This post was updated from September 2014

Consignment store Halloween ideas that will cast a spell on shoppers!

Nearly $9 billion is projected to be spent in 2019 on this special day. Even if your store doesn’t sell costumes, offer add-ins like candles, cards, decorations or accessories. Make sure your store participates in at least one of these consignment store Halloween ideas to get your share of the Halloween pie.

1.) Decorate, decorate, decorate

This is the time of year to take advantage of great decorating opportunities. Whether you choose fall leaves, pumpkins or scary ghosts, make sure your shop is festive and fun. Inner Child Fun has an idea using Glad Press ‘n Seal Plastic Wrap on your windows. Tape the plastic wrap to your windows with the sticky side out then attach objects to the wrap. They suggest fall leaves, but you could just as easily decorate with black bats or skeletons. If you prefer not to decorate your entire store, set aside a “spooky” section. Fill this “pop-up shop” with Fall decor, Halloween-themed items or just autumn-colored merchandise.

2.) Hold an event

There are so many fun events that require very little preparation on your part. For instance, sponsor a Halloween Child Safety Seminar. Hand out child safety Tips, give the kids a Halloween coloring page and offer reflective bags or pumpkin containers to those who attend. Or, hold a “Get Ready for the Night” event from 4 pm to 6 pm on October 31st where children receive free face painting and candy while parents receive a special 13% off coupon for a one-day sale event on Saturday, November 1. Remember customer content is always your strongest advertising! Take lots of photos!

3.) Offer scary prices to your best customers

Don’t forget to reach out to your loyal shoppers. Send spooky invitations and emails to promote a special sale with really scary prices (say, the unlucky number of 13% off) that is by invitation only. Send your top 25 customers a bewitching gift box filled with candy and a special note that might say, “Fangs a lot” and of course a gift card to your shop. Or, host an evening party where customers are encouraged to dress in costume. Present a fashion show that is all in black or black and orange. Then, make sure you offer appropriate refreshments like witches brew and monster eyes. Give them plenty of notice to prepare.

4.) Get employees excited

Shoppers like to frequent businesses where the workers are friendly and fun. Nothing says “fun” more than a salesperson dressed like a beautiful Fairy Princess or Batman. Make sure your employees wear costumes and have plenty of candy to hand out. Choose allergy-friendly candies like Skittles or Life Savers. Offer a drawing for a special prize that makes it easier for employees to interact with shoppers. Get email addresses in exchange for signing up.

5.) Be very social

Using all of your social media is a must. Host contests on Facebook for the best costume whether it’s people or pets. Create a Halloween Pinterest board with all of the black and orange items in your shop. Use Twitter and Instagram to promote your special event. If you don’t want the hassle of a contest or event, at least take fun photos of your staff in costume to post on Facebook and Twitter. Change your Facebook Cover Image. The Cover Image size is 1200 x 675 pixels. Check and correctly arrange your photo before you publish. Don’t forget to change it on November 1st. No matter which Halloween ideas you choose, by adding a bit of fun, you’ll be building your brand awareness.

Just 16 weeks ’til Christmas! Here’s your annual 4th quarter Marketing Calendar

For a couple of years now, I’ve put together a 4th quarter holiday marketing calendar to keep you on track for this important season. I’ve updated it for 2018. Be sure to print off a copy to review with your staff. The link is at the bottom of this page.

Week 16   Monday, September 3

Inventory reduction. Clear out all summer, back-to-school or any other merchandise that’s now seasonally outdated. Read 17 brilliant ideas for inventory reduction. Once Labor Day is here, so is fall. If you haven’t done it already, sit down with staff and calendar in hand to map out your strategy. Take note of any special fall activities happening in your community. Plan to participate in a Fall Festival, Oktoberfest, local football weekends or any other autumn community event. Build your email list before the holidays hit by placing a sign-up sheet by your register. Read 14 simple ways to build your store’s email list.

Week 15   Monday, September 10

Halloween spooktacular. Your windows and shop interior are completely decorated with fall colors and Halloween merchandise. Planning should be under way if you’re hosting a Halloween event. Read 5 Halloween Ideas to Draw Shoppers in. Consider a “Trick or Treats for Grownups” evening; a Halloween coloring page contest for the kids or a photo contest featuring costumes or home decor created with items from your shop. Remember, user-generated content makes the biggest impact. So encourage participants to post, tweet or pin photos of themselves at your events. Read Customer content is the best way to promote yourself. Check all of your online listings too. Encourage shoppers to leave a review if you feel they had a great experience.

