6 Best Ways To Prepare Your Online Handicraft Business For Holiday Season

Do you own your own handicraft business? Are you planning to boom your sale during the festive season? We are nearing the end of the summer holidays and entering the second half of the year which means getting into the holiday season. 

We all know how busy the holiday season can be. Preparing for the holidays at the end moment can make you busy and get you tiresome. But as a small business, you don’t want to miss out on them too. Why do you ask? Because it is also the season of high revenue for your business.

Since the pandemic, most businesses have gone online. People have also been shopping online due to ease and convenience. And you should too take your business online.

So it is better to start prepping your online business for the holiday season early. However, you might think it is too early to start preparing for the holiday. But we reckon the end of summer is the best time to get your business ready to make sure you can fulfill your customer's demands.

Are you wondering how to prepare your business for the holiday season? Well, to help you to prepare your business online for the holiday season here are 6 ways to secure your business. 

1. Pre-plan Everything

Starting to prepare for holiday at this time of the month might seem early. It seems like there’s plenty of time to get your business ready for the holiday season. But as we have mentioned, planning at the last moment can be tiresome.

You can start by pre-planning for your business. But what goes on in the pre-planning process? Well, here are a few points to plan.

Steps for Effective Pre-Planning

• Mark Key Dates: Begin by noting major holidays on your calendar and plan for each occasion.
• Set Goals: Establish specific sales targets. Review last year’s performance to set realistic goals for this year.
• Analyze Competitors: Check trends among competitors, especially if your business is new.
• Coordinate with Shipping Companies: Understand their holiday delivery schedules to avoid delays.
• Identify Peak Sales Times: Determine your business's highest-selling products and times of the year.
• Track Trends: Stay updated on emerging trends and brainstorm new ideas to attract customers.

Pre-planning is an essential process for any business. Pre-planning helps you to get through all the processes in systematic order. The next process after pre-planning is to manage your inventory for the year.

2. Manage Inventory

Running out of popular products during the festive season can hurt your business. Managing inventory in advance is key. Here’s how to ensure you’re well-stocked:

Tips for Inventory Management

• Assess Current Stock: Review existing inventory and restock low-quantity items.
• Focus on Best Sellers: Analyze last year’s top-selling products and adjust stock levels accordingly.
• Pre-Order Supplies: Work with the best product suppliers who can provide all your needs in one place to save time.
• Research Trends: Identify trending products and add them to your inventory.
• Plan for Extra Budget: Prepare financially to restock if items sell out quickly.

Managing inventory helps in the smooth operation of your business in the future. Thus, order early to avoid delays in shipping that can happen during the festive season. Also, keep an extra budget for the company to buy products if they tend to sell out early. 

Bonus Tip: Buying in bulk can save costs—choose suppliers offering discounts on large orders.

3. Manage Your Online Store

With the festive season arriving, we can see people decorating their shops with a different themes. Why do people decorate their physical store during the festival or holiday season? One simple answer to that question is to attract customers. It is the same with your online store too.

Managing an online store or your website can be a daunting process. But with a headstart, you can easily manage your website to attract more customers to your business.

Steps to Optimize Your Online Store

• Prepare Your Website: Ensure your website reflects your brand’s image and theme.
• Holiday Themes: Update your website’s design with festive visuals.
• Ensure Compatibility: Test your site’s functionality across platforms and ensure it is user-friendly.
• Enhance Security: Update your website’s security features.
• Streamline Processes: Simplify the purchasing and checkout process.
• Update Visuals: Use attractive photos and graphics to enhance the site’s appeal.

An appealing website with a user-friendly experience will draw more customers and boost sales during the holiday season.

Read More: Easy DIY Christmas Ornaments On A Budget

4. Promote Online

Having a business online only will never attract customers to the shop. To reach the targeted audience, you will need to market them in a variety of methods. This might help in attracting clients to your company.

You can simply market your business online using various social media sites. Social media is ideal for promoting your business as it allows you to reach out to a large group without limitation.

Social networking can even help you establish your brand. You can advertise your page on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and other social media platforms. A single post can easily reach a large number of people. Social media can be the best free marketing tool for small businesses too.

And when you combine it with promotional strategies, product sales, discount offers, and so on, you can expect your internet business to thrive in no time.

Running advertising isn't the only way to promote yourself online. You can also create a variety of content to attract clients. On the other hand, making content alone will not attract customers. To attract clients' attention, you must be creative. Create engaging content to keep your target audience on your website.

Promoting your business online through engaging posts and targeted advertising can drive significant traffic to your website.

SEO

As mentioned above, simple marketing of your business only will not get the number of customers you want for your business. It is important to get your business on top of the online search engine result while people search for relevant products. This can help people easily find your website.

Optimizing your website properly can get your website to rank high in search engines. Doing search engine optimization SEO is an easy process. You just need to follow a few easy steps to boost the SEO of your website.

Tips for SEO

• Create Relevant Content: Include content related to your business and tap into trending topics.
• Use Keywords Strategically: Incorporate relevant keywords into your content, titles, and descriptions.
• Optimize Elements: Add alt text to images, optimize title tags, and use descriptive categories.
• Update Regularly: Refresh your content to stay relevant.
• Add Hyperlinks: Link to authoritative sites and internal pages to improve SEO.

Optimizing your website’s SEO will help your online handicraft marketing rank higher and attract more customers.

Customer Care

In the business community, there is a phrase that says, "The customer is always right." Good customer service is critical for many organizations. When you run an online business, it can be much more difficult because there is no direct interaction with the customer.

As business is online, the lack of personal service can be a drawback to your business. And the way you provide customer service to the customer will have an impact on the business.

With online shopping, people can give a review of your shop or business. They give a review based on the service they receive and every review is important for small and new business openings.

Yet, providing excellent customer service during the holiday season can be tricky. The hectic schedule can keep you from giving good customer service. Here are a few things you can do to provide excellent customer service to the customers.

Tips for Outstanding Customer Service

• Respond Promptly: Address customer queries within 24 hours to avoid losing potential sales.
• Hire Seasonal Staff: Consider temporary help to manage customer service during busy times.
• Anticipate Needs: Avoid saying no by preemptively addressing customer demands.
• Address Complaints Quickly: Promptly resolve any issues to maintain customer satisfaction.
• Reward Loyalty: Offer exclusive deals and discounts to retain loyal customers.

Excellent customer service leads to positive reviews, boosting your business’s reputation and sales.

Conclusion

Preparing your online handicraft business for the holiday season may seem time-consuming, but it’s a worthwhile investment. Start early to ensure a successful and stress-free holiday season.

Want to start your own felt handicraft business? Check out our secrets to select felt suppliers and Easy 8 Steps for Small Handmade Businesses blogs for more tips.

Check out our online store for a wide range of products at affordable prices.