Dr. Slava Shut

The holidays are officially upon us, and this can mean a busy season full of family visits, dinners, and catching up with friends. And though a lot of businesses experience a boom around this time of year, solopreneurs or small businesses can often get left behind. So, here are a couple of strategies to help you survive and thrive during the usual holiday slump!

1. Make a Plan
   As with anything, you’re only as good as your plan. So, before deciding on anything, sit down and plot some realistic goals given the way you’re currently performing. To try and jump 50 percent in sales might feel a little unattainable and set you up for failure, but what about 5 percent, or 15? Then, once you settle on a clear goal, ask yourself what the clearest path to get there looks like. What are you currently doing that works? Is there something ineffective that you can trim? Write down your strategy and plan it out, day by day so you’ll stay on task.
2. Promotions are Your Superpower
   Regardless of what your product is, you’re likely fighting for attention alongside a lot of similar businesses. But you can really make yourself noticed by offering promos during the holiday season. We’ve already been through Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, but deals still abound. If you’re able, plan a deal for your customers who are already loyal and one to entice new clients. Maybe offer an introductory free session, or a BOGO deal. But whatever it is, make sure it still fits into the budget you have set for the year.
3. Utilize Automated Communication
   If you have a newsletter, a regular email service, or use a platform to contact your subscribers, this is the best time to use it. Send out updates during this time, remind them you exist, and let them know anything exciting you have going on. This is a way to cut through all the ads they’re seeing in their regular social feeds and rise above the noise.
4. Say Thank You
   One of the best ways to stand out during this time is to send individualized “Thank You notes” to your audience via email. Depending on how large your audience is, these can be extremely personalized, or you can utilize one of those automated services I mentioned earlier and be a little more broad, but still keep the sentiments genuine. Showing them that they were on your mind during this time will establish a sense of trust, bring you to the front of their mind, and maintain your relationship. Ask open-ended questions. Maybe they have something exciting they want to share, or if there’s something particular about your service that they enjoy. You can also use those responses as references or testimonials for future campaigns as well!

Are you still nervous about the impending holiday season? Want some advice or help making that business plan? Or maybe there’s something in the New Year that you’d like to tackle. If that’s the case, contact me today!