Week 14   Monday, September 17

Shop Small. Autumn officially begins on Saturday, September 22. Now’s the time to review your internal processes as you plan for the holiday shopping season. Slow lines at checkout are a killer. How can you improve? Read 13 ways to improve your consignment shop cash wrap. What about your intake process? Make sure you’re able to handle the influx of shoppers as well as the need for seasonal merchandise. When was the last time you took a serious look at your shop? Clean dressing rooms, bathrooms, floors and windows can make a big impression. Sign up now to participate in Shop Small Saturday on Saturday, November 24. Contact the other shops around you to see if they’re participating. Determine the type of specials you’ll offer on that day too.

Week 13   Monday, September 24

Mobile marketing. Preparations for your Halloween event should be well under way. Print bag stuffers to promote your event and hang signs in your front window. Map out your email campaign and how you will promote the event on all of your social media. Read Are you sure your business is mobile friendly?  Make sure your emails are optimized for viewing on mobile phones. You’ll also want to create incentives to bring shoppers back with coupons, additional rewards points or future events. Consider offering a deal if items are bought before Wednesday, November 22. Order any gift cards or gift certificates shoppers can use as Christmas gifts. Be sure to purchase small, holiday impulse-buy items for your register too. Now’s the time to finalize your Christmas window decor.

Week 12   Monday, October 1

Seasonal employees. Our holiday marketing calendar continues. Slip those Halloween event flyers into every shopper’s bag and get your email campaign under way. Because employees are walking, talking billboards for your store, run a fun in-store competition. Let your employees choose clever costumes they’ll wear during the week of Halloween. Have customers secretly vote for their favorite. Offer a gift card to the winner. Now’s the time to also interview for seasonal help. Read The ultimate guide for hiring the best part-time employees. Bob Negan of WhizBang! offers these tips: “Focus on hiring people who are quick learners … who enjoy a fast-paced environment, who are willing to do any kind of work…and who are extremely friendly.” Hopefully, you’re locating other shops in your area who are participating in the Shop Small event. Discuss with them the possibility of a shop crawl, sidewalk sale or treasure hunt.

Week 11   Monday, October 8

Showing thanks. It’s time to put Halloween aside and focus on November. The Thanksgiving season is a perfect time for community involvement and generating goodwill. Read 5 tips for a Successful Store Event  for some quick planning ideas. Consider having a canned food drive for your local food bank. A winter coat, hat and mittens drive for a homeless shelter. Blankets, towels and animal toy donations are wonderful for your local humane society. Children’s shops could collect toys and clothing for your local pregnancy center’s baby store. Many charities even provide a donation container for you. Arrange to have the organization pick up donations afterwards. Finalize with other shops how you plan to market Shop Small Saturday.

Week 10   Monday, October 15

Community involvement. Evaluate what needs to be changed from Halloween to Thanksgiving decor. How will you change your in-store signage and your front window? Can you capitalize on any local events such as your town’s football team, homecoming dances, Veteran’s Day parades or fall festivals? Use this holiday marketing calendar to begin planning your shop’s Christmas event. Outline a calendar for additional employees, food and beverages, special merchandise and prizes. Your exciting and fun Halloween event should take place next week unless you’re actually holding it on Halloween. Begin teasing Christmas with emails about upcoming merchandise, special surprises and extended shopping hours. Read Squeeze more out of your holiday marketing budget.

Week 9   Monday, October 22

Christmas promotions. This week, your employees should have fun wearing a variety of costumes, handing out candy and promoting your Halloween event. Take lots of pictures to post on social media. Be prepared to name the winner of your in-store costume contest and post their photo everywhere. Christmas is 8 weeks away. Begin gathering and storing your Christmas window decor items. Read Holiday window displays on a budget. It’s time to determine your Christmas promotions past Black Friday and/or Shop Small Saturday. Whether you choose a one-time event or something as simple as offering Christmas cookies and hot cider throughout the month, start planning. Contact a local high school or senior citizen group to see if they will offer free holiday gift wrapping in return for a charitable donation. If you’re participating in a local Thanksgiving donation drive, create your social media schedule, bag stuffers and signage now.

You’re halfway through planning your Holiday Marketing Calendar

Week 8   Monday, October 29

Sales Training. If your consignment or resale shop is open on Mondays, you may see some last-minute costume shoppers. As far as you’re concerned, Halloween is over and you’re headed full steam ahead to the biggest shopping season of the year. Set up definitive times for sales training for your employees and review policies for such things as shoplifting. Read Be Prepared for Shoplifters. Make sure they’re familiar with the current brands of merchandise you offer and how to cross sell products. If you’re going to add extended hours for the holidays, now is the time to begin promoting those. Your Shop Small and holiday hours signage should be in your window. Stay steady on all of your social media. If you’re struggling for ideas, post pics of new employees, tweet photos from a different angle of items that haven’t sold yet or take a funny team selfie.

