Don't Miss the Window

It's a busy time of year for designers, marketer's and shop keepers. This is the time when many people are making a list and beginning their Christmas shopping. You won't want to miss out on this window of opportunity for your own business.  I hope you've got your marketing plans and strategy for the busy shopping season underway. If not it's definitely time to get started. The days go by so quickly, really it is a short but usually very busy season for shop keepers. I’m sure you know that the stores in the malls all have their Christmas stock out and are creating ways to bring in the shoppers. They are setting up holiday displays to attract as many customers as possible. Many of the big box stores started in October with putting their Christmas and holiday products out. 

As an online small business owner I realize the importance of getting on board early and be prepared with my websites for those early shoppers. People are starting their shopping earlier and earlier every year. I know several people who do a little shopping all year long.  Research shows that more and more people are doing their shopping online and this is a trend that will only increase as time goes on. So basically, the key is to have a plan and make it happen. Take a look at your inventory and assess what you want to add to your inventory. Ways that you can spruce up your sites, like adding a festive banner for the holiday season. Look at the trends and items that will attract customers to your store front. We all know there is lots of competition for online store owners that's why it's so important to make our products and shops look the best that they can. It takes great marketing effort and consistency everyday to draw the customers in. 

Promotion is big, market, market, market. It's the only way to get those customers eyes on your shop. Use all available social media platforms that you are active in. I suggest doing this subtly, nobody wants to be bombarded with a ton of your items, so add something of value when you can. When using Twitter, remember to include appropriate hash tags, like #sales, #deals, #blackfriday and so forth. This will help when people who are searching for products and deals. Pinterest is another great marketing site, you'll want to highlight your holiday boards that feature your products. Create unique boards like Christmas Ideas,  Outdoor Christmas Decor, Tree Trimming Gifts, you get the idea. Pinterest lets you add prices too. Well that's it, hope you are on your way to a fabulous sales season. Don’t procrastinate too long or you might miss your window of opportunity. 

Getting Your Business Ready for Christmas

Christmas is just around the corner. It’s time to make sure your business is ready for the busy season. There are a few things that should be taken care of if you have an online business with products that you are selling. This is the season that can attract potentially more purchasers than ever before. It’s good to increase your inventory and include a broader variety of designs that appeal to a wide range of consumers. Keep your store clean and uncluttered to make an online shopping experience easy and enjoyable. Start early, just like the brick and mortar stores you have to have a full store now, as people will start there shopping early. You don’t want to miss out because you waited too long to introduce your Christmas items. Encourage bulk sales, this can save the purchaser money too! If emailing offers to friends and acquaintances don’t over do it, nobody likes to be constantly getting mail from the same company. (spam, is not nice) Keep your emails concise and with a clear call to action. Christmas is a busy time of year for most people but can definitely be enjoyable and profitable for all.

Here are some fun designs I’ve been busy adding to my store. Designs by Shell