Before you start, it’s important to remember that your “Christmas Customer” is different from a regular shopper in store.

While we might all be filled with a little more festive cheer at this time of year, our stress levels are up, we’re busier than ever, and we’re rushing around at 120 kilometres per hour. But perhaps the biggest difference to note is the customer journey. Your “Christmas Customer” is a gift-giver, not an end user.

This means they need to be told something different by your window displays. Check out this Christmas Windows display board on Pinterest for ideas on how to be different and consider using mannequins in your window. Mannequins are silent, yet persuasive, sales staff.

Instagram boasts 15 times more engagement than Facebook and more than Twitter or Google. In between the latest selfies (which may or may not include your pets, your cool new bedding or your just-ordered meal), branded hashtags and location-based tagging, it’s clear that Instagram is the channel to tap for retailers that want to make an impression.

Many young women, particularly the millennial generation born 1982 – 2000 have become their own online celebrity, documenting every aspect of their lives – and watching others do the same. Sheena Auvaire, global marketing and communications director of Topshop says “What we are seeing now with that younger millennial, is that she is peacocking on social media”. Other analysts believe that the rise of the selfie is driving young women to buy something more often.

One millennial follows Victoria Beckam and reality television stars on Instagram for fashion inspiration. But she also follows retailers such as Zara and Topshop. “I like to emulate the luxury fashion brands. Seeing what new styles have come into the shops, via Instagram, helps me decided what I may want to buy”.

Every year the majority of new products fail. Some say the figure is as high as 95%. The reason is simple: Most customers don't have the time or energy to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the products in their shopping carts, so they use a shortcut to make their decision. That shortcut is your product’s appearance and packaging.

Packaging design has become huge in the past few years as businesses are realising that great packaging equals increased sales. Think about it: When you’re choosing a bottle of wine, aren’t you drawn to the bottles with cool labels? Your packaging is often a consumer’s first point of contact with your product and a spiffy package may make someone try a new product line they’ve never heard of. Your package design is one of the most important elements in your product offer. It is design that has to function, ie it has to protect what’s inside, it has to allow for easy storage and distribution, give information to the customer about what it is and draw attention to itself on a shelf full of competing products.

No matter how good a product is, poor packaging can keep it from selling. 

Do NOT believe the hipster dudes and dudettes who tell you that business cards are a thing of the past, dead, gone. They're not. They're a MARKETING TOOL.  And small-medium retailers need to use them as such.   

I've given up the number of times I've tossed someone's business card into the bin because they're missing an email address or don't have their name on the card.  WHAT THE!!!   Particularly ridiculous when they've handed me their card, asking me to send them stuff.  Who to? How?  And, NO, I am not sending hard copies of slide presentations to sit unopened in their ever-growing unopened mail pile!

Attention:   RETAILERS

We're giving away SIX copies of Jingle Bells Christmas Sells!  

Just scroll down to the bottom of the page and fill in your details in the Keep In Touch box - bottom right hand corner. Winners notified on Monday!

Christmas never seems to be far away when you work in retail.  No sooner has last year's festivities been wrapped up and the Christmas Sale is done and dusted, than thoughts start turning to the next round of Christmas fun.  But, in the flurry of activity, crucial steps can often be overlooked as pressure mounts and retailers grow accustomed to the monotony of year in, year out in-store preparations.
It is one of the most important trading periods of the retail year.  The impact it has on sales will vary with each retail sector but whichever sector you belong to, it is critical that you maximise the sales potential of this peak festive season.