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Christmas is almost here! If you haven’t already, it’s time to prepare for the busiest season of the year. But, where to start? We recently surveyed 500 Aussie retail businesses and asked how they prepare for the silly season — 93% said they will have additional plans in place this Christmas. Here’s the 411.
35% are increasing marketing and advertising
Christmas can be overwhelming as a business owner. With an abundance of content being published each day, you might ask yourself if it is even worth trying to get any cut through. The answer is yes, but you need to be clever.
If you have a small budget or no budget at all, Christmas is the perfect time to re-engage your current audience and loyal customers. Shoppers are looking for exclusive deals and any chance to save money over the festive season. Try leveraging your social channels or email marketing database to give your audience exclusive access to your Christmas sales and promotions.
Tip: Gift Cards are an easy way to lure in those last-minute or unsure shoppers. In fact, they are one of the top gifts bought during the festive season. The bonus? Most shoppers will spend more than the value of the gift card!
Idea: Collaborate with fellow businesses to host a Christmas giveaway on social media. It’s a surefire way to grow your audience by leveraging others, getting exposure for your business in a busy period, and driving additional sales.
30% are hiring seasonal staff
The school year has ended, and university students are on break. It’s a prime market for young workers who are looking to pick up additional work over the summer. If you are struggling to attract older talent to your business, consider hiring seasonal employees who can assist you during your busy period whilst also expanding their own skill sets and potentially becoming a permanent part of your team.
Tip: Use your Dashboard to forecast your busy trading days. Look back at your sales performance from the weeks leading up to, and directly following Christmas in previous years to help identify which days are likely to be busy. You can then schedule your staff accordingly, and have promotions or offers ready to go if you’re expecting a lull.
30% are implementing an online store or selling on social media
We may sound like a broken record, but if you don’t have an Online Store you are missing out on an incredible opportunity to expand your business to new audiences and new revenue streams. The good news? It’s easier than ever to start an online store using Square’s pre-made templates. The even better news? It links back to your inventory so if you sell something online, it will automatically deduct from your inventory in-store!
28% are researching trends and insights
Consider leveraging your audience insights to help guide your Christmas strategy. Our friends at Afterpay recently found that different generations have varying motivations for gift-giving. “Older shoppers, especially the Post-War generation, love the act of giving and also enjoy providing presents that the recipient would find useful. Gen Z, on the other hand, wanted to gift something meaningful”.
Tip: Audience trends and insights can be great starting points for Christmas marketing campaigns, or how you position your products more widely during the silly season.
Learn more about how Aussie businesses are preparing for the Christmas season in our Future of Retail Report.
This article is only for educational purposes and does not constitute legal, financial or tax advice. Make sure you consult a professional regarding your unique business needs.
