Holiday Tips and Tricks

Create Store Promotion Headlines:

        "Are you ready for Christmas?   We are!  Shop Now - Enjoy the Holidays More"

Highlight store services offered for the Holidays -

         extended hours;

         shop by phone, delivery services, gift wrapping,

         special open house or other events.

Create a Shop within a Shop:

       Gifts under $XXX

       Children's Gift Shop - an area of gifts for children to purchase for parents

        or friends

       Men's  Gifts

       Business Gifts

       Personalized Gifts

       Cheers Shop - Hostess Gifts; Bar ware; glasses; coasters etc.

Begin a Christmas Countdown:

       Each Day present a different piece of merchandise in each section as a

       "daily special"

Dress Up in-store display tables for the holidays

Create Gift Baskets - small investment - big return

Hold an International Gift Festival

Hold an In-Store "Men's Night"

Hold a Senior Citizen Day - give a discount to customers over 65.

Highlight gifts for Winter Weddings and Engagements (Dec. is the most popular month for second weddings and engagements)

REMEMBER the 7 second rule - you only have a short time to attract the attention of a customer - they WILL make a decision about your business - stop, look, purchase,  OR blast off to the next store.

Management Tips and Ideas

Make sure staff is up to speed on extended hours and scheduling

Clean your business from top to bottom

Check all decorations

Security should be at its best

Set aside any gifts or cash donations for charities

Consider an in-store party for staff during the holidays

Plan your after Christmas clearance sale in advance

Christmas may be the bulk of your business from November to December 24, but don't ignore other sales too -

Work out all January and February Trade Show plans in advance

Catch one of your employees doing something right and praise them for it!

A wise person once said, "Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight.  Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward.  Your life will never be the same again."