customers think they're seeing new products every week.
MAKE A LIST OF GREAT GIFTS. Create a top 10 list of great gifts. Have copies to hand out, feature the items on your web site, in your advertisements and promotions, and make sure staff know them off-by-heart.
THE BUDDY SYSTEM. Pair each new hire and temporary staffer with a veteran who can mentor them throughout their holiday employment.
POLICY DECISIONS. Post your return and exchange policy behind the counter, on your web site and on any promotion materials. Also, decide how and where holiday returns will be processed: at the checkout or at a separate table.
A MARKDOWN MANNER. Plan now for your post-holiday markdowns. Determine how much each item will be marked down, what signage you'll use and how and where it will be displayed.
EVENTS ARE ESSENTIAL. Customers need a reason to visit your store. Plan on having at least one major and two minor in-store events every week in November and December.
ROTATION DEVICES. Perception is everything! Move the displays and fixtures at the front of your store every Monday, so customers think they're seeing new products every week.
MAKE A LIST OF GREAT GIFTS. Create a top 10 list of great gifts. Have copies to hand out, feature the items on your web site, in your advertisements and promotions, and make sure staff know them off-by-heart.
THE BUDDY SYSTEM. Pair each new hire and temporary staffer with a veteran who can mentor them throughout their holiday employment.
POLICY DECISIONS. Post your return and exchange policy behind the counter, on your web site and on any promotion materials. Also, decide how and where holiday returns will be processed: at the checkout or at a separate table.
A MARKDOWN MANNER. Plan now for your post-holiday markdowns. Determine how much each item will be marked down, what signage you'll use and how and where it will be displayed.
This is just the beginning of great ideas to spin the doors on your store this Holiday season. Keep checking back for more! Better yet, add your e-mail address to our RSS feed or sign up to have our blog updates sent directly to your e-mail box. You'll find the links on the left-hand side of this blog. You can also get our daily updates on Twitter: http://twitter.com/kizerandbender
