Prepping for the Holidays at Your Business
Introduction
It’s hard to believe, but it’s time to get ready for the holiday hustle. As a successful business owner, you know that preparation is the key to success.
That includes:
- Stocking inventory
- Creating holiday offers
- Purchasing gift cards
- Decorating your space
- Marketing your promos
- Etc.
Whether you’re planning a Cyber Monday deal or a themed event or challenge, your marketing will require some serious planning. The holiday season is the time to get new clients through your doors, retain members, and increase revenue.
To help make this your most-successful, least-stressful holiday season yet, we’ve put together a timeline to keep you on track.
Want reminders? Just click “Add to Calendar” to add suggested dates to your personal calendar.
Happy planning and happy (almost) holidays!
September to-dos:
Sept 24: Start holiday brainstorming
Have specific promotions succeeded in the past? Use these as a jumping-off point for your upcoming holiday promotion. Add to calendar
Sept 26: Create specific promotion goals
This will help you know what holiday success looks like for you. How many new customers would you like to have visit your business during the holidays? How much profit would you like to earn from your holiday promotion or gift cards?
Sept 27: Determine the offering and timing specifics
Will you discount products, class packages, and/or memberships? Will you bundle products together? Will you offer discounts on gift cards? Will you have one-day-only promotions (for Black Friday or Cyber Monday)? When will each promotion launch and expire? Add to calendar
Sept 30: Order retail products and supplies
Look at the inventory you have on hand (if you’re a MINDBODY customer, you can pull the Inventory on Hand report). Decide if you need to purchase:
Additional inventory or seasonal merchandise
Gift cards and gift card holders
Gift bags, tissue, ribbon, etc.
Baskets or bags
Need more help getting your holiday promotions off the ground? Tune in to our webinar on launching an effective holiday campaign.
October to-dos:
Oct 2: Get set up in your business software
Create your promotions within your business management software. If you’re a MINDBODY customer, this might include creating a promo code, selling online gift cards, logging and adjusting inventory etc. Add to calendar
Oct 7: Plan your holiday promotion marketing strategy
After confirming your promotion, decide how you’ll spread the news--Facebook and Facebook Ads, Instagram, email marketing, text messages, in-studio flyers, etc. Use our marketing budget and plan template to plan for the costs. Add to calendar
Oct 14: Promote your holiday specials
You’ve developed a marketing plan—now’s the time to execute! Put up signage, flyers, share the news on your website, and have staff discuss your promotions at the front desk. Add to calendar
Oct 16: Book your table at MINDBODY University
Join us in London for in-depth, hands-on business courses taught by professionals who know what it takes to help you reach your goals.
Oct 21: Schedule your holiday email marketing blasts
This is a great task to delegate to your staff. Give them a copy of our ultimate guide to email marketing for outlined email best practices. With Halloween just around the corner, and Guy Fawkes Night following soon after, this is the perfect time to remind shoppers about gift cards or special services. Add to calendar
Oct 30: If you’re a beauty business, remind clients to book now for their holiday appointments
Make sure clients are looking and feeling their best during the holiday festivities. Encourage them to book ahead with email or text reminders. Add to calendar
November to-dos:
Nov 4: Schedule a meeting with your team
Check in with your staff to go over scheduling and make any necessary substitutions, discuss promotion details, and answer any questions they might have. The more prepared your team is, the less stressful (and more successful) the holidays will be. Add to calendar
Nov 7-8: MBU London
Join us in London for in-depth, hands-on business courses taught by professionals who know what it takes to help you reach your goals.
Nov 11: If you’re a fitness business, prep for January
Whether you plan to add extra classes, extend your hours, create special offerings (like a series for beginners), or all of the above, now is the time to prep for and market your New Year’s offerings. Review your schedule and fully staff your business to provide the best experience possible. Finesse your sales process to ensure the influx of resolutioners turn into long-term members. Add to calendar
Nov 13: If you’re a beauty business, show off your best work and capture reviews
Even when you’re busy, don’t forget to document and share the latest haircuts, colors, makeup trends on social media to keep your diary full the rest of the year. Take a look through our Guide on Using Instagram to Grow your business for ideas. Add to calendar
Nov 18: If you’re a fitness business, create collateral for your New Year’s promotions
You’re well ahead of your holiday promotions happening this month--now, work on your New Year’s promotions. Design and print any promotional and/or welcome collateral for new members. Store these away for January. Add to calendar
Nov 20: If you’re a massage or wellness business, plan January promotions
With fitness-related January resolutions at their height, Brits will be looking for recovery methods to add to their wellness routine. Consider partnering with a nearby fitness business to offer “feel-good” services after a grueling workout. Add to calendar
Nov 27: Use text message marketing to support promo deadlines
If you plan to run one-day-only promotions specific to Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday, use text message marketing to be front-and-center when it matters most. With Mindbody Marketing, you can even schedule text messages to boost sales. Add to calendar
December to-dos:
Dec 2: Make your space (and marketing) festive
Why not deck the halls at your business? Make it fun, and inclusive, by sticking with twinkly lights and metallics at your front desk, on the wall, and/or in your waiting area. Snap a pic to share on social. Consider theming your social media, flyers, and website to reflect the holidays as well. Add to calendar
Dec 13: Check in with your team
Take time to check in with your staff frequently to see how they’re doing and to thank them for their hard work. With so many other events and obligations during this time, it’s best to wait and schedule any team celebrations for January or February. Add to calendar
Now you’re pretty much all set for the holidays! Doesn’t it feel much better to have everything planned out in advance? Of course this only scratches the surface of what you can do, and it’s all up to you to come up with cool and creative ideas for your marketing campaigns...but there’s where the fun is! Take a look at the Mindbody Marketing Suite to see what you can achieve.
