It’s hard to believe, but the holiday season is just around the corner. And while it may seem like there’s plenty of time to get everything ready, the truth is that the sooner you start planning, the better.
There are a lot of things that go into making the holidays run smoothly for your business–from stocking up on inventory to creating holiday-themed marketing materials–and the sooner you start, the less stressed you’ll be come December.
Here are four reasons why you should start planning for the holidays now:
1. You’ll have a better chance of getting the products and services you need.
If you wait until the last minute to start ordering inventory or booking services, you may not be able to get exactly what you need. By starting your planning early, you’ll have a much better chance of getting everything you need.
2. You can take your time developing marketing materials.
Developing effective marketing materials takes time–and if you wait until the last minute, you may not be happy with the results. By starting your planning early, you can take your time to create marketing materials that are truly memorable and will help attract new customers.
3. You’ll be able to take advantage of slow periods.
The middle of July and August is typically a low point in sales and e-commerce. That implies you’ll be less busy in Q3 and Q4 than you will be later on… so it’s the perfect opportunity to get your ducks in a row prior to the madness that is the second half of the year.
So it’s kind of like taking all of the workload from Q4 and spreading it out across the year, so that it’s much more manageable, and you can start doing some of the tasks right now while you have time. By starting your planning early, you can take advantage of these slower periods to get ahead of the game and be ready for the holiday rush.
4. Americans shop all the time.
Remember when your grandma who started shopping for Christmas on December 26th was considered crazy? She’s now simply ordinary: According to Forbes, as many as 40% of Americans start their holiday shopping early in the year, well before planning for earlier holidays. This suggests there is a huge opportunity for those who get their holiday planning done early and can attract these early shoppers.
If you don’t start now, you’ll be behind. Buyers begin looking for seasonal and holiday goods well ahead of the season. Even if they hold off on making any purchases, they will look and yearn for that ideal item for their home or someone special in their life.
The Perfect Christmas Items for Your Store
Nothing says “Christmas Spirit” like snowflakes and Santa hats that sparkle. Check out our extensive bejeweled glassware holiday collection now and start planning for the holiday season. Your business (and your stress levels!) will thank you for it later.
