Yuletide season, a season that brings people together from far and wide to celebrate the feast of the birth of Jesus Christ, is here again with its glamour and captivating atmosphere.
Year after year, Christmas has always been a season that both the young and old look forward to.
Not only do family members who live in far-flung places reunite with one another, but it’s the season of celebrating love.
However, many people wonder what Christmas celebrations will look like this year with the harsh economy.
In this vein, particular focus beams on business owners who trade in Christmas products like Christmas trees, caps, toys and lightings, amongst others.
Will there be Christmas sales this year where people can go and get bargain price slashes? Am I going to make a profit or a loss? These questions occupy the minds of traders and linger on their lips.
Irrespective of the economic crunch, the Yuletide season is a season that has been known to be glamorous and colourful. Regardless of how the economy slides, Christmas will still be celebrated. Organisations will want to decorate their workplaces, churches will do carols, and schools will want to hold either carols or parties for their students and staff, amongst many others.
As such, there is a need for traders in this line of business to be strategic in their sales, as well as to step up their game in marketing their products.
Schools are well known for the expression of love by way of engaging their staff and students in carols and Christmas parties. And that is why partnering with schools at this period would be very strategic in boosting sales.
Do your research and reach out to schools to advertise your products to them. Being in partnership could also be a huge benefit to both the school and the trader in the long run and subsequent years.
They could also supply Christmas items and decorations to these schools as Christmas parties need to be colourful and lit. With a job well done, they could become suppliers of Christmas items to the schools in subsequent years. During the coming year, you can reach out to them in advance.
Traders could make stands in front of the schools and advertise their products to parents. Parents might not really have it in mind to purchase these items for their children at this time, unlike the previous years, due to the financial crisis ravaging the country.
However, they would not want to deny their children the privilege to look beautiful and glamorous at their school parties. Even when they have no intention to get their Christmas caps and toys, subconsciously on the spur of the moment, in the glare of their kids, they would be left with little choice but to get them those items, no matter how little it may seem to be.
While selling to parents, you can also market your products to them by telling those who might be interested that you can be a supplier of these items to them whenever they might need them. Exchange contacts with them; ask them to think of you when decorations come to mind and that they should not forget to refer you to other people or organisations which might be in need of what you offer.
Furthermore, collaboration with churches and other organisations would be very useful. Reach out to not just one church or organisation but as many as possible, as it could be risky to put all your eggs in one basket.
Market your products and build a cordial relationship with your channels partners. When an agreement has been made, supply them with all they need to make their event and parties a glamorous and colourful one.
Meanwhile, there are families who, no matter the status of the economy, would not spend their Christmas without making it bright and colourful. Do your research and reach out to individuals who look to decorate their homes for the period.
To make worthy sales, this is not the period to limit yourselves to just one method or place of selling. Expand your reach and visibility. This is not the time to be shy but be very enterprising about your business. Be very creative in your marketing strategy and offer them ideas that are irresistible.
This process, if properly carried out, might not benefit you for this year’s sales alone but for years to come. Simple and strategic marketing processes can build a bridge to a lasting and sustainable relationship which in turn brings in profit.
And it is to be noted that a sustained business relationship could lead to more referrals and more business deals. In coming months you can reach out to them even before they reach out to you; build a lasting relationship with them.
Lastly, it would not be a bad idea not to stockpile or engage in bulk purchase for the season. Since these products are items that are in demand for a particular period, stockpiling would not be advisable.
The forte of a trader or any business person who wants to earn a profit at the end is to engage in bulk purchase. However, for traders who specialise in the sales of these items, bulk purchase could be a wrong idea going by the state of the economy. It could tie your resources down.
