8 Tips to Prepare Your Retail Store for the Holidays

Christmas Shopping, Holidays, Couple, Christmas Lights

8 Tips to Prepare Your Retail Store for the Holidays

It’s the most wonderful time of the year and it’s headed our way! The holidays can be a whirlwind of fun and chaos for everyone, but with a little extra preparation, that chaos can help your business thrive throughout the season.

  1. Hire seasonal staff.

The holiday season means an uptick in shoppers, and with some extra help you can ensure all shoppers are serviced efficiently. Start by posting a job opening a couple months ahead of time looking for seasonal workers. Conducting these interviews ahead of time will allow you to train your seasonal workers properly before the busy season hits. Hiring this extra help will not only allow you to ensure business operations will run smoothly, but it will also allow your regular employees to not burn out due to the high demand.

  1. Set the mood with some decorations.

One of the most memorable things about the holidays are the decorations. The décor you choose for your store has a larger impact than you may think. Themes that go along with the holidays will engage customers and pique their interest as to what you have inside. Holiday tunes that play inside the store are a great accompaniment to your décor!

  1. Provide special training to staff.

Training is vital during the holiday season for both new and existing employees. The training should cover topics such as:

  • how to answer questions
  • holiday specials/deals
  • return policy
  • how to identify and handle shoplifters
  • how to greet and engage with customers
  1. Launch some holiday specials.

Everyone loves a good bargain so make sure that your store is full of them during the holidays. The deals you have are what make your customers want to shop with you versus your competitors, especially if you house some of the same items.

  1. Spend some extra time on scheduling.

Employee burnout is more common around the holidays due to high demand. Work on your holiday schedule beforehand to ensure you don’t overwork any of your associates. This will also give you some leeway if associates must call off during busy shifts. Having the right amount of staff can make all the difference during the holidays.

  1. Invest in some sort of advertising.

Advertising around the holidays is a must whether it’s on social media, TV, or the newspaper. Make sure your ad highlights your best deals, including pictures, and all pertinent information. This type of outreach will get your name in front of consumers and help drive business.

  1. Create the optimal shopping experience.

Make shopping easier for your customers by organizing everything and using signs that make it very clear where things are. Also, make sure employees know where everything is, so that questions can be answered swiftly.

  1. Double, triple, and quadruple check your inventory.

Inventory is key especially around the holidays. Ensure you have plenty of stock for high commodity items and remember some items could sell twice as fast as normal. Running your inventory before the holidays will not only allow you to track what you have, but it will also show what you may need more of.

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Shamara Glover
Marketing Assistant
Shamara joined Rockford Mutual in November of 2019 with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Robert Morris University in Chicago.