As a method of remarking on our busy schedules and our ability to lose track of the passage of time, we often mention to friends, family, and colleagues how we “can’t believe it’s almost October already,” or “can you believe that next month is Halloween?”. Of course, as adults we know that there is no variation in the actual passage of time, but our busy schedules can make it seem as though the days, weeks, and months just fly by in a blur.
Prepare Your Business
The semi-official start of the holiday shopping season immediately preceding Thanksgiving is still months away, but how “fast” those months will pass depends entirely on how focused you are on properly preparing your business, especially your retail business, for the holidays and the end of the year. By staying focused each day on preparing and building on your existing branding and marketing efforts, you will be ready for when the holidays are “suddenly” upon you!
Taking A Break Is The Quickest Way To Lose Focus
One of the quickest ways to lose focus and to lose track of the impending holiday season is to take a break from your holiday season planning. We’re not saying that it’s the wrong time for you or your managers to take a much-needed vacation, or that preparing your branding and marketing efforts require seven-day workweeks. Instead, we’re saying that it’s the wrong time to allow your business as a whole to take a break from staying on message with your branding and marketing. Some small businesses and retailers choose to spend more on advertising and marketing efforts during the holiday season, and in order to stay within budgets they may choose to forgo advertising and marketing their business in the months leading up to December. However, just because you’re scaling back the money you’re spending doesn’t mean that you should abandon your marketing and advertising completely, as you may lose the valuable attention of your target market. Instead, try to find less expensive ways to market your business, including email marketing and boosting your presence on social media.
Don’t Give Your Employees The Impression That These Are “Down” Months
It’s important to remember that your branding is, at its core, a promise that you’re making to both existing and potential customers, and maintaining your branding goes well beyond any advertising and marketing initiatives. In fact, as we have discussed many times on this blog, your employees are your primary brand ambassadors, especially the ones who face and interact directly with your customers. While your employees may need a break or vacation before the holiday season as well, don’t give them the impression that these “down” months are a time to lose focus on what your brand represents. In fact, if your employees aren’t living up to the high standard conveyed by your brand now when interacting with your customers, all of the holiday advertising and marketing initiatives won’t be enough to bring these customers back during the holiday season. If they are at work or on the job, it’s important to stay just as focused on clients now as they will be once the holiday shopping season is in full swing.