Q4 has begun. You will make a significant percentage of your sales this holiday season.
What can you do to ensure you reach or exceed your goals? Here’s a few ideas to prep yourself for success:
- Audit Your Shipping Processes
It’s much tougher to ship items and get them to your customers on-time during the holidays.
When was the last time you audited your shipping processes for maximum efficiency? Remember, a negative customer experience leads to a much higher likelihood your customer talks about your company to others in their social circles.
No company is perfect. But the fewer negative experiences you have, the better.
- Can Customer Service Make Decisions?
Customers will have need for returns. They get the wrong size. They don’t like the item for their own personal reasons.
That’s a bit of a negative mark against you, whether it was in your control or not. However, you can turn that negative into a big positive by ensuring your customer service team has the ability to make decisions that keep your customers happy.
Many customer service departments give the runaround. Or, team members have to say,”I’m sorry, but company policy says I can’t do that.”
‘Tis the season to be giving. That includes with your customer service too.
- Get Ready for Q1 2018
2018’s first quarter does not have to mean a massive sales dip for you (like it does for nearly everyone else).
We’re not saying to ignore Q4. But most companies will focus all their energy on the amazing Q4 profits. That’s their mistake.
On the other hand, you should focus most of your energy on the holiday season. But, you should spend at least some energy on having your sales strategies and inventory prepped and ready for Q1. Since practically no one else does, you’ll have a huge competitive edge.
- Give Your Online Customers a Buy-It-Later Option
You know your customers don’t always have the cash for what they want to purchase this moment. So, make it easy for them to come back and buy later on when they do have the cash.
All you need to do is add a button on your product pages. When customers click this button, then you get their email address and the product name, and then you send them an email at a later date reminding them they can buy it.
Follow those simple tips, and you’ll make your Q4 (and beyond) a smashing success.