Week 7   Monday, November 5

Exceptional customer service. Begin your donation drive this week. Be sure your staff is thankful and recognizes everyone who takes the opportunity to donate. Take photos of your staff with shoppers who are donating. If you have chosen not to do a donation drive, have your staff tie in with the season of thanks in a special way. For instance, they can hand out “Thank You” cards with return incentives. Read 3 sure fire consignment cross-selling and upselling tips. Schedule team sales goals, holiday parties and sales rewards for recognizing exceptional customer service during the Christmas holiday. In-store holiday signage that gives clear instructions should be ready to be put up in a week. Determine your top 25 – 50 customers and send them a special invitation for holiday shopping. All of your Shop Small Saturday plans should be finalized and clearly explained to your staff.

Week 6  Monday, November 12

Holiday magic. The holiday marketing calendar moves into week 6. It’s time to transition to Christmas decor with Thanksgiving one week away. Holiday signage indoors and out should be in place. Your Shop Small and/or Black Friday event marketing is under way. The sights, sounds and smells of Christmas should fill your shop. Remember, your front window is your biggest billboard. Create Christmas windows that are magical, drawing customers in. They must reinforce the quality of merchandise shoppers will find inside. Your staff, including those part-timers you’ve added, should know their holiday schedules, especially what’s required of them for Black Friday and Shop Small Saturday. Read How to nurture your best and most motivated employees. Your donation drive ends later this week.

Week 5  Monday, November 19

Review policies. Thanksgiving week is a huge transition. You, your staff and your shop completely transform from fall to Christmas. It’s time to set the stage for the holidays. Review store policies for such things as layaways, rewards points and wish lists. Inform your staff of any new merchandise that has come in the store. Double check that the flow for shopping and final check-out is clearly marked. Now’s the time to begin thinking like your shoppers. Their mindset has changed. They’re no longer shopping for themselves, but for others. Change the conversation to, “Who are you buying for this year?” Read Increase store traffic with these holiday ideas. Thursday, November 22 is Thanksgiving. Friday, November 23 is Black Friday and Saturday, November 24 is Shop Small Saturday. Looking ahead, Sunday and Monday the 25th and 26th are Cyber holidays.

Week 4    Monday, November 26

Digital greetings. I feel a bit like Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 with my holiday marketing calendar countdown, but we are now just one month away. Tuesday, November 27 is “Giving Tuesday” so be sure to share lots of photos of your charity donations. Your holiday hours and special shopping incentives should be promoted regularly through social media and emails. Don’t send too many emails. During this busy holiday season, customers start deleting more out of stress. Send email messages that are relevant and fun. Read Send clever, digital greetings this holiday to get some ideas for Christmas greetings to send to your customers. Planning for inventory reduction and winter decor after the first of the year should start now.

Week 3    Monday, December 3

Go the extra mile. Continue to energize your staff. Encourage them to wear Santa hats or ugly Christmas sweaters and hand out candy canes to everyone who comes in the door. Give them a reason to interact with each shopper. Read 6 simple strategies to snag a savvy shopper. Shift your merchandise to make your store look fresh and new, so customers will want to return. If you’re in an area where weather is an issue, make sure your outside is as clean as the inside of the store. Your freebies should also begin…free gift wrap, free concierge or free delivery. Next Monday is known as Green Monday. If you do online sales, this is the time to begin pushing your holiday merchandise online. Check out SimpleConsign’s Simple AdKiosks.

Week 2    Monday, December 10

Lead the charge. As Bob Negen says, “There’s a time to work ‘on‘ your business and a time to work ‘in’ your business.” Be on the sales floor interacting with staff and shoppers. Who doesn’t like to be personally assisted by the owner of the company?  Use your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to heighten excitement about new merchandise arriving. Our seasonal countdown wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t talk about the coming New Year. Be thinking and planning for changes and additions you would like to see in your shop in 2019. Friday, December 14 is known as Free Shipping Day. If shipping is at all part of your business, try to offer it free.

Week 1    Monday, December 17

Brand Ambassadors. By now, shoppers and staff are frazzled. This is a key week to create brand ambassadors for your store. If you and your staff can show patience, kindness and an extra willingness to be helpful, you will have customers for life. Doing extra things for your staff this week can go a long way too. Bring cookies, fruit or pastries in the morning; give special handwritten thank you notes and sincere compliments to boost morale and attitudes. Read 4 incentive ideas to energize employees. Take care of yourself too. Read How to beat the resale business owner blues. Sign up to receive Your Consignment Business Check Up.

Your planning is over!

Monday, December 24 Tomorrow is Christmas!

Whew! You survived. Congratulations! I hope this checklist made your life just a little easier. If you’d like to download a copy of the 4th Quarter Marketing Calendar to share with your staff, do so here. Merry Christmas from all of us at Traxia!

Just 16 weeks ’til Christmas! Here’s your annual Holiday Marketing Guide

Last year, I put together a resale store owner’s holiday marketing guide to keep you on track for this important season. I thought it was worth updating and repeating. At the bottom, print off a copy of the #1 Consignment Store Holiday Marketing Guide to review with your staff too.

