Smartpay : Tips to help you prepare for the busy season

The festive season is a busy time of the year especially for small businesses in retail and hospitality. Preparing for the increase in foot traffic can sometimes be a little daunting, we have a few tips to help prepare for the season ahead.

Be one step ahead

There is nothing worse than having problems arise when things are getting busy and chaotic. This can be stressful, not just for you, but also your employees. Take some time to sit down and go through everything involving your business and assess how you can plan and prepare for worst case scenario's.

Go through your inventory and have a look at what needs to be replenished. Make a list and plan your orders for key things you may need and make sure you have extra stock of the things you just can't be without. Review your budget, upcoming events, stock levels and your employees' schedules. It is likely your employees will want to book time off over Christmas so make sure you always have the right amount of staff working.

Get your employees ready

Employees are essential in running small businesses so it's important to make sure they are prepared and set up for success. It's a good idea to sit down for an informal meeting before the busy period hits, this way they can voice any concerns they might have. The health and happiness of your staff is vital so being able to work well as a team will alleviate stress and your staff will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

As well as looking after your current team, you may want to think about getting some extra hands on deck and adding a team member or two. Seasonal workers are a great way to manage the workload and there are sure to be a lot of people looking for part-time or temp work around that time.

Boost your marketing

As a business owner, you may already have, or have considered getting on social media. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can be cheap and effective ways to market your business and update customers on any seasonal sales or events you have on.

With summer in full swing it's an ideal opportunity for fun seasonal content, covering upcoming events, deals you may have, or even showing off the day-to-day activity in the business. If you aren't posting, you may be missing out on an abundance of business opportunities.

Offer promotions

Summer sales and promotional offers are a great way to draw in customers, especially for those in retail and hospitality. If you work in hospitality think about hosting a special event, for example, setting up a happy hour or have kids eat for free on one day of the week. If you work in retail or provide product and services you could offer Christmas specials on certain products, gift packages or do gift wrapping in store!