Blog

Small Business – Getting Ready for Summer, Festive Season and Holidays for some!

Business openBut a busy time for others! 

With summer fast approaching, if you are a Business operator now is the time to prepare your Business!  

Warmer weather, earlier sunrises and lifted spirits after winter, people, consumers, your potential customers are out and about.  Get on the front foot and be geared-up, ready for this activity.  

Prepare your Business with a spring-summer clean!

A refreshed website, a slick of paint, new signage are all worthy improvements. But more than just a feather duster, take this time to assess and evaluate what’s working and what’s not. Check your resources, is your Business positioned to embrace the opportunities and meet the challenges? Focus on holiday marketing, customer engagement, operational readiness and financial preparedness.

8 Tips to Get Your Business Ready    

  1. Get your stock in order – Check inventory levels and product lines. What are customers looking for during this season?  Adapt, tailor products and services accordingly. Check supply lines and delivery. Ideally, have a backup for these.  

  1. Financial Management - check your Books – strengthen Cash flow to cover additional pressures and proactively manage by invoicing early to counter potential slowdown in January. Ensure your payment systems are reliable and ready for increased digital activity. Be vigilant, protect against scams with strong security measures. Scammers target the holiday season. 

  1. Staffing  & Operations – recruiting, training, and holiday leave. Plan ahead and have backup. Negotiate rosters, time on and time off to cover peak times. Foster team spirit to get the best results for all. Remember to acknowledge and reward effort and a job well done. Lead by example.

  1. Refresh your website – give it a summer, festive, holiday makeover! Colour, words and tone attract, engage and connect emotionally with your audience. This leads to increased activity and sales. 

  1. Marketing & Communications – plan your strategies. Promotions, gift vouchers, loyalty rewards. Advertise sales and discounts to get the best results. Don’t be afraid to try new marketing ideas to generate interest and sales. Don't stop at Christmas boost your sales by leveraging Boxing Day and carry momentum into January to keep customers engaged and buying.

  1. Business operations - busy, peak time or downtime, annual holiday breaks. Advertise in advance operating hours, closures & openings. Let existing and potential customers know what’s happening. Gone fishing! put the sign out! 

  1. Taking care of Business – Taking care of you. You have been preparing for weeks, and it can be exhausting. Take time to enjoy whatever this season means to you and your Business. Celebrate, engage with staff and customers.  Busy can be productive, nurturing strong and successful relationships. 

  1. Going Forward – congratulations if you are enjoying the rewards of running a successful Business. But as you are probably experiencing, with success comes extra pressure and demands. Sound familiar! You are time poor, stretched particularly when it comes time to juggle the paperwork and balance the books. Give yourself a break. This is where Blackburn Accounting is the answer. We are your family Business specialists offering a broad range of services, including Family Business Management, Cashflow Management, and Business Development.