The Christmas count down is on (or should be!)

Today, 14/11/2011 is, 41 days to Christmas day 2011.
Are you as a retailer ready to capture your share of customers?
It's not too late to, there are still a lot that you can do to make this season as profitable as possible.

My top 10 things to check are;

1. Product - If you haven't ordered those key items, place an order this week with your supplier. As volumes increase, the logistic streams reach capacity and deliveries are often late. Customers are impatient and will not or should not wait for the stock to arrive. Keep an eye on hot / new items, check if more stock is available as a rush order if needed. If you haven't got it, you won't sell it!
2. Price - Customers, whilst starting to spend again, will still be shopping around for the best value. Check that your prices are set at the correct level. Always be prepared to move on seasonal items. Any christmas related merchandise will be hard to move post Christmas day, and it will cost you money to hold it until next year.
3. Place - Have a good honest look over your shop. Stand outside the front doors as a customer. Now close your eyes, 1,2,3 open, what do you see first? Would you be enticed to come inside? Does your shop look like it is managed by the Grinch? Get in the spirit and put up decorations, and carry the theme through from front to back. Remember also, that the frequency of visits increase over the next 40 days, so keep the store looking fresh at all times.
4. Staffing - You do not want to get to the busiest week of the year and find that all your staff plan to have a holiday! Lock in your rosters now. Your staff will need some time off to enjoy the season and recharge, but working in retail, they have to expect to work when you need them. By forward planning and gaining a commitment now, the next 40 days will be a lot easier on everyone. Preplanning will help to avoid any surprises.
5. Supplies - Nothing is worse than running out of shopping bags or register rolls 2 days out from christmas! Check and place top up orders now from your regular supplier, for all consumables, pens, paper, bags etc. If you have last years order history, check and use that, if not keep a record now for next year.
6. Maintenance - Check this week that everything works and avoid paying a hefty call out fee on christmas eve. Also check that you have a current list of emergency call out numbers for all the key areas. Also check that your key staff know where the emergency callout phone list is!
7. Promotional planning - Nothing should occur adhoc. Plan now for what promotions you will have each week / day for the next 40 days. Theme each week as you count down to Christmas. Last minute idea suggestions, impulse ideas, gift register, there are many ways to give your customers a reason to buy from your business. Stay on task, focus on your customers, listen to what they are saying and adjust your approach as needed. Check that your staff know what is on special and when.

8. Watch your market - Be aware of what everyone else in your market is doing. That does not mean that you should copy every idea you see. You just need to do it better then they do. What your competitors are doing may not work, but be aware just in case it is a winner idea / concept.
9. Keep records - Christmas happens every year! But when you talk to some retailers you would be forgiven in thinking that it was the first christmas that they have seen. A good way to prepare and be ready is to keep a diary or list by day of what you did and what worked and did not work. This will avoid many costly mistakes from reoccuring next year. To succeed, you need to make mistakes to learn. But you should never make the same mistake twice.
10. Have fun and enjoy the season - Your customer will quickly sense your feelings. No matter how hard your day is, no matter what is going on, you must always give a great impression on your customers. A strong customer service focus cannot stop just because you are busy. Christmas should be and is a joyful time of the year, a time to celebrate with those we love and cherish. Reward your staff in what ever way you can, acknowledge their hard work. The rewards do not have to be monetary or elaborate, a simple gesture of nibbles and drinks in the staff room and coupled with a few well chosen words of thanks can do wonders to the moral of your team.

May the cash registers ring loudly for the next 41 days,

Good trading,

Geoff