6 Last Minute Retail Tips For the Holiday Season (plus bonus selling tip)

We are in the sprint to the finish for this holiday season and just like your customers are rushing to get everything checked off of their list, you are probably rushing to ensure that they do so!  With all of that rushing around it is easy to forget some of the things that will help you to have a more prosperous holiday season.

With that in mind, here are some quick tips to help you maximize sales and profits.

1. Keep your advertising and promotional rhythm on-track.  Many retailers begin running out of key products and your customers are looking for alternatives.  Let them know you have great and unique gift items by contacting them via email, Facebook, blog articles or even old fashioned snail mail.  You could even send a Holiday card with a coupon to your best customers!

2. Build your customer base for the next year.  You likely have people entering your store that you have never seen before!  Wouldn’t it be great if they returned to buy a few times next year?  Start off by giving them crowning customer service and follow-up by asking them to join your special customer list or loyalty program!

3. Keep that store looking sharp!  One way you can help to invite those customers to return and to buy more on their current visit is to ensure your retail store is acting like a silent salesperson.  Make sure all of the lights are lit, the impule products are at the counters and related products and accessories are displayed with each other. 

4. Keep the sales floor full!  Live by one of the old adages of the retail selling business – “You can’t sell it if it is in the stockroom.”  The sales floor is where the action is so make sure your products (and your people) are on it and engaging customers.

5. Train and communicate.  Retail sales training and product training needs to continue during the holidays.  Focus on giving quick advice based on the sales representative activities you observe from the floor.  You could even have a sales rep take a quick retail elearning course while on break in order to hone their retail selling skills!

6. Set daily goals and use to-do lists.  Goal setting is more important this time of year than any other! Give your people a daily target and, if they are commissioned, an earnings target to go with it.  The same goes with operational tasks.  Your store needs to be a well-oiled machine and a written task list for accountability will keep it that way.

Bonus Sales Tip – When your customer enters your store, offer to take their coat and parcels off of their hands.  Store them behind the counter so that they can shop unencumbered.  This is not only great customer service, but it encourages them to browse the entire store and gives your team members one additional opportunity to suggestive sell when the customer asks for their items back!

Do you like these retail hints and tips?  You can find more on our Facebook page and don’t forget to like us while you are there! 

–          David Goodwin is the principal owner of Retail Advocacy Group.  RAG offers consulting services for retailers and also offers retail training solutions through its Retail Training Services subsidiary.   You can also learn more about instructor-led, e-learning, and other training solutions for retailers at www.retailertrainingservices.com.