You Made it Through Thanksgiving–What Now for Your Business?

Turkey and stuffing is just great, for up to three days. Christmas is just weeks out, and most shops I know are finishing up mirror installs and new shower doors. But what’s next?

You mean to tell me that you are too busy to think about what is coming up that can be a big plus for your business? Here are some hints to get you started early! All of the following ideas need to be advertised and promoted using your web pages and local newspapers. The goal is to draw in extra customers, not just service the ones who come to you by chance.

Valentine’s Day. Give a free 1-pound box of chocolates with every $100 purchase of goods or services. Anyone wearing red on Valentine’s Day and who makes a purchase in your shop gets a 14-percent discount. Give a free dozen red roses to everyone who makes a $200 purchase or books a job with you. Donate $14 to the American Heart Association for every purchase made on the day prior and on Valentine’s Day.

St. Patrick’s Day. Repeat the wearing green from above and give a big loaf of Irish bread. (I have been asked, “What if you give Irish whiskey?” Never, ever, no-matter-what, give a bottle of whiskey away at your shop. If the receiving person has a drink in his or her car, and then has an accident, you own it, and what you get is the road to going-out-of-business.) Any contract with a green-aluminum storefront signed today gets a 5-percent discount. Any order placed today and that is paid in advance with green cash gets a 10-percent discount, for orders up to $1000.

April Fools’ Day. Oh can you have fun with this one. All of your staff has to come to work in some sort of costume. Send them to a costume rental store and have the cost paid for by the company. Anyone who comes in today wearing a silly costume gets a discount on their order–make it 4.974 percent, or some other silly number. Anyone who comes in with a list of five jokes gets another silly discount. How about giving a magic trick to every customer? You can find plenty of inexpensive ones online.

I’ll close up this blog with Mother’s and Father’s Days. Set up a list of four charities for each day, ones that appeal to women and a separate set that appeal to men. Advertise that anyone stopping into your showroom and donating $20 to any of the charities will get a matching $20 from you. It is a nice way to help your community and draw customers to your location. Have plenty of items for sale around the donation box location. Have enough salespeople ready to speak with each person that comes in. Set appointments to visit their homes and businesses to review their glass and energy savings needs. If you heavily promote this, you will get interviews from every radio and TV station in your area. What a wonderful way to gain customers!