How to boost your New Year retail sales

Boosting sales after the Christmas rush

Year on year, Christmas sales around the world steadily grow. We are spending more than ever and there are no signs of slowing down.

Christmas in retail is a rush - it’s fast-paced, exciting, exhausting, challenging and, usually, highly profitable. But we can’t ride that wave all year long. So when the sparkle of the holiday period starts to lose it shine, energy levels wane, enthusiasm fades and inevitably retail sales start to drop.

So what can you do to boost sales after Christmas rush? Here are our top 7 tips:

Start a new sale

First there was the Christmas sale, then there was the Boxing Day sale, but why stop there? You could even try a new angle - in-store or online discounts, buy one get one free, discounts for bundles or markdowns on over-stocked items.

Take a look around

Remember how satisfying it is to pack away the Christmas tree and all the decorations to gain back that much needed space in your living room? The same can be said for your business space. Once Christmas is back in the box, take a look around with fresh eyes for opportunities attract customers. Eye-catching window displays and point-of-purchase displays are great options.

Release a new product

If sales are slow, now would be a great time look for new products or new product development opportunities and get them on the shelves. New products are a sure-fire way to attract new customers.

Change your pitch

Christmas is done and the New Year has started - it’s time to check your messaging. Consumer’s mindsets change more often than the seasons. Up until Christmas, they are shopping regularly and spending freely. Come the New Year and something changes. Now they are saving money, losing weight and getting fit. Take some time to find a new way to connect to your customers or even try pitching to a new audience.

Make some noise

Even if you are suffering post-holiday blues, whatever you do, don’t go quiet. Keep up your marketing and keep engaging with customers. After all your hard work in the lead-up to Christmas, it would be a shame to lose them now.

Say thanks

Now would be a good time to thank your holiday shoppers and loyal customers with a special New Year discount or promotion. A successful company typically sees 80 percent of its business come from 20 percent of its customers, so it give them a reason to come back in.

Social media

Think about it: The average kiwi employee has just spent the holidays playing in the sun, sand and surf. They’re back at their desk sifting through emails and looking for any excuse to delay the inevitable – getting back to the nine-to-five slog. Welcome, social media. A well-timed Facebook post, a tempting tweet or an attention-grabbing blog is just the distraction they are looking for.

Sure Christmas was great - profit-wise. But now’s not the time to rest on your laurels. With a few simple strategies you can keep riding that wave for a little longer - and the longer you ride it, the better your bottom line.

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