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The Christmas season is fast approaching, and most entrepreneurs are devising last minute strategies to bid a happy farewell to year 2016. The holiday season, to most entrepreneurs, can be the busiest and most stressful time of the year, depending on the kind of products and services one sells and provides.
Between attending events, spending quality time with friends and family, shopping, satisfying customers and clients, hitting the year’s target and planning for 2017, staying productive is not always easy. How can entrepreneurs enhance their business productivity in the upcoming Christmas holiday season? Here are some tips:
Related: 6 Ways to Use the Holiday Season to Your Advantage
1. Adequately plan.
You have probably heard countless times that nothing happens by chance. This is very true in the world of business — where it’s a case of a computer’s garbage in and garbage out. What do I mean by this, you may ask?
It’s pretty simple. Your business success is a product of your plans. Leave things to chance, and see your business crumble. Ask yourself — what strategy should I adopt to improve staff morale? How can I make customers and clients have an unforgettable experience this upcoming holiday season? How do I balance my business and family time? What strategy should I use to transform the busy season into business strength (enhanced productivity)? And finally, how can I make this holiday season stress-free and enjoyable?
By pondering these questions and earnestly finding pragmatic answers to them, the plans for the upcoming Christmas holiday season have already started without you noticing.
2. Surprise your staff with early Christmas packages.
Your employees are the backbone of your business. Your clients and customers are always in contact with them, hence their attitude, behavior and approaches to customers have a significant impact — positive or negative — on your business.
Related: 5 Powerful Ways to Give Thanks to Your People
The Christmas season comes with stress and additional workload. It would be unfair to turn blind eyes on your employees’ effort. Surprise them with an early overwhelming Christmas gift that will boost their morale and get them prepare for the season.
There is this crazy thing about gifts that puzzles me. A human heart is deeply touched by it. By this, you have won the heart of your employees to remain focused, satisfied and resolute for the awaiting challenges.
3. Plan an unforgettable customer-client experience.
Your customers and clients are king. Without them, products and services are worthless. Therefore their sustained patronage is tied to the unique and unforgettable experience you offer them.
A study by Oracle found that 74 percent of senior executives believe that customer experience impacts the willingness of a customer to be a loyal advocate. Harvard Business Review found that businesses that successfully carryout a customer experience strategy accomplish higher customer satisfaction rates and increased profit. Furthermore, research by American Express show that 60 percent of customers are willing to pay more for a better experience.
Surprise your customers with unforgettable Christmas gifts and improved customer relations strategies to make them feel special.
4. Use Christmas gifts to market your products and services.
One of the greatest characteristics of an entrepreneur is making something out of nothing. It is like turning defense into attack in the football world. Your Christmas gifts to customers, clients, employees, friends and family members should be an avenue to further advertise and market your products and services.
You can customize your Christmas gifts in many ways — wrap Christmas hampers with your business name, customize t-shits, wristbands, caps, etc. You can never know where your family members, employees, clients, customers, business partners and friends will wear your customized merchandise.
By generously celebrating the Christmas season with your loved ones, you are directly advertising and marketing your products and services.
Related: 4 Real-World Tricks for a Successful Holiday Season
5. Operate strictly on the provisions of your budget.
The best decision you can probably make this Christmas season is to prepare a budget which will guide your spending. Make a list of items — proposed expenses — and allocate fund to them.
Christmas is usually a happy period where we attend lots of events and meet lots of people. We can’t easily control our spending, especially when we are in such a happy mood. But one thing you need to have is self-consciousness. You have to be brave and say no to unbudgeted expenditures, except in emergency situations. By spending within the provisions of your budget, you are a wise entrepreneur. Don’t forget you need money to kick start the year 2017.
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