How to Capitalize on Your Largest Four Selling Months of the Year

It's June already. Where does the time go?

If you're a retailer, I don't have to tell you it's planning time. But I will, just in case.

Four significant profitable spending events are coming.

All or some of the following events could substantially impact your small-town business.

• August and September: Back-to-School Sales

•. October: Halloween – The second biggest-selling holiday of the year

• November: The start of the Christmas Selling System

• December and January: Christmas and After Christmas Sales

These four events are very costly to retailers.

You'll experience increased inventory, advertising costs, extended store hours, merchandise returns, and increased payroll with more employees and overtime.

Let's Make a Deal Now for Big Bucks Later

Before these "big bucks" events occur, now is the time to investigate all your options and cozy up with your suppliers.

Here are some of the things you need to know.

Co-Op Advertising: You need to know ad sizes and how much of the cost will be borne by the supplier, and how much by you. Ensure you have a number or contact name to track your co-op ad payments.

Volume Discounts: Is there any savings for purchasing more product(s)? Are there discounts for proven popular selling products? Are there package deals available? Make sure you're clear on any return policies.

Advertising Discounts: This is the time to arrange advertising packages to make sure you get newspaper space or radio and TV time and also to take the time to research any deals that might be available during the coming months.

Capitalize: Can you tie your business to any local, state, or national events? World Series, The Summer Olympics, sidewalk sale days, contests, drawings, classes, anything to build traffic and get people in the shopping mood.

Yearly Grand Opening: Every small-town business should have a yearly grand opening to introduce new residents to your business. A reusable "Annual Grand Opening" sign, some cookies, and drinks, and these people will be new customers in your final four months.

Build Your Business with Employees

The average number of people who attend weddings and funerals is 250.

That's how many people each employee knows.

If you have just four employees, that's 1,000 potential customers who could be walking through your doors.

Incentivize employees to talk up your business positively and bring in their friends and relatives.

When a customer mentions an employee or brings in an employee discount card given out by an employee, then that employee should earn points for gift certificates or time off with pay or any incentive that works for your business.

Move Your Most Profitable Merchandise

It's in the store, and the employee's best interest, to sell products with a profitable margin.

Consider offering your employees spiffs.

A spiff, or spiv, is an immediate bonus to an employee for selling a particular product.

Typically, spiffs are paid on the spot, either by a manufacturer or employer, directly to a salesperson for selling a specific product.

Leaving the store after closing with folding money in your pocket is an excellent motivator for tomorrow's selling.

Some Final Thoughts on Making Big Bucks

There are thousands of ways to build traffic and increase sales, but the most crucial aspect is having a plan.

Have employee meetings and impress upon them the value —to them personally — of being prepared for the sales opportunities in the final quarter.

Try to find a way to publicly recognize each employee for something good they did during this time. Make each one a winner in some small way.

They will be working long, stressful hours with some unfriendly customers, so keep the workplace as employee-friendly as possible.

Set goals, get employees on board, talk to suppliers, speak to your advertising salespeople, and your bottom line can look a lot blacker during the final four months of 2023.

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