With Christmas just around the corner, so read on for the second part in our series on getting ready for the Christmas period with our friends at Frooition. In this part, we talk about delivering goods on time, stock levels and festive marketing planning.
By Chris Reeves, eBay Design Company Frooition
Delivery times
Don’t assume no news is good news; keep tabs on deliveries from your suppliers and ensure your expectations are accurate. It’s important to know when stock deliveries are due to ensure you have the resources to organise the stock, meet customer orders and start the next product promotion.
- Touch base with your suppliers regularly to ensure you’re up to date on any possible current and future product delivery delays.
- Calculate your average stock delivery time from supplier to your warehouse.
“You can manage your cash flow and marketing campaigns depending on how quickly you can replenish stock.”
o Any last minute deals?
Don’t forget to ask your suppliers for last minute clearance stock deals or end of line promotions, these often come at great prices that can give you the competitive edge.
o There’s more…
Don’t forget this doesn’t just include asking your product stock suppliers this also includes your packaging suppliers (boxes, bubble wrap, tape etc).
- Prepare your couriers
- Regularly update your couriers on your order level performance.
- If you’re having a successful month and great campaign it’s better they are aware so they can allocate appropriate resources to meet your courier demands.
- Confirm last delivery dates for the Christmas period – you don’t want to be caught short!
- Know your contacts.
It’s not what you know, but who you know. The more contacts you know with your courier the more eyes keeping a watch over your goods and the better the potential delivery service.
- Your courier account manager.
A close relationship can help ensure another eye is keeping watch over your goods to get things done.
- Courier returns and lost parcels.
Knowing who to speak with will save you time, speed up a resolution to issues and reduce stress.
- Account Managers at your local depot.
Depot managers have huge power over your courier service and to get things done.
“a strong relationship with a depot manager will provide support and greater flexibility during tough times”
Touch base with your couriers regularly to ensure you’re up to date on any possible current and future delivery delays.
Ensure you’re stocked!
Without stock you can’t make sales and if you can’t make sales you’re not in business. Ensure you have sufficient stock to support your promotional calendar and meet early demand.
Your First Campaign
It’s time for you first campaign! The important thing here is not to over think what you need to do, but to keep it S.M.A.R.T, ensure you keep it:
S – Specific
Define what you want to do exactly i.e. email campaign to 2,000 customers.
M – Measurable
If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. Ensure you have the means to measure how the campaign performs so you can see what happens and how to test improving next time.
A – Attainable
Ensure you have the resources to do the campaign; don’t plan a huge campaign if you don’t have the time and budget.
R – Realistic
Ensure it’s achievable, where you either have the skills needed to get the job done or can easily acquire the skills.
T – Timed
It’s important to know when you are going to run the campaign and the time required to prepare the campaign. Procrastination is an enemy of the entrepreneur!
October Example Marketing Activities Guide
20th October Website Changes:
Update your website with a Christmas theme; consider updating your logo, changing your product category pictures, introducing Christmas lifestyle images on your home page.
Consider building a product category dedicated just to your Christmas product lines and remember to update your website to the mindset of Christmas browsers i.e. Gifts for him, Gifts for her.
Consider making your delivery and returns policy more prominent and transparent. This will not only reduce the number of buyer questions raised but increase buyer confidence which means more sales for you!
Q: Can you offer stocking filling products?
Q: Can you offer gift wrapping services?
Q: Can you provide a custom message service to gift recipients?
Q: Can you offer direct shipping to gift recipients (different bill-to and ship-to addresses in cart system)
26th October SEO Updates:
Review your website analytics from last Christmas to identify hot keywords that generated the most converting traffic to your website, consider updating your SEO strategy to target these keywords. Use Google trends to identify other holiday season specific keywords relevant to your industry which could drive additional traffic to your website.
30th October Email Campaign:
Remind your customers that Christmas is quickly approaching, consider providing an early up take special offer or indirectly announcing you’ve just opened your Christmas shop on your website.
Direct Sales Subject Idea: “Catch your early Christmas Specials with xyz”
Indirect Sales Subject Idea: “xyz Christmas Store Now Open”
Email Body: Includes 9-12 special offers or product promotions
30/31st October Social Messages
1-3 messages a day on FB, 6-8 messages a day on Twitter
Don’t forget to put the word out across your social networks; social networks are great channels to increase promotion awareness and who knows they may go viral!
Click here for part one of Your Business Christmas List
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