The old adage,
“Retail is in the details” is never truer than it is during the holidays. Those
details, dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s, that may not seem so important
when the thermometer reads 75, but they make all the difference in the world
when you have a store-full of impatient shoppers on December 15th.
Ready to make your Holiday Things to Do List? Let’s go!
1. Plan your
holiday in-store events. This is not an option. You need to host at least one major and one to two minor
events every week in November and December. And you need to do something to
thrill shoppers on Black Friday. Type "event ideas" in the search box above and you'll find lots of great ideas or visit
JingleBellsChristmasSells.com for a copy of our holiday planning e-book that’s
loaded with event ideas and fully customizable templates.
2. Hire
seasonal staff. You
can teach people how to work with customers, but you can’t teach nice, so
choose your temp staff with care. This is the time of year when testy shoppers
get well, even testier. Commit to a
training schedule, and partner each new hire with a seasoned associate who can
mentor them throughout their holiday employment.
Hold a
meeting with your mentors before the new hires arrive; you’ll need to explain
the program, and your expectations. This meeting will also alert you to
training needs you may have not been aware of that need to be addressed with everyone
on your team.
3. Cover the
basics.
q Repair, repaint, and replace everything on your To-Do list
now, you want everything crossed-off the list by mid-October. You don’t need
the hassle of replacing the valve in the ladies room toilet a week before
Christmas.
q Take
a physical inventory of your “never
out” store supplies, the things that would be an absolute disaster if you ran
out of them on a busy Saturday. Bags and gift certificates top the list, but
even toilet paper is important.
q Create your Top 10 Lists of Not-to-be-Missed
Holiday Gifts that are available from your store. Do your lists by
product category, age, gender – whatever makes sense and will help you sell
more product. Every staffer needs to know what’s on it so they can make smart
gift recommendations. Have plenty of copies on hand and place them throughout
the store. Feature your lists on your website, social medias, in your
newsletter, and on bag stuffers. Make it easy for non-quilters to buy the
perfect gift this year!
q Be prepared on December 26 with a plan
to clear leftover holiday products. Decide what needs to be marked down, how
much it will be discounted (hint: the first markdown should be the deepest), and
how it will displayed on the sales floor.
q Determine how you will handle customer
returns. Make sure that your customer-friendly return/exchange policy is
clearly posted in the store, behind the cash wrap, and on your website. You may
also want to include it in the not-so-fine print on your holiday bag stuffers. If
holiday sales are brisk in your store you may also want to decide now where and
how returns will be processed: at the cash wrap or on a separate table?
q Nuke the auto-response, “Would you like your money back?” Instead,
ask the customers if she’d like to look around for something else, or maybe
she’d prefer a gift card. You’ll save more sales that way, but if she insists
on a refund, then give her one with a smile. You want these customers to come back
and shop with you again.
Watch for "Pre-Holiday Homework Part 2" coming soon!
COPYRIGHT KIZER & BENDER . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
