184. Holiday Retail Sales Tips From Seasoned Shop Owners

 With host retail coach Wendy Batten https://wendybatten.com/184/   You are in for a very special holiday treat on this episode of the Creative Shop Talk Podcast, my friends! Joining me on this episode are three of my Level Up Mastermind and Retailer’s Inner Circle members: Amy Cseh, Amy Hart, and Jeff Lee, all brilliant and longstanding independent retail shop owners who have been in the trenches and experienced ups and downs just like many. (Links to follow along with all of them are below.)   The interview, which originally aired exclusively in the Retailer’s Inner Circle Facebook group, is FULL of holiday sales tips from these three seasoned shop owners.   Here are just a few of the sales tips we dug into: Take advantage of any of the events that are organized by the community or town.  Ensure your staff is well trained and knows exactly what you are trying to accomplish. Set specific numbers goals for your staff so they can be engaged and track progress. Know your customer base and anticipate what they are looking for. Don’t “panic buy” merchandise just because you have FOMO or think that’s what you should be doing. If you are an Inner Circle member, implement the sales strategies in the Sales Accelerator masterclass. (And if you aren’t a member, maybe it’s time to join the Retailer’s Inner Circle!) Don’t miss the after Christmas rush!  Customers want to shop that week between Christmas and New Year’s. Have a plan for projected sales/buying plan for Q1. Sales will slow down after the holidays are over and you don’t want to be caught off guard. There is a new masterclass that just released into the Inner Circle this week all about Open to Buy Inventory Management that all members have access to. Pay attention to your return rate per square foot. If something isn’t selling fast enough, you may need to make a decision to downsize the display or get rid of the line completely. Plan your events & weekly emails ahead of time so you aren’t missing personal things during the holiday season. It doesn’t feel good to let personal things slide for the “sake of the store.” Do everything you can in advance, including personal things. (By the time this podcast airs, Jeff’s house will have been fully decorated for Christmas for 2+ weeks!) Amy C.’s advice: “Bless and release!” You’ve trained your staff and they are good at their jobs. Schedule your days off and enjoy your time outside of your shop. YOU are the only one who is going to notice what doesn’t get done. Know what your “no’s” are and stick to them. If something is causing you stress, give it to a team member or simply don’t do it.   If you are interested in joining the Level Up Mastermind, we are opening 3 seats and would love to hear from you. Now that you’ve “met” three of the retailers who are part of the Level Up Mastermind, you may have a better feel for who we are. Here is the link with more information.   About the Panelists: Jeff Lee owns The Vintage Nest Home & Gifts in Mount Holly, NC. Facebook | Instagram   Amy Cseh owns Schoolhouse Salvage in Chagrin Falls, OH. Facebook | Instagram   Amy Hart owns The Hare and the Hart in Thomasville, GA. Facebook | Instagram   Related podcasts we think you’ll like:  Holiday Playlist: Favorite Holiday-Themed Creative Shop Talk Podcast Playlist Episode 182: Fresh Ways to Wow & Delight Your Customers This Holiday Season Episode 157: Best of Series: Growth Mindset with Jeff Lee Episode 133: Retailer Success Series: Community, Culture, and CEO Mindset with Amy Cseh Episode 78: Retailer Success Stories: Learning to Level Up with Amy Hart About your host, Wendy Batten In case we haven’t met yet, I’m Wendy, a small business coach and founder of the Retailer’s Inner Circle, where I help other independent shop owners learn how to gain the right business skillsets to see more profits, paychecks, and joy as they navigate running their retail business.  Through online classes, business coaching programs, speaking, and a top-ranked podcast, I’ve helped hundreds of retailers around the globe reclaim their dream and see the success they want from their beautiful shops. My signature private coaching community, The Retailer’s Inner Circle, has helped retailers around the world build their retail business skill sets and confidence.  I am proud to have been featured in several major publications, including my own business column in What Women Create magazine. I have been privileged to be a guest on top-ranked podcasts and sought-after as a guest speaker and teacher for several brands, associations, and communities that are passionate about the success of independent retailers. When I’m not coaching, you will find me either DIYing and renovating my very imperfect old crooked cottage by the sea in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Lunenburg, NS, or blogging about our travel and RVing adventures and the weird fun things we get up to in our coastal village. I’d love to invite you to check out one of my free resources for real retailers at https://wendybatten.com/free-resources/    For more support from Wendy   Retailer’s Inner Circle - Join Wendy inside the best retailer’s community   Wendysources for shop owners    Hang out and connect with Wendy on IG    All of Wendy’s programs and services for shop owners can be found HERE.  Subscribe & Review in iTunes Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you’re not, I’d love you to consider it. Subscribing means you won’t miss an episode! Click here to subscribe to iTunes! If you want to be more of a rockstar, I’d love it if you could leave a review over on iTunes as well.  Those reviews help other retailers find my podcast and they’re also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. So grateful for you! Thank you!