"Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year". (Supposedly for us retailers.) This the time of year we count on our customers to dig deep into their wallets. We are tested in just about every way possible. It's also "make-it or break-it" time when our stressed and overwhelmed employees are truly tested, right along with us. It can even affect our sales for the coming year, just by how well we take care of customers this holiday season.

People are often having trouble searching for the right gift for others, so they're much more likely to try new or different stores from those they might typically shop. This even makes it a better opportunity for you, your store and your staff to shine! Those retailers who can provide the best customer experience will make a positive impression and increase the likelihood of those customers returning to their store in the coming year. Here are a few ideas and tips to help you maximize your efforts. It is by no means complete, but every little bit helps!

1. Help Customers Save Time

Make it easy for stressed and time pressed shoppers this year. Create a 15-$20.00 gift table with ready-to-go pre-wrapped merchandise (complete with bows). Make sure you have an unwrapped version with each stack of pre-wrapped merchandise. Do the same for a couple of other price points such as a $50.00 and $100.00 tables.

2. Connect With Your Best Customers

Reach out somehow in some way to your customers during the holidays. Regardless of your advertising budget, decide right now how you will connect with the existing customers in the next 8 weeks. Yes, I no you have a lot on your mind, but connecting with your current customers and giving them a little TLC is important too! Don't go through this holiday season flying by the seat of your pants whether it comes to walk-in advertising offers, or the same tired old approach this Christmas. You can't keep doing the same things over and over and expect different sales results. If it was mediocre last year, it may be less than mediocre this year. While its very late in the planning stage, make up your mind you will do some different and better things this year including touching base with customers with a card, e-mail, phone call or on the spot token of your appreciation to your best customers.

3. Get Customers Back Again

An old but time tested way to help sale along during the holiday period is to give your customers a special reason to come back and buy again at a later date. For all purchases made in the month of November or before Thanksgiving, give your customers a flat percentage or dollar savings coupon to come back in December prior to Christmas. While you're at it, try the same thing during December to get shoppers back during the after holiday doldrums. Have your coupons printed out on special paper with some bright colors and complete with the owner or store managers signature. This also makes it look more special. Just make sure you incentive is powerful enough in dollar amount or percentage of to get your customers back to the store.

4. Encourage Customers to Come In

A simple window decoration can include a window full of ribbons hanging down from the ceiling at different lengths along with whatever you're featuring in your window. At the end of each ribbon is a miniature envelope with a discount inside. Mark each envelope is outside with large red or green question marks and the word "Savings". One or two of these cards available at the time of purchase contains a free shopping trip for up to $______. Each card is good for savings of some amount. Shoppers get to open one card at the register after everything is rung up, to see what their discount or freebie is.

5. Have A Store Party!

It's not original, but it's effective. Put out some tables, some great drinks and create some special discounts for a one night only party. Promote your party in advance however you wish, but at least use shopping bag inserts, e-mails, and a large window banner. Call it a holiday "Thank You" party or whatever you think is a better name. Try it again after the holidays or possibly once a quarter so that customers get in the habit of looking for your night. You may even want to get a DJ who's new or hungry and cheap to help create some excitement.

6. Have Some Fun

Give out a very special discount to each and every any couple who will take the time while shopping and dance a complete dance to one of the DJ's songs. Promote it with some great Christmas music on a day when there is plenty of store traffic around. This will create excitement attention and activity.

7. Bring in Something or Someone Special

If you are a fashion, gift, art store, sewing store, spa or salon, bring in a special guest jewelry maker and feature their items at a special price for a couple of days or nights. Don't know of a jewelry maker? Try another specialty.

8. When Are You Open?

Adjust you hours of operation for your customers this season. Be open when they shop. The decisions you make about hours play a huge role in your total sales. If you are closed on either day of the weekend, you are not very hungry and you're missing out! Consider sucking it up this year and buckle down and expand your holiday hours.

9. Show Customers Your Competitive... Get it in their head at every opportunity!

Whenever you have a better price than the big boys, make sure everyone knows about it who visits your store. Make sure that people know you're very competitive where you can. The big boys don't always have the best price and your customers need to have this pointed out to them whenever and wherever possible! You may not be the best price on most things. That's to be expected. You may even be the same in some instances. But when you are sharp on a price, shout it from the rooftops do dispel any thinking to the contrary where possible. Also point out where you offer a better value.

10. Give Special Attention To Fitting Rooms This Year

Review your fitting rooms closely. What can you do to make the fitting room experience "much" better. Give customers the best lighting possible. Fluorescent lighting is not flattering. You want customers looking good when they try on something in your store. Insure the dressing rooms are big enough. Give customers a place to sit down, including husbands. Have a minimum have 3 or four hooks to hang things on. There are plenty of customers who may avoid trying on something, or cutting their purchases just over the hassle of the fitting room experience.

11. Hammer Quality Home

Whenever your offering better quality, make it clear and tell the story of why you're better. People seem to be suspicious and somewhat aware of lesser quality from some big retailers. Hammer this home and take advantage of it.

12. Get Some Attention By Turning Your Store into a Giant Present

If you're store is small enough, wrap the exterior of your store in a bright red ribbon (something about a foot wide and then add a gigantic bow in a very visible place. You'll certainly communicate a message that you are a place to check out for the holidays, and you'll stand out to boot.

13. Get Some Attention With Santa's Galore

Dress your entire staff in Santa Costumes and contact the media for a quick news story. It will make a fun scene for customers, kids and even staff. It will also make your store memorable!

14. Build the E-Mail List... If You Do Nothing Else

Offer an incentive for building an e-mail list. If you do nothing else this holiday season, get the email addresses of your new, and current customers. The best way to do this is to offer a drawing for something everyone wants. Maybe it's an Apple iPad II. Or, offer a special discount or dollar off coupon to be sent to the customer's home e-mail address, in exchange for their contact information. (No correct address from the customer means, they don't get the coupon.) Make sure the subject line in the e-mail is very clear about the purpose of the e-mail. While you may be discounting your products, which you may not be excited about, consider it the cost you pay for building a great e-mail contact list.

15. Have A Fresh Look

It may be too late, but shake up your store's floor plan as much as possible before the holidays. Make sure you have the look and atmosphere you want, taking into account, color, decorations, lighting and even music. Make sure that no matter what you do, you have a new fresh look for shoppers.

16. Make It Easy For Customers To Create The Look You've Bought

If you're a fashion store, make sure the mannequins in your windows reflect a special and unique look that can be created with the fashion items in your store. Consider taking one of the basic items and promoting it or highlighting in your window with a great price. Then be sure to have all the other fashion items to mix and match with it. Be sure your inventory is well organized and grouped to make it easy for customers. While you're at it find someone you know to come in and put together an outfit on their own (possibly from something seen in your window), just to see how simple or difficult your store's merchandising and floor-plan makes shopping and assembling for your customers. See how long and just how confusing or how much explanation is needed for the shopper to put together their outfit. Just because it's easy for you and your staff, doesn't make it easy and obvious as to how things are laid out for the customer.

17. Take Advantage of Holiday Traffic To Move Older Inventory

While you don't want to emphasize it, be sure to have a clearance section. Make sure signs are very easy to see and understand. For example, "Clearance starting at $8.00."

18. Help Customers Get More Value

Bring in some special buy costume jewelry items to offer with a purchase to avoid discounting. The free item is a great incentive and may help someone make their gift look even better!

Have a Successful and Prosperous Christmas Selling Season!

2011 Retail Redefined and retailrichez.com .

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