The holiday season is here, and so are opportunities for your small business to be creative in celebrating. Customer service should be a priority year-round, but the holidays offer a special chance to go the extra mile.
Based on the industry in which your small business operates, there are many unique ways your small business can maximize the holiday spirit. Here are some ideas for getting started.
- Decorate by season, not holiday. Your business should feel welcoming to all customers at all times of year. Decorating for holidays that aren’t universally celebrated may feel othering to some customers. This doesn’t mean you can’t make your business look festive. Take advantage of the beauty of the seasons by sticking to more general fall and winter themes.
- Provide seasonal offerings. Your customers’ needs will likely change with the seasons. Consider what products or services you can offer to be more useful to customers as the weather changes and the holidays arrive.
- Adjust your hours. People get especially busy during the holidays, and not everyone has time to handle matters outside of work and family during standard business hours. If you can, open your doors earlier or keep them open later to accommodate customers’ schedules.
- Make your loyal customers feel special. Showing appreciation to your customers should always be a priority, but it’s nice to do something extra special for them when you can. Send your frequent customers a thank-you card or a small gift so they know you’re thinking of them. Doing this around the beginning of the new year can help you make sure the gesture isn’t associated with a particular holiday.
- Coordinate a charity initiative. The holiday season is a great time to give back. Nonprofits often plan drives and events during this time to request donations for specific needs. Organizing a giving initiative within your business enables you to support these efforts and spread kindness in your community.
- Host and/or support local events. Boost your business’s community engagement by participating in local events or hosting your own. The holiday season is a popular time for pop-up markets or events with booths for small businesses. If you can’t find any local to your area, team up with other small businesses in your community to host your own or organize an event just for your business and customers.
- Introduce games and/or raffles. Have fun with activities that get people excited to visit your business. You can invite customers to pick a small prize from a hat as they come into your storefront or encourage them to enter a raffle for a bigger prize. Customers will appreciate the excitement and novelty these activities add to their experience.
- Get active on social media. It’s crucial to keep your business’s social media up to date on your latest hours, offerings, and deals. Post daily during the holiday season to ensure that your customers can access accurate information. Holiday season posts are also good for getting creative with punny captions, cute photos, and trending topics.
Remember that the “holiday season” should be a fully inclusive holiday season. Many businesses make the mistake of saying “Happy holidays” only in the context of Christmas. But there are many holidays that come from a number of different religions and cultures that fall during autumn and winter. Make sure your business’s celebrations recognize the holiday season as a whole rather than only those that you celebrate.