Naturally, the holiday shopping season is the busiest time of the year. From Black Friday all the way through Christmas, consumers have plenty of reasons to stop by their favorite small businesses.
For the owners of these enterprises, the holiday rush is both welcomed and feared. A lack of preparation can mean the full potential of this time of year isn’t realized, and that will directly affect a company’s bottom line. Thankfully, there are plenty of effective ways to avoid this problem and boost sales during the holidays.
One of those methods is proper staffing. A small business may be operating with as few as one to two employees, but the holidays could be the perfect time to add a few more.
Look for ways to attract help
During this time of year, small business owners should look for creative ways to attract additional employees. Fortunately, most options won’t break the bank during the holidays.
In an article for the American Express OPENforum, Katie Morell wrote that small business owners can tap into local universities and colleges or consult a staffing firm. It may only take one or two more people to improve efficiency and sales from November through January, and these places are the perfect locations to start.
Staffing firms can be cost-effective as well, because that company will do the pre-screening process first, saving the small business the time and money. It rarely hurts to over-hire during the holidays, because the added sales will make up for the initial expenses.
Prepare for holiday rush
No matter the size of the small business, it is always a good idea to prepare for the holiday rush. More temporary employees, and even comprehensive small business insurance, can prevent mistakes and keep a company moving in the right direction.
According to Business News Daily, a small business owner can look into his or her projected sales for the holiday season to determine the right number of additional employees to hire. The costs of this process shouldn’t destroy a budget, but it is frequently worth it to bring in more people.
Overall, this level of preparation can really take a small business over the top during the holidays. It will mean an easier time dealing with customers, a shorter amount of time processing sales and shipping and more time to devote to important duties for the owner and other tenured staff members at the company.