Week 16   Monday, September 4

Inventory reduction. Clear out all summer, back-to-school or any other merchandise that’s now seasonally outdated. Read 17 brilliant ideas for inventory reduction. Once Labor Day is here, so is fall. If you haven’t done it already, sit down with staff and calendar in hand to map out your strategy. Take note of any special fall activities happening in your community. Plan to participate in a Fall Festival, Oktoberfest, local football weekends or any other autumn community event. Build your email list before the holidays hit by placing a sign-up sheet by your register. Read 14 simple ways to build your store’s email list.

Week 15   Monday, September 11

Halloween spooktacular. Your windows and shop interior are completely decorated with fall colors and Halloween merchandise. Planning should be under way if you’re hosting a Halloween event. Read 5 Halloween Ideas to Draw Shoppers in. Consider a “Trick or Treats for Grownups” evening; a Halloween coloring page contest for the kids or a photo contest featuring costumes or home decor created with items from your shop. Remember, user-generated content makes the biggest impact. So encourage participants to post, tweet or pin photos of themselves at your events. Read Customer content is the best way to promote yourself. Check all of your online listings too. Encourage shoppers to leave a review if you feel that had a great experience.

Week 14   Monday, September 18

Shop Small. Autumn officially begins on Friday, September 22. Now’s the time to review your internal processes as you plan for the holiday shopping season. Slow lines at checkout are a killer. How can you improve? Read 13 ways to improve your consignment shop cash wrap. What about your intake process? Make sure you’re able to handle the influx of shoppers as well as the need for seasonal merchandise. When was the last time you took a serious look at your shop? Clean dressing rooms, bathrooms, floors and windows can make a big impression. Sign up now to participate in Shop Small Saturday on Saturday, November 25. Contact the other shops around you to see if they’re participating. Determine the type of specials you’ll offer on that day too.

Week 13   Monday, September 25

Mobile marketing. Preparations for your Halloween event should be well under way. Print bag stuffers to promote your event and hang signs in your front window. Map out your email campaign and how you will promote the event on all of your social media. Read Are you sure your business is mobile friendly?  Make sure your emails are optimized for viewing on mobile phones. You’ll also want to create incentives to bring shoppers back with coupons, additional rewards points or future events. Consider offering a deal if items are bought before Wednesday, November 22. Order any gift cards or gift certificates shoppers can use as Christmas gifts. Be sure to purchase small, holiday impulse-buy items for your register too. Now is the time to finalize your Christmas window decor.

Week 12   Monday, October 2

Seasonal employees. Our holiday marketing guide continues. Slip those Halloween event flyers into every shopper’s bag and get your email campaign under way. Because employees are walking, talking billboards for your store, run a fun in-store competition. Let your employees choose clever costumes they’ll wear during the week of Halloween. Have customers secretly vote for their favorite. Offer a gift card to the winner. Now’s the time to also interview for seasonal help. Read The ultimate guide for hiring the best part-time employees. Bob Negan of WhizBang! offers these tips: “Focus on hiring people who are quick learners … who enjoy a fast-paced environment, who are willing to do any kind of work…and who are extremely friendly.” Hopefully, you’re locating other shops in your area who are participating in the Shop Small event. Discuss with them the possibility of a shop crawl, sidewalk sale or treasure hunt.

Week 11   Monday, October 9

Showing thanks. It’s time to put Halloween aside and focus on November. The Thanksgiving season is a perfect time for community involvement and generating goodwill. Read 5 tips for a Successful Store Event  for some quick planning ideas. Consider having a canned food drive for your local food bank. A winter coat, hat and mittens drive for a homeless shelter. Blankets, towels and animal toy donations are wonderful for your local humane society. Children’s shops could collect toys and clothing for your local pregnancy center’s baby store. Many charities even provide a donation container for you. Arrange to have the organization pick up donations afterwards. Finalize with other shops how you plan to market Shop Small Saturday.

Week 10   Monday, October 16

Community involvement. Evaluate what needs to be changed from Halloween to Thanksgiving decor. How will you change your in-store signage and your front window? Can you capitalize on any local events such as your town’s football team, homecoming dances, Veteran’s Day parades or fall festivals? Use this holiday marketing guide to begin planning your shop’s Christmas event. Outline a calendar for additional employees, food and beverages, special merchandise and prizes. Your exciting and fun Halloween event should take place next week unless you’re actually holding it on Halloween. Begin teasing Christmas with emails about upcoming merchandise, special surprises and extended shopping hours. Read Squeeze more out of your holiday marketing budget.

