The holiday season is a busy time for businesses, big and small. If you're a small business owner, it's important to start preparing early to make sure everything goes smoothly. From decorating your storefront to creating promotional offers, there's a lot to do. Use this checklist from the Hartland Chamber of Commerce to make sure you don't forget anything important.

1. Add Seasonal Decorations to Your Storefront

One of the first things you should do to prepare your business for the holidays is to decorate your storefront. This will attract customers and get them into the shopping mood! Plus, it's a great way to show off your holiday spirit and stand out from other businesses on the street.

2. Prepare Your Business for the Holiday Rush

The holidays may be your business’s busiest time of year, so it's important to be prepared for an influx of customers. Make sure you have enough staff on hand to handle the increased traffic, and that your shelves are stocked with all of the products your customers will be looking for.

3. Augment Your Staff with Seasonal Help

If you don't already have seasonal staff, now is the time to hire them. Extra hands will be helpful during the holiday rush, and it's always good to have extra staff on hand in case someone gets sick or needs to take a vacation.

4. Support Your Community by Giving Back

It is the season of giving, after all. There are plenty of ways you can give back to your community during the holidays. You can donate products or services to charity auctions, sponsor a toy drive or food drive, or even offer discounts to customers who bring in donations for local shelters or food banks. Giving back is a great way to spread holiday cheer, and it's good for business too.

5. Create a Gift Guide for Your Customers

A gift guide is a great way to help your customers find the perfect present for their loved ones. You can include items from your own store, as well as items from other businesses that complement what you sell. This is also a great opportunity to cross-promote with other local businesses.

6. Update Your Marketing for the Holiday Season

Make sure your marketing materials reflect the holiday season. This includes things like updating your website banner, sending out holiday-themed email newsletters, and creating special offers and coupons specifically for the holidays.

7. Create Promotional Offers Using PDFs

PDFs are a great way to create promotional offers that can be easily shared online. To make them easily shareable on social media, follow these steps to convert PDF to jpeg online. You can also easily print them out to distribute in-store. Use PDFs to create coupons, discount codes, and even free shipping offers. 

8. Entice Last-Minute Shoppers

Last-minute shoppers are always looking for deals, so make sure you've got some great offers available! You can promote these deals through social media, email marketing, and even in-store signage.

Your business will be busy this holiday season, but with some advance planning, it doesn't have to be stressful. Use this checklist to make sure you've got everything covered, from decorating your storefront to attracting last-minute shoppers. And don't forget to give back to your community—it's good for business and good for the soul!

Membership in the Hartland Chamber of Commerce offers invaluable benefits to entrepreneurs in our community. Join us today!