So its Mid-November and technically we are in the festive mood and the question that arise is are you prepared? As an Entrepreneur are you prepared for more business? Do you have strategies to win more customers during the festive season or you have given up complaining about the economy? As ZBIN we believe that there are a lot of opportunities that exist and if you are well prepared, you actually stand a chance to increase your business during this period when compared to last festive season.
So how can you improve business during this festive season? There are a number of factors that we need to look closely at. Where is the money? Is it the formal sector or informal? You may also want to look at the impact of returning diasporans on the Economy of Zim. What changed last year? Do you have any lessons learnt from last year?
Below I copy and paste advice on preparation tips for the festive season. This is just preliminary stuff and on a weekly basis I will build on this article and share more tips
Create your holiday offers It is not wrong to say that Nigerians are likely to spend more during the festive period. Tap into this by offering reasonable discounts, vouchers and the best price. You can also offer customers promotion like buy 3 get 1 free. You shouldn’t wait till December before kicking off your holiday offers. Jumia Travel has fantastic travel packages for the holidays. You should also send these offers via your newsletter to your customers.
Take advantage of last year’s data Data is important for any business. It shows you if your business is growing or shrinking. It is this same data (campaign, sales, website traffic, channels, and competitors) that will reveal the things you did excellently well or you did poorly. Your business should make deductions from this data and make necessary adjustments. You should also consider the impact of the trending recession.
Decorate Make your employees feel the festive season by creating a different atmosphere both offline and online. Your office and website should be decorated to reflect the season. This can also help!
Disclose your holiday hours Customers may not inform you when they want to make purchases. If he is one of your loyal customers, he will be utterly disappointed if you are not open for business. Hence, you should send emails to your clients informing them of days you will be closed for business. This information should also be on your website.
Decide which marketing channel you want to use
The channel to reach your customers is essential. Some organizations may prefer to do both online and offline marketing while others strictly focus on online marketing. Your budget is key to determining which one to use.
Make your employees ‘happy’ The biggest motivation for employees is for them to be paid as at when due for the job done. They will be willing to give their best and work extra hours. So, employee motivation is key.
Do take advantage of the Bond: The official word is that a new currency will be in town-The Bond and that it will be introduced during this festive season. So read our advice on taking advantage of the introduction of this new currency and plan accordingly.
So get ready, sit down with your staff members and plan for the festive season. It may be helpful to have a Festive Season Preparations Committee that crafts and drives your festive season strategy.
Happy Holidays
