Things Small Business Owners Need To Remember During The Holiday Hustle
The holidays draw nearer each day, and that means it’s time for the hustle and bustle of the season. As a small business, you’re already overwhelmed, but there are things that you can’t afford to forget about throughout the craziness of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. Keep reading for a few quick reminders that will help keep your customers happy.
Remind your customers about holiday promotions.
People love coupons throughout the entire year, but everyone is looking to pinch as many pennies as possible from October on. If you haven’t already, get to work thinking about specials that will draw your customers’ holiday dollars to your cash register. Once you have worked up deals and promotions, make sure to let them know in the most creative way possible.
Make your marketing merry (and a priority).
Even though consumers are ready to shop this time of year, you still need to market your products and services to lure them to your business. Small business owners can effectively market their businesses during the holidays by utilizing various strategies. Hiring professionals like graphic designers can assist you in creating visually appealing holiday-themed marketing materials, while web designers can enhance the festive appearance and functionality of your website. When working with these professionals on design ideas, there might be a need to convert a PDF to a JPG file for easier sharing or printing of web images. Fortunately, a PDF-to-JPG converter can be used to transform images into JPGs while maintaining image quality, ensuring that holiday marketing materials are visually engaging and suitable for both digital and print media. Transferring content from PDF to JPG is quick and easy (and free) with this helpful tool from Adobe Acrobat.
Update your website.
Even if the vast majority of your business is done in a brick-and-mortar location, your internet presence is crucial, especially given that approximately three-quarters of all consumers shop online at least once per month. Many more use Google and other search engines to compare prices and read reviews on products and services. Make sure to update your website to highlight your most popular gifts and services. You can also give a shout out to other local businesses and send consumers to your favorite charities (more on charitable giving later). You can use social media and other online outlets as another means to showcase your holiday specials.
Decorate your storefront, but don’t overdo it.
If you’re already excited about poinsettias, Christmas trees, and flashing lights, you’re not alone. Your shoppers will appreciate tasteful decorations. Retail consultant Bob Phibbs notes, however, that there are some decorations to avoid. These include things that are too visually cluttered or extremely cheap. In other words, keep it simple and avoid dollar store decor. If you’re looking to keep it inclusive, stick with nondenominational decorations, like bells, mistletoe and holly, and snowflakes.
Create a holiday giving plan.
As a small business owner, it is your privilege to give back to the community that keeps your doors open. But, how do you choose which type of organization to support? For some entrepreneurs, the decision is easy. For others, not so much. You may be asked for help from so many places that you don’t know who to earmark funds for. While you can give to any cause, if you’re looking for a tax break, make sure that your deduction is eligible by confirming that your recipient organization is a 501(c)(3). You should also confirm your giving limits based on your organizational structure.
Take care of your employees.
Finally, don’t forget to give your employees more than a pat on the back for a job well done. This is especially important if you restrict time off during the holidays. This might be in the form of extra paid vacation days after Christmas, a holiday bonus, or for your employees that have deadlines to meet, incentive pay to ensure they get their jobs done. Even if you don’t have a huge bonus budget, something as simple as a $25 gift card will show your employees that you value their contributions.
Reconsider your business structure.
There are a number of reasons why you might want to consider changing your business structure. LLCs offer a number of benefits that can help your business to be more productive and successful. One of these advantages is greater flexibility in terms of ownership and management. In addition, because LLCs are pass-through entities for tax purposes, they also make it easier for you to lower your overall tax burden, giving you more resources to invest back into your business for the holiday rush. The easiest way to form an LLC is to work with a formation service.
Getting ready for the holiday rush means that you have things coming at you from all directions. Because of this, it’s easy to get sidetracked during the hustle and bustle. No matter how busy you are, make sure to handle those tasks listed above. From updating and marketing your holiday specials to taking care of your employees to reconsidering your business structure, you will have a lot more on your plate, but it’s all worth it when you finally close up for the season and can relax.
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