Updated 21 November 2020
This year more than ever I feel the need for some rest and relaxation. I am ready to recharge and reconnect (at an appropriately safe distance of course).
At this ‘busy’ time of year, it’s easy to get caught up in overwhelm but like all things;
The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. – Walt Disney
We have put together a quick Christmas Holiday checklist to help you prepare for Christmas:
- Christmas Cards
- Christmas Party
- Marketing Plans, Goals, Strategies & Steps
- Schedule Blog Posts, Social Media & Newsletters
- Christmas Branding
- Christmas & New Year Promotions
- Review Subscriptions
- Review Cash Flow
- Review Team Cover
- Review Emails
- Let People Know
- Book in for Beautification
Thank you / Christmas Cards
Not only are Christmas Cards a tradition, but it is also a great way to thank your clients for their business and to let them know they are important to you. Which is also why you shouldn’t leave it to the last minute, nothing says “You’re important to me” than a Christmas Card arriving early January ☹️ Refer to Australia Post’s website for Christmas cut off times and allow for postal delays.
Christmas Party
We, humans, are social creatures, so whether you are flying solo or have a team, organising something out of work to mark the end of the year is a great way to close the year and prepare for the next one. It is easy to get caught up in the momentum of doing and not celebrate ‘the wins’ along the way, so this is a chance to celebrate all that you have achieved this year and have a bit of fun.
Organise a ‘Hack Day /Planning Day’
We have spoken before about hack days which you can read here.
Basically, organise a day where you can set out your plans for the new year; your business goals, the strategies & steps you need to take to achieve those goals. Then schedule, what needs to be done by when and by who, when you’ll check in and how you’ll keep the accountability alive.
This is something that we do, and we find it, not only professionally but personally valuable. So much so, that we have (again) created our own 2021 A3 Calendar set out into 52 weeks broken down into the 4 quarters, so you too can map out your 2021.
If you want to get your hands on it head over here. Not only will you go into the holiday season with peace of mind but you will feel more enthused to start the new year if you have a plan.
Schedule Blog Posts, Social Media and Newsletters
Thankfully these days there are many applications that enable you to schedule in advance.
Most CMS (content management systems) allow you to schedule your posts and then there are applications like CoSchedule that enable you to schedule your post to all your social media channels not only the next day but also the next month, next 3 months, 6 etc
Then there are the Hootsuite & Buffer applications that help you manage all facets of your social media activity. Ideally, you will want to schedule “evergreen” content rather than topical content.
If Pinterest is a big part of your business you can use applications like Tailwind to schedule your pins. It also optimises your pinning times.
If you send regular emails to your clients then you most likely have an email marketing service such as Mailchimp, if you do, great news you can schedule your newsletters to pop into your client’s inboxes, connecting with them while you are sipping cocktails by the pool.
Branding
Does your website need a refresh for the holiday season? Or do you (like us) have a reason to celebrate or update? 6R Retail will be celebrating 10 years with Leonie at the helm in December 2020, so we’re giving the website a little makeover.
Do your social media channels need a refresh, change the cover images to something more appropriate? Just remember to keep it consistent.
Promotions for Christmas
Could you use the excitement of Christmas Holidays to run a promotion, a giveaway, an event? This is an opportunity to connect with your customers and or clients, “to give something back”, don’t do it for the sake of it as there is always a lot happening for everyone at this time of year.
Perhaps scheduling in something for the new year for everyone to look forward to might be more appropriate for your business. Either way, if it is appropriate, go for it!
Review Subscriptions
The good news is in this day and age there is an app for everything. The bad news is in this day and age there is an app for everything, and generally they are on direct debit monthly subscriptions. When was the last time you reviewed them? I have no doubt that you have subscribed to a few others over the course of the year(s). Now is a good time to review them, are you doubling up? Apps are always improving, perhaps there are better ones out that do what a few of your current ones do? Perhaps it’s a great app, but you really don’t need it? If it is not adding VALUE to your business, get rid of it! If you end up missing it then you can always come back to it- I am sure they will still take your money 🙂
Review Cash Flow
The festive season can leave you feeling a bit out of pocket. As we are approaching halfway through the financial year, it is a good time to conduct a cash flow analysis, if there is anything that needs your attention, now is a good time to resolve it, better than waiting another 6 months. You will be in a much better headspace in 2021 if you KNOW what your finances look like.
Review Team Cover
Do you need all hands on deck over this period or can manage on skeleton staff? Even if they haven’t put a leave form in yet, it is best to check what people’s movements will be like over the holiday period, perhaps you know someone will be working hard up until Christmas Eve, then if you don’t require them after that, give them a few days off, they will really appreciate it and come back refreshed and recharged ready to work even harder for you. Likewise, if you know they are likely to be flat out in the new year, give them some time off before, so they are ready to take all that the new year brings.
Review Emails
You don’t want return to work with a full inbox, presently, you may think while you are on holidays that you will keep an eye on your emails, but you will be surprised, holidays are fun, checking emails is not so much. Switch off and enjoy your break but before you do, review the emails you are subscribed to. Be honest with yourself, will you really read the emails when you are back in front of your computer in the new year? If the answer is yes, in outlook you can set up a rule and direct it straight into a folder for review later. If the answer is no, unsubscribe (and you can let them know the reason why some clever email applications let you unsubscribe for X period of time). You can also use Unroll me a mass unsubscribe from email lists to help with the process.
Let people know
If you are going away, it might sound obvious, but you would be surprised at how caught up you can get at this time and fail to let people know. An easy way to do this is to add it to your email signature. Also the more you tell people the more exciting it is for you and less likely you will get urgent/emergency calls or emails while you are off.
Lastly, more for yourself than your business…
Book in for Beautification (or relaxation)
Yup, that’s right, this is a crazy busy time for your hairdresser and beautician too. Book in your appointments early to secure your spot and it will be one less thing you need to worry about! and hey, who doesn’t love the head massage at the hairdressers!? #selfcare is super important at this time too.
These are just a few ideas to get you ready for the Christmas Holiday Period, the idea is to start the new year on the right foot and enable you to “disconnect to connect” over this period. If you have some ideas that you would like to share we would love to hear them. Please share them with us on Facebook or LinkedIn.