2023 has flown by, and with the end of the year just around the corner, it’s time to put the spotlight on preparing your small business for the holiday season, writes Elise Balsillie, Head of Thryv Australia.

Depending on the type of small business you own or the industry you serve, you may be preparing to close over the holidays or instead be preparing for the most hectic time of the year.

If you’re the former, you’ll want to keep in touch with customers so your brand stays top of mind during this downtime. This way, when it’s time to open back up again, your customers will be ready to do business with you.

If you’re the latter, you’ll no doubt keep connected with customers and maintain your small business presence. But with so much to do during this chaotic time, keeping on top of your messages – and everything else in your business – can be overwhelming.

Using automation through the rush

To control the chaos, you first want to create a plan for every kind of communication you’ll have – a communication “contingency”, so to speak. Write out some important reminder emails, such as your changed holiday opening hours and average waiting periods. Then, schedule them so that they’ll go out automatically, without you having to come back to them.

With more people on holiday, social media usage over Christmas rises, and ensuring your social media communication doesn’t drop off during this time is important.

If time is tight, to help manage your social media pages, utilise a centralised social media dashboard to schedule posts in advance. Consider using a chatbot on your website and having an easy-to-find message or post on your social media pages letting others know of your busy period and to please be patient.

This will not only help you save time but also help you be prepared when the rush really sets in, and it will also help avoid nasty customer feedback when things take too long.

Setup a robust email marketing plan

Email marketing is one of greatest heroes of the holidays. Customers anticipate hot deals and discounts from their favourite businesses – so it makes sense that holiday email marketing open rates increase dramatically.

This helps you whether you’re closing over the break or just trying to compete through the holiday madness. Letting your customers know when you’re back in business, or that you’re still in business and here for them, will go a long way to retaining them and having continual business.

Your emails have to compete for attention, however, so make sure your holiday messages have a little something special about them. Make your holiday subject lines seasonally sharp. Use emoji, puns, rhymes – anything to make your emails stand out among the rest. This will help your business remain central to your customers.

While this time of year can be daunting for your business, it can also be incredibly rewarding. As the year comes to end, a new one is just around the corner— and one that is full of opportunities.

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