Improve Next Year's Holiday Sales
Tip #438 - Recap Now, Be Rewarded Later
Dear Tip of the Weeker,
Quick! Before the lessons of Christmas 2010 inexorably fade from your memory...
It's time to capture in writing what happened over the past six weeks. One of my favorite sayings is, "If it ain't written, it ain't real!"
Create a folder called 'Christmas 2010' (a virtual folder if you prefer bytes or a manila one if you prefer paper) and write yourself some notes about what worked, what didn't, and how you could improve in 2011.
Recap the following areas...
Marketing: It's the engine that drives sales - even at Christmas time.
- Which marketing efforts worked, which didn't, and why?
- Did you have some semi-successful efforts that need tweaking?
- Which will you repeat, which will you drop?
- Overall, did you have enough marketing efforts?
- What did you miss that you should add next year?
Staff: The face of your company to all those holiday shoppers.
- Did you have enough staff to capture all possible sales?
- Did you hire too soon or not soon enough?
- Who would you hire back, who will you avoid?
- Was your staff perfectly trained or are there improvements?
- How was your scheduling and floor coverage?
Customer Experience: Happy holiday shoppers will spend more.
- What made it fun to shop in your store?
- Which merchandise displays did customers react to?
- Did you offer special touches that customers really loved?
- Did you miss some chances to deliver an amazing experience?
- Did customers leave thrilled with their "perfect purchase?"
Merchandise: The key to a profitable Christmas is having the right amount of the right merchandise.
- RUN YOUR REPORTS and count your customers' votes.
- Did you have enough of your best sellers?
- What merchandise did you miss out on?
- What did you learn about your customers' tastes and trends?
- What was surprising about what customers bought this year?
- What were the best price points, colors, sizes, categories?
- How would you adjust your merchandise assortment next year?
Of course, there may be other areas you want to recap. The most important thing is that you DO it and put your recap someplace where you will find it as you plan for Christmas next year.
Repeat the stuff that was great (too often we forget to do this!) and readjust the things that didn't work.
You'll be rewarded with a more successful, more profitable Christmas in 2011!
Wishing you great sales and lots of fun,
