How To Beat The January Sales Slump For Your Small Business

January is traditionally a tough time for businesses. This is especially true for smaller companies for the simple reason that they do not have the ability to discount on the level of larger high street companies and websites. However, this is not impossible- here are a few ways how your small business can boost your business in January.

Try something new

People can often find it difficult during January- Christmas often requires a big promotional push and the emergence of Black Friday has created a new promotional focus.

But there is a way to beat this- launching a new business, changing the look of your shop front or revamping your website can make a difference. Not on Instagram? Get an account and start taking pictures! Even the smallest change can get people’s attention.

Go with what works

The temptation during January is to simply slash prices. You should avoid this with products that sell- however products that complement those may be worth discounting to encourage sales (one example would be if you sold football shirts- discounts on the shorts, socks or away kit would be other potential sales to complement what someone has already bought).

Take advantage of email contacts

A lot of companies get more email contacts during the Christmas period. In January, this is your opportunity to engage with them and turn these contacts into customers.

Customer service makes a difference

One major advantage a smaller business has over a larger one is the service- the difficulty is people often need to take things back, exchange and so forth. Being able to keep the service at the best possible quality will result in good feedback and get people coming back.

Encourage upselling

There are various ways to encourage upselling- prize giveaways, loyalty points/cards or offering discounts on additional items can add up. Likewise, encouraging staff to push upselling through additional rewards can encourage this.

Make it easier to pay

This is something that you need to consider- for example a card reader doesn’t necessarily need to be expensive but could make a big difference. As more people pay by card it is important to be aware of this.

Equally with more apps being developed that people can use to pay for things this could increase the speed in which transactions are processed and this in turn could mean more sales in the day.

On a simple level making sure you have the right change or having an efficient POS system can make a big difference.

We can help

It is important to look at what your business is doing. January is a great opportunity to take a step back and look at how you can do things more efficiently and progress.

At Digi Toolbox, we can offer a range of ways to promote your business. If you want to know more about what we have to offer, please contact us today and we will be happy to discuss what we can offer you in more detail.