Well, it’s safe to say that the holiday shopping season is quickly approaching. And if you’re a small business, chances are you’re already eyeing your calendar.
The second half of the year, more specifically the weeks surrounding the holidays, can serve as a make-or-break period in the retail industry. November and December alone account for as much as 30 percent of a retailer’s annual sales as consumers flock to stores and scour the Internet for the best deals.
With this in mind, we wanted to give you a head start by pulling together a robust Small Business Guide for Retail Holiday Prep. The full Guide is well worth the read and it’s littered with tips, tricks and never-would-have-thought-of-that’s.
But in the course of scouring our network for the best holiday retail guidance, we also came across some of the meatiest, thought-provoking quotes from entrepreneurs and retail leaders near and far. Here are a few of the most notable quotables.
Holiday Prep Quotable #1
“My advice is not to invest in today but to invest in the future.” – Oscar Salazar, former CTO of Uber, and founder of Ride.
When thinking of investments to make in your small business, particularly for the upcoming holiday season, don’t just adopt what everyone else has. Take a little extra time to think about the technology, innovation, and apps (that if invested in now) could really pay off in the future.
Holiday Prep Quotable #2
“Mobile is becoming a flagship store” in terms of the way consumers are experiencing retail brands. –Thomas Wykes-Sneyd, Industry & Branded Apparel, Google
There’s no denying it – customers are online and on their phones, and you should be, too. Whether that means opening an Etsy store or launching your own e-commerce website, there’s no better way to get eyeballs on your brand and ready shoppers in your door.
Holiday Prep Quotable #3
“Checking items off of a checklist releases small amounts of dopamine that then fuel us to keep checking off more items.” – Lauren Marchese, Trello
Make a holiday prep checklist to help 1) keep you organized, and 2) give you a sense of accomplishment, as you check items off the list.
The best part? You can simply refer back to that same checklist year after year to keep you on schedule and learn from your own best practices.
Holiday Prep Quotable #4
“Bank transactions are as sly as the emails that come in your inbox – too many in number and easy to miss out.” – Zoho
If you’ve been battling cash flow and bookkeeping all year, now is the time to settle up and consider investing in better accounting software. There comes a point when you can’t do it all. Realize your limits now and invest in your sanity, before the holiday mayhem.
Find more words of inspiration, as well as tangible tactics and insights, to help you through the holidays in our Small Business Guide for Retail Holiday Prep, or check back on our blog for words of wisdom as the holiday season approaches.
Editor Note: References made to companies, persons, or entities in this post are not meant to convey endorsements by Rubicon in any way.
