21 Holiday Selling Tips for Retailers
September 9, 2009 11. Fifteen percent of all purchases made during the holiday are not given as gifts but are for the person shopping. Ask all of your customers “And how about treating yourself to something today?”
12. Bundle products. As I wrote a few weeks ago, we did this quite successfully at Bose with the $500 Wave Radio, offering a second one at a reduced price. One thing we learned doing these bundles is we sold more when we told the customer how much the price was on the second one versus stating it as a percentage of savings. Don’t make the customer do the math, tell them the price and how much they are saving.
13. Set some daily stretch goals with prizes for the staff if the goal is hit. Stock up on things like gift cards from Starbucks, Target, etc. and award them to the staff for making goal. Keep the staff focused on sales one day at a time.
14. Be extremely methodical about what impulse products you put at the counter. First, pick an item with the right price point. If you put too expensive an item at the counter it won’t sell, and if the item is too inexpensive it will sell but add little to your overall sales. Make sure the item is something that is both unique and something the customer will want to pick up. Have a bunch of the impulse items gift wrapped so the customer sees how simple it is to give that extra gift. Finally, consider bundle pricing with your impulse items.
15. Have the staff dressed seasonally. Consider Santa hats, red or green aprons or sweaters, or anything else that helps the staff appear more festive.
16. Put a big sign on the backdoor that reminds your staff to smile. It is pretty easy to let the smile droop after being on your feet for eight hours and working with crowds of customers. Here is a link if you’d like to use the one I made.
17. Create “Best Gift For” signs. First pick out a top seller, or a product you want to be a top seller, that is under $20. Next to that product put a sign that reads “Best Gift for Under $20.” Now do the same for $50, $75, $100, etc. Do the same for different people. How about a “Best Gift for your Hairdresser” or maybe a “Best Gift for the Babysitter?”
18. Create a daily “Hot Buy”. It gives the staff something to tell the customer about and it might help you sell a product that either isn’t selling well or is a hot seller that you want to get hotter. Remember, the special doesn’t always have to be a discount.
19. Give out candy canes and other goodies with each purchase or to all customers.
20. Invite your top customers in for an early morning event that includes gifts, refreshments and special pricing. Have the staff call the customers on the phone and invite them to bring their friends. Keep the event going after the doors open so those customers who come into the store feel special as well.
21. Keep having fun. Fun sells and makes working and shopping in your store a wonderful and enjoyable holiday experience. Isn’t that what it is all about?
— Check out www.dynamicexperiencesgroup.com for more from Doug.
Thanks for sharing this list, most helpful. No matter what I have always and will always send out thank you greeting cards when I receive a Christmas present. Good manners don't cost a thing and go a long way, and I think so many people might have forgotten to do so over the years. I tend to send my thankyou cards online as I think this is a much more eco friendly option and less wasteful on our resources.
That first idea is great to send your loyal customers a Christmas card now. It will remind them to come back!
Ben @ http://giftcardrescue.com