Week 9   Monday, October 23

Christmas promotions. This week, your employees should have fun wearing a variety of costumes, handing out candy and promoting your Halloween event. Take lots of pictures to post on social media. Be prepared to name the winner of your in-store costume contest and post their photo everywhere. Christmas is 8 weeks away. Begin gathering and storing your Christmas window decor items. Read Holiday window displays on a budget. It’s time to determine your Christmas promotions past Black Friday and/or Shop Small Saturday. Whether you choose a one-time event or something as simple as offering Christmas cookies and hot cider throughout the month, start planning. Contact a local high school or senior citizen group to see if they will offer free holiday gift wrapping in return for a charitable donation. If you’re participating in a local Thanksgiving donation drive, create your social media schedule, bag stuffers and signage now.

You are halfway through the #1 Consignment Store Holiday Marketing Guide

Week 8   Monday, October 30

Sales Training. If your consignment or resale shop is open on Mondays, you may see some last-minute costume shoppers. As far as you’re concerned, Halloween is over and you’re headed full steam ahead to the biggest shopping season of the year. Set up definitive times for sales training for your employees and review policies for such things as shoplifting. Read Be Prepared for Shoplifters. Make sure they’re familiar with the current brands of merchandise you offer and how to cross sell products. If you’re going to add extended hours for the holidays, now is the time to begin promoting those. Your Shop Small and holiday hours signage should be in your window. Stay steady on all of your social media. If you’re struggling for ideas, post pics of new employees, tweet photos from a different angle of items that haven’t sold yet or take a funny team selfie.

Week 7   Monday, November 6

Exceptional customer service. Begin your donation drive this week. Be sure your staff is thankful and recognizes everyone who takes the opportunity to donate. Take photos of your staff with shoppers who are donating. If you have chosen not to do a donation drive, have your staff tie in with the season of thanks in a special way. For instance, they can hand out “Thank You” cards with return incentives. Read 3 sure fire consignment cross-selling and upselling tips. Schedule team sales goals, holiday parties and sales rewards for recognizing exceptional customer service during the Christmas holiday. In-store holiday signage that gives clear instructions should be ready to be put up in a week. Determine your top 25 – 50 customers and send them a special invitation for holiday shopping. All of your Shop Small Saturday plans should be finalized and clearly explained to your staff.

Week 6  Monday, November 13

Holiday magic. The holiday marketing guide moves into week 6. It’s time to transition to Christmas decor with Thanksgiving one week away. Holiday signage indoors and out should be in place. Your Shop Small and/or Black Friday event marketing is under way. The sights, sounds and smells of Christmas should fill your shop. Remember, your front window is your biggest billboard. Create Christmas windows that are magical, drawing customers in. They must reinforce the quality of merchandise shoppers will find inside. Your staff, including those part-timers you’ve added, should know their holiday schedules, especially what’s required of them for Black Friday and Shop Small Saturday. Read How to nurture your best and most motivated employees. Your donation drive ends later this week.

Week 5  Monday, November 20

Review policies. Thanksgiving week is a huge transition. You, your staff and your shop completely transform from fall to Christmas. It’s time to set the stage for the holidays. Review store policies for such things as layaways, rewards points and wish lists. Inform your staff of any new merchandise that has come in the store. Double check that the flow for shopping and final check-out is clearly marked. Now’s the time to begin thinking like your shoppers. Their mindset has changed. They’re no longer shopping for themselves, but for others. Change the conversation to, “Who are you buying for this year?” Read Increase store traffic with these holiday ideas. Thursday, November 23 is Thanksgiving. Friday, November 24 is Black Friday and Saturday, November 25 is Shop Small Saturday. Looking ahead, Sunday and Monday the 26th and 27th are Cyber holidays.

Week 4    Monday, November 27

Digital greetings. I feel a bit like Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 with my holiday marketing guide countdown, but we are now just one month away. Tuesday, November 28 is “Giving Tuesday” so be sure to share lots of photos of your charity donations. Your holiday hours and special shopping incentives should be promoted regularly though social media and emails. Don’t send too many emails. During this busy holiday season, customers start deleting more out of stress. Send email messages that are relevant and fun. Read Send clever, digital greetings this holiday to get some ideas for Christmas greetings to send to your customers. Planning for inventory reduction and winter decor after the first of the year should start now.

Week 3    Monday, December 4

Go the extra mile. Continue to energize your staff. Encourage them to wear Santa hats or ugly Christmas sweaters and hand out candy canes to everyone who comes in the door. Give them a reason to interact with each shopper. Read 6 simple strategies to snag a savvy shopper. Shift your merchandise to make your store look fresh and new, so customers will want to return. If you’re in an area where weather is an issue, make sure your outside is as clean as the inside of the store. Your freebies should also begin…free gift wrap, free concierge or free delivery. Next Monday is known as Green Monday. If you do online sales, this is the time to begin pushing your holiday merchandise online. Check out SimpleConsign’s Simple AdKiosks.

