Hello fellow entrepreneurs and shopping enthusiasts. This is one of the biggest weeks during the retail season; Black Friday! This week Friday will be my first Black Friday as a business owner. For those who do not know I own a skin care brand called Skin Sezson. It launched a few months ago this year and has obviously been my obsession and joy. If this is the first time you are hearing of Skin Sezson check out the website here: skinsezson.com . Sign up to receive emails so you can be the first to know of special deals and receive exclusive discounts! And yes, Skin Sezson will be having Black Friday deals!
I’m excited about this upcoming holiday season. It’s one of the busiest times of the year for businesses and going through it for the first time is something that I’m looking forward to. Being a new entrepreneur can be stressful; and may be especially during the upcoming weeks. A piece of advice that I could share is that it’s going to be ok and it will all work out.
Since I’m new to the retail sector when it comes to selling below are 6 key tips that I’ve been following to prepare for the holiday season.
1. Seek professional advice. If you are new to planning for your business seek professional advice from a mentor, or coach. They will provide you with the foundation of what to expect and do since you are so new to it all. Yes, it may cost a lot of money but consider it an investment for your business. The next time another opportunity arises for you to promote your business you will be able to do so with a solid plan.
2. Plan early. I’ll admit, I didn’t know this and wish I had the opportunity to do so. Typically, Black Friday is planned out at a maximum one year in advance and at a minimum 3 – 6 months in advance. It’s a big deal! As a small business owner it’s best to plan early to not only reduce your stress but to also give yourself ample opportunity to market your products and brand. This will allow for a smooth Black Friday retail experience.
3. Educate yourself. If you don’t know – Google. If you don’t know what you don’t know – research. If you think you know, you don’t – so ask! As a new business owner it’s so important to recognize that you don’t know it all and to be open to learning. Learn as much as you can and apply it to your business in a way that you see fit.
4. If you make a mistake, try again. There is no such thing as failing when it comes to being a new business owner. There is so many unknowns and its important to recognize that you will be making mistakes as you figure things out. It’s ok to make mistakes (although lets admit it may be costly when you run a business), but the most important thing is to learn from your mistake and improve for the better.
5. Offer great deals. It’s difficult to complete with large discount sales that bigger brands may provide. As a small business don’t compete with them. Provide discounts that you can reasonably afford for your business without losing a profit. Your (future) customers know that your products, and brand are great and will appreciate the discount you provide.
6. Use social media. Social media is free (at least for now it is), use it as a marketing tool for your business. Get on all the popular platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok to share your products, brand, and the great upcoming deals you have.
Check out my YouTube video on holiday sales prep tip!
