The weather outside may be frightful, but there is still work to be done. Often, business owners fail to plan how the holidays will affect their company – for better or worse.

We work with a variety of clients year-round, some who get more business in the summer or winter, and some who have consistent sales and profit despite the season. With so many ups and downs unique to a company or industry, it’s important to ask yourself: How will the holiday season affect me and my business?

Here are some things to keep in mind once you come to a conclusion.

If you are slow in the winter:

Use this time to be proactive:

• Scan your website for possible updates
• Write blog posts in bulk that you can schedule to post later, or brainstorm blog post ideas and send them along to our marketing team at Imagebox
• Review your social media sites to be sure that you are following users back, and look for more users to follow
• Start to look at the next year in terms of your business. What goals would you like to achieve?

If you are busy in the winter:

• Consider shifting your focus from generating leads to nurturing these leads. Give exclusive discounts to customers or send a more personal email then usual wishing them a happy holiday season.
• Consider increasing your staff load with temporary employees during the busy months. This is a common practice in retail.
• If you are concerned with how much time you’ll be able to dedicate to blogging or social media, consider delegating these tasks to another member of your team. You can also reach out to us if you’re feeling the pressure. Imagebox is always here to help you write your blog posts, or write them with some input from you.
• If you are extremely busy with happy customers, it could be a great time to reach out to them and ask for testimonials while you’re still fresh on their minds.

Tips for everyone:

• Make your holiday hours VERY clear to clients or customers. This includes on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks as well as on your website in a blog post or another manner, and in-store or office. If you do email marketing, mentioning it in your pre-holiday blast will also be beneficial.
• DON’T let your marketing fall by the wayside. Keeping up a consistent online presence is important year-round. You can certainly decrease some marketing efforts while you focus more on the holiday season, but don’t disappear for two months!

Once the winter rush (or slump) is over and all of the holiday cookies have been eaten, you can get back to your regular schedule. But by proactively thinking about how your company may be affected by the season, you will help make that transition easier.