Small Business Essentials for the Holiday Season
SMALL BUSINESS CHRISTMAS BOUTIQUE
The holiday season is a critical period for your small business, where you can expect a significant portion of your annual sales occurring during this time. While the exact percentage can vary depending on the industry and specific business, here's what we know from recent reports:
- Around 33% of annual revenue: Intuit's 2024 Holiday Shopping Report indicates that holiday sales account for about a third of small businesses' annual revenue, on average.
- Up to 73% for retail businesses: For small businesses in the retail and e-commerce space, the reliance on holiday sales is even higher. Constant Contact's research shows that 73% of retail SMBs generate more than a quarter of their annual sales during the holiday period.
- At least 25% for half of SMBs: Across all sectors, 50% of small businesses get at least one-quarter of their annual revenue from holiday shoppers.
The Key takeaway? The holiday season is make-or-break for many small businesses. In this article, we will look at some ways to make your small business stand out this holiday season.
Create a Festive Atmosphere
You can help your boutique stand out by incorporating beautiful and festive designs into your packaging, blog posts, and craft fair displays. Holiday Themed Thank-You labels are an easy way to add a holiday theme to your packaging.
Offer Gift Options
Help your customers create an unforgettable gifting experience. Consider adding personalization and gift-wrap options. Design a "Gift Guide" for your email list and social media followers to help suggest gift ideas to your customers.
Special Holiday Offers
Create offers for your customers to encourage early shopping, special holiday pricing, and gift card purchases.
- Holiday Discounts: Offer enticing promotions and discounts to attract price-conscious shoppers.
- Early Bird Specials: Reward customers who shop early with exclusive deals.
- Gift Card Bonuses: Offer bonus gift cards with purchases to encourage future spending.
Emphasize the Shop Small or Handmade Messaging on your Products
- Package your boutique items with thank you stickers. Save on stickers by printing at home. Download a set of our holiday boutique stickers for only $1.69 and print over and over. One page prints 12 2-inch labels or 30 1.5 inch labels.
- Include messaging on your labels and product tags so customers know they are getting a unique, high-quality item. For example, these unicorn pricing templates use the messages "thank you for supporting our dream" and "this item was handmade with love" to remind the customers that unlike shopping at a big company, they are supporting the dream and hard work of a small business owner!
- Highlight Your Unique Story: Share your brand's story and what makes your business special.
- Handmade Labels & Packaging: If you sell handmade goods, emphasize the craftsmanship and local origin.
- Offer Personalized Service: Provide a level of personalized service that big retailers can't match.