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If you haven’t
already started, now is the time to prepare for the
Christmas lead up. Christmas is the biggest sales period of
the year, but it will take some effort if you want a decent
share of that market to come through your business!
Planning
Being organised and
planning ahead will make the whole season much easier top
deal with, so allocate at least an hour a day for the next
week to getting organised and planned.
Spend that time
doing tasks such as
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Tidying your desk |
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Collecting tinsel
and other Xmas decorations to use on your display |
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Producing
letters, flyers, price lists, etc for upcoming specials
and seasonal products |
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Order supplies
needed – include bags, ribbons & wrapping paper and extra
stock |
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Update hostess
lists for potential parties/demonstrations |
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Check
demonstration products are clean and in good order |
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Make sure you
have plenty of invitations, order forms and other
paperwork available |
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Get your Xmas
shopping done and out of the way ASAP |
Booking
Start booking in
parties and demonstrations. Call up every potential hostess
on your lists and make bookings.
Book in more parties
than you usually do – this will build momentum and allow for
cancellations.
Try organising
parties at different times (eg morning tea parties or lunch
demonstrations) so you can suit different clients and maybe
get more than one party each day.
Ensure your diary is
ready to take bookings. Perhaps use colours to block out
times very visibly so you can see at a glance when a party
can be slotted in. Use one colour for parties, another for
family commitments and one for anything else.
Find out now when
the school Christmas concert and the Play group’s party will
be held so that they are in the diary first. Working around
important events for your children will keep them secure in
the knowledge that the business doesn’t come before them.
Make life easier
To cope with the
busy times ahead and the extra parties and sales, set in
motion some strategies to simplify family life.
It is best to
explain to your family that it is a busy time and that you
would appreciate their support. Explain why you run your
business and the benefits of it. With their understanding
and support, your business will flow much better.
Have cooking
sessions where you make multiple meals and large quantities
of healthy foods that can be frozen. This will allow you to
heat meals quickly after an afternoon party or as you head
off to an evening one. Thus way, the family is still fed and
you are not so stressed each evening.
Encourage older
children and partners to have regular turns at cooking
tasks, too.
The ease of
pre-prepared meals also extends to school lunches. Have
foods on hand so that packing Lunch boxes is quick and easy.
Developing routines
will help, too. Set out clothes each night to save time in
the morning, restock your party kit immediately after each
party, fill the tank with petrol before you have to, and so
on.
Enjoy the season!
The lead up to
Christmas is a busy time, even without running a sales
business, and this can be overwhelming.
Remember that it is
the fun and silly season and take time to enjoy it. Add a
Santa hat and a tape of carols to your party bag, play some
Christmas games and keep it festive for everyone.
Take some time to
relax as well, as burning out will not help you, your
business or your family. Ask for help before you need it and
things will stay in control.
Be thankful of the
busy period as it will increase your sales and business
profile – it is much nicer to appreciate the sales than to
whinge about the work involved!
Celebrate each
successful sale or party – acknowledge your work and be
proud of what you are achieving.
And plan something
special to do in January when it will be much quieter!
For more gift ideas and online retailers
who supply them, check out the
Corporate Gifts page in
our gift guide.
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