According to the National Retail Federation, holiday retail sales in 2018 were up 4.1% from the previous year, totaling over $720 billion. That means there's a lot of potential for small businesses to increase their revenue during the holiday season—but only if they're prepared. With that in mind, here are a few things small businesses should do as they prepare for the holiday rush according to the Meridian Chamber of Commerce:

Dress Your Storefront for the Holidays

Your storefront is one of the first things customers will see when they're out shopping, so it's important to make sure it's festive and inviting. Putting up some holiday decorations can be a great way to do that. But don't go overboard—you don't want your store to look cluttered or messy. A few well-placed decorations should do the trick.

Add Seasonal Staff

If you're expecting an influx of customers during the holidays, you may need to hire some seasonal staff to help handle the extra workload. This can be a great way to give your regular employees some much-needed time off, while also giving your business the extra manpower it needs to get through the holiday rush. But be sure to start your hiring process early—you don't want to be left scrambling at the last minute.

Update Your Advertising Approach for the Holidays

Your marketing strategy should also be updated for the holiday season. This means creating ads and promotions that are specifically tailored for the holidays. You may also want to consider sending out holiday cards or ecards to your customers and clients. And don't forget about social media—posting holiday-themed content on your various channels can help attract attention and generate excitement about your business.

Affordably Create a Gift Guide Using PDFs

One way to attract shoppers during the holidays is by creating a gift guide that showcases your products or services. This doesn't have to be anything fancy—a simple PDF will do. You can even create it yourself using a free online service. Or you can make it yourself in Word, and then change it to the appropriate doc type with a free PDF converter. Just be sure to include some attractive visuals and relevant keywords so people can easily find it when they're searching online.

Make it Easy for Last-Minute Shoppers

Last-minute shoppers are always looking for deals, so offer them something they can't resist—like discounts or free shipping on orders placed by a certain date. You can promote these deals through your website, social media channels, and email list. And don't forget about in-store signage! Prominently displaying deals and discounts near your front door will help grab the attention of those last-minute shoppers who are just browsing around looking for deals.

Give Back to the Local Community

The holidays are also a great time to give back to your local community. There are many ways you can do this, such as donating products or services to charity auctions, hosting food drives, or volunteering at a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter. Not only will this make you feel good, but it will also generate positive publicity for your business—and that's always good for business!

The holidays are an important time for small businesses—it's when many stores see their highest level of traffic and sales all year long. But in order to take advantage of this busy period, small businesses need to make sure they're prepared ahead of time with a solid strategy in place. By decorating their storefronts, hiring seasonal staff, updating their marketing approach, and offering deals and discounts, small businesses can ensure that they're ready for anything this holiday season throws their way!

Access even more great resources to help your business grow and thrive in our community by joining the Meridian Chamber of Commerce.