Week 2    Monday, December 11

Lead the charge. As Bob Negen says, “There’s a time to work ‘on‘ your business and a time to work ‘in’ your business.” Be on the sales floor interacting with staff and shoppers. Who doesn’t like to be personally assisted by the owner of the company?  Use your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to heighten excitement about new merchandise arriving. Our seasonal countdown wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t talk about the coming New Year. Be thinking and planning for changes and additions you would like to see in your shop in 2018. Take a closer look at yourself too. Sign up to receive Your Consignment Business Check Up.

Week 1    Monday, December 18

Brand Ambassadors. By now, shoppers and staff are frazzled. This is a key week to create brand ambassadors for your store. If you and your staff can show patience, kindness and an extra willingness to be helpful, you will have customers for life. Doing extra things for your staff this week can go a long way too. Bring cookies, fruit or pastries in the morning; give special hand-written thank you notes and sincere compliments to boost morale and attitudes. Read 4 incentive ideas to energize employees. Today is also known as Free Shipping Day. If shipping is at all part of your business, today is the day to offer it free.

The #1 Consignment Store Holiday Marketing Guide is complete

Monday, December 25  Merry Christmas!

Whew! You survived. Congratulations! I hope this checklist made your life just a little easier. If you’d like to download a copy of the #1 Consignment Store Holiday Marketing Guide to share with your staff, do so here. Merry Christmas from all of us at Traxia!

Your 2016 16-week holiday planning guide is here!

In spite of there being only 16 weeks to the biggest shopping holiday of the year, you can relax. Last year, I put together the “16 Weeks to Christmas Checklist.” This year, I’ve tweaked it and added some additional information. Here is the definitive shop owner’s holiday planning guide to keep you on track for the 4th quarter. Follow it to success. At the bottom, print off a copy to review with your staff too.

Week 16     Sunday, September 4

Clear out all summer, back-to-school or any other merchandise that’s now seasonally outdated. Once Labor Day is over, so is the season. You should be well underway to decorating your shop for fall. Read “4 cheap and easy fall merchandising ideas” for inspiration. If you haven’t done it already, sit down with your staff and a calendar in hand to map out your 4th quarter strategy. Use this holiday planning guide as your beginning point.

Week 15    Sunday, September 11

Finish fall decorating. Make sure your windows and shop interior are fully decorated with gorgeous fall colors and seasonal merchandise. Planning should be under way if you’re hosting a Halloween event. Read “5 Halloween Ideas to Draw Shoppers in.” Consider adding a “Trick or Treats for Grownups” evening; Halloween coloring page contest for the kids or a Facebook photo contest featuring costumes or home decor created with items from your shop. Choose what type of food or prizes you’ll be offering. If possible, partner with another local shop in your area.

Week 14    Sunday, September 18

Autumn officially begins on September 22. Now’s the time to review your internal processes as you plan for the holiday shopping season. Slow lines at checkout are a killer for maintaining repeat customers. How can you improve? Read “13 ways to improve your consignment cash wrap.” What about your intake process? Make sure you are able to handle the influx of shoppers as well as the need for seasonal merchandise. When was the last time you took a serious look at your shop? Clean dressing rooms, bathrooms, floors and windows can make a big impression. Sign up now to participate in Shop Small Saturday on Saturday, November 26. Contact the other shops around you to see if they’re participating. Determine the type of specials you’ll offer on that day too.

Week 13    Sunday, September 25

Preparations for your Halloween event should be well under way now. Design and print bag stuffers and signage for your shop. Read, “5 tips for dynamite resale flyers” to get some ideas. Map out your email campaign and how you will promote the event on all of your social media. A holiday planning guide wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t remind you of the importance of mobile marketing. Make sure all of your emails are optimized for viewing on mobile phones. You will also want to create incentives to bring shoppers back with coupons, additional rewards points or future events. Your shop should now be filled with Halloween-themed decorations.

Week 12     Sunday, October 2

Our holiday planning guide continues with the first full week in October. Slip those Halloween event flyers into every shopper’s bag and get your email campaign under way. Let your employees decide what clever costumes they’ll wear during the week of Halloween. Let them know you’ll be having a fun in-store competition where customers secretly vote for the best-dressed employee. Offer a gift card to the winner. Now’s the time to interview for seasonal help. Bob Negan of WhizBang! offers these tips: “Focus on hiring people who are quick learners…who enjoy a fast-paced environment, who are willing to do any kind of work…and who are extremely friendly…” Hopefully, you’re locating other shops in your area who are participating in the Shop Small event. Discuss with them the possibility of a shop crawl, sidewalk sale or treasure hunt.

Week 11    Sunday, October 9

This holiday planning guide says it’s time to put Halloween aside and focus on November. The Thanksgiving season is a perfect time for community involvement and generating goodwill. Read “5 tips for a Successful Store Event”  for some quick planning ideas. Consider having a canned food drive for your local food bank.  A winter coat, hat and mittens drive for a homeless shelter is excellent. Blankets, towels and animal toy donations are wonderful for your local humane society. Children’s shops could collect toys and clothing for your local pregnancy center’s baby store. Many charities even provide a donation container for you. Arrange to have the organization pick up donations afterwards. Finalize with the other shops how you plan to market Shop Small Saturday. Be sure to purchase small, holiday impulse-buy items for your register too. Order any gift cards or gift certificates shoppers can use as Christmas gifts.

Week 10     Sunday, October 16

Evaluate what needs to be changed from Halloween to Thanksgiving decor. How will you change your in-store signage and your front window? Can you capitalize on any local events such as your town’s football team, homecoming dances, Veteran’s Day parades or fall festivals? Begin planning your shop’s Christmas event by outlining a calendar for additional employees, food and beverages, special merchandise and prizes. Your exciting and fun Halloween event should take place next week unless you’re actually holding it on Halloween. Begin teasing Christmas with emails about upcoming merchandise, special surprises and extended shopping hours.

Week 9     Sunday, October 23

This week, your employees should have fun wearing a variety of costumes, handing out candy and promoting your Halloween event. Take lots of pictures to post on your social media. Be prepared to name the winner of your in-store costume contest and post their photo on social media. Christmas is now 8 weeks away and you should have in mind what your window decor will look like. Read “Holiday window displays on a budget.”  It’s time to determine your Christmas promotions past Black Friday and/or Shop Small Saturday. Whether you choose a one-time event or something as simple as offering Christmas cookies and hot cider throughout the month, start planning. Contact a local high school or senior citizen group to see if they will offer free holiday gift wrapping in return for a charitable donation.

Week 8     Sunday, October 30

If your consignment or resale shop is open on Mondays, you may see some last-minute costume shoppers. Halloween is over though and you’re headed full steam ahead to the biggest shopping season of the year. Set up definitive times for sales training for your employees and review policies for such things as shoplifting. Read “Be Prepared for Shoplifters.” Make sure they’re familiar with the current brands of merchandise you offer and how to cross sell products. If you’re going to add extended hours for the holidays now is the time to begin promoting those. If you’re participating in a local Thanksgiving donation drive, create your social media schedule, bag stuffers and signage now. Your Shop Small and holiday hour signage should be in your window.

Week 7    Sunday, November 6

Begin your donation drive this week. Be sure your staff is thankful and recognizes everyone who takes the opportunity to donate. Take photos with shoppers and staff to use on your social media. If you have chosen not to do a donation drive, have your staff tie in with the season of thanks in a special way. For instance, they can hand out “Thank You” cards with return incentives. Schedule team sales goals, holiday parties, sales rewards and avenues for recognizing exceptional customer service for your employees during the Christmas holiday. In-store holiday signage that gives clear instructions should be ready to be put up in a week. Determine your top 25 – 50 customers and send them a special invitation for holiday shopping. All of your Shop Small Saturday plans should be finalized and clearly explained to your staff.

Week 6    Sunday, November 13

Our holiday planning guide moves into week 6. Many stores transition to Christmas decor with Thanksgiving one week away. Holiday signage indoors and out should be in place. Your Shop Small and/or Black Friday event marketing is under way. The sights, sounds and smells of Christmas should fill your shop. Remember, your front window is your biggest billboard. Create Christmas windows that are magical, drawing customers in. They must reinforce the quality of merchandise shoppers will find inside. Your staff, including those part-timers you’ve added, should know their holiday schedules, especially what’s required of them for Black Friday and Shop Small Saturday. Read “4 steps to keep salespeople focused this holiday.” Invite your shoppers to sign up on your social media or give you their email address to receive special pre-holiday offers.

Week 5    Sunday, November 20

Thanksgiving week is a huge transition. This is when you, your staff and your shop completely transform from fall to Christmas. Your donation drive ends later this week and you have set the stage for the holidays. Review store policies for such things as layaways, rewards points and wish lists. Inform your staff of any new merchandise that has come in the store. Double check that the flow for shopping and final check-out is clearly marked. Now’s the time to begin thinking like your shoppers. Their mindset has changed. They are no longer looking as much for themselves as they are for others. Change the conversation to, “Who are you buying for this year?” Thursday, November 24 is Thanksgiving. Friday, November 25 is Black Friday and Saturday, November 26 is Shop Small Saturday. Looking ahead, Sunday and Monday the 27th and 28th are Cyber holidays.

Week 4    Sunday, November 27

I feel a bit like Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 with my holiday planning guide countdown, but we are now just a month away. Tuesday, November 29 is “Giving Tuesday” so be sure to share lots of photos of your charity donations.  Your holiday hours and special shopping incentives should be promoted regularly though social media and emails. Don’t send too many emails. During this busy holiday season, customers start deleting more out of stress. Your holiday planning guide should include email messages that are relevant and fun. Read “Send clever, digital greetings this holiday” to get some ideas for Christmas greetings to send to your customers. Planning for inventory reduction and winter decor after the first of the year should start now.

Week 3    Sunday, December 4

Continue to energize your staff. Encourage them to wear Santa hats or ugly Christmas sweaters and hand out candy canes to everyone who comes in the door. Give them a reason to interact with each shopper. Read “Should You Say ‘Merry Christmas?'”. Shift your merchandise to make your store look fresh and new so customers will want to return. If you’re in an area where weather is an issue, make sure your outside is as clean as the inside of the store. If you’re doing other holiday promotions beyond Shop Small Saturday, begin marketing efforts this week. This would be the perfect time to start a “12 Days of Christmas” promotion highlighting specific merchandise each day. Your freebies should also begin…free gift wrap, free concierge or free delivery.

Week 2    Sunday, December 11

As Bob Negen says, “There’s a time to work ‘on‘ your business and a time to work ‘in’ your business.” You need to lead the charge. Be on the sales floor interacting with staff and shoppers. Who doesn’t like to be personally assisted by the owner of the company? Monday, December 12 is Green Monday. This is the day you really begin to promote your holiday sales online. Use your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to heighten excitement about new merchandise arriving. Our seasonal countdown wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t talk about the coming New Year. Be thinking and planning for changes and additions you would like to see in your shop in 2017. Take a closer look at yourself too. Sign up to receive “Your Consignment Business Check Up.”

Week 1    Sunday, December 18

Today is known as Free Shipping Day. If shipping is at all a part of your business, today is the day to offer it free. By now, shoppers and staff are frazzled. This is a key week to create brand ambassadors for your store. If you and your staff can show patience, kindness and an extra willingness to be helpful, you will have customers for life. Doing extra things for your staff this week can go a long way too. Bring cookies, fruit or pastries in the morning; give special hand-written thank you notes and sincere compliments to boost morale and attitudes.

Friday, December 25  Merry Christmas! 

Whew! You survived. Congratulations! Our holiday countdown is complete. I hope this checklist made your life just a little easier. If you’d like to download a copy of the holiday planning guide to share with your staff, do so here. Merry Christmas from all of us at Traxia!

Don’t Panic. Here’s your Christmas Checklist.  

In spite of there being only 16 weeks to the biggest shopping holiday of the year, you can relax. I’ve put together a shop owner’s Christmas checklist that will keep you on track for this important season.

Week 16   Friday, September 4

Clear out all summer, back-to-school or any other merchandise that’s now seasonally outdated. Once Labor Day is over, so is the season. If you haven’t done it already, now is the time to sit down with staff and calendar in hand to map out your strategy.

Week 15   Friday, September 11

Finish Fall decorating. Make sure your windows and shop interior are decorated with fall colors and seasonal merchandise.  Planning should be under way if you’re hosting a Halloween event. Read “5 Halloween Ideas to Draw Shoppers in.” Consider a “Trick or Treats for Grownups” evening; Halloween coloring page contest for the kids or a Facebook photo contest featuring costumes or home decor created with items from your shop. What type of food or prizes will you be offering? Partner with another local shop if possible.

Week 14   Friday, September 18

 Autumn officially begins this week. Now is the time to review your internal processes as you plan for holiday shopping. Slow lines at checkout are a killer for maintaining repeat customers. How can you improve? What about your intake process? Make sure you are able to handle the influx of shoppers as well as the need for seasonal merchandise. When was the last time you took a serious look at your shop? Clean dressing rooms, bathrooms, floors and windows can make a big impression. Determining any Black Friday or Shop Small Saturday specials should also be a focus.

Week 13   Friday, September 25

Promotion for your Halloween merchandise or event begins now. Print bag stuffers, signage for the shop, create an email campaign and begin talking about it on all of your social media. Build excitement with teasers if you can and create incentives to bring shoppers back with coupons, additional rewards points or future events. Your shop should now be filled with Halloween-themed decorations.

Week 12   Friday, October 2

The first full week in October always brings an air of excitement. Let your employees decide what fun costumes they will wear in the shop during the week of Halloween shopping and let them know you’ll be having a fun in-store competition where customers secretly vote for the best-dressed employee then offer a gift card to the winner. Now’s also the time to interview for seasonal help. Bob Negan of WhizBang! offers these tips: “Focus on hiring people who are quick learners…who enjoy a fast-paced environment, who are willing to do any kind of work…and who are extremely friendly…” Signing up to participate in your area’s Shop Small event on Saturday, November 28 should also be done.

Week 11   Friday, October 9

Believe it or not, it’s time to put Halloween aside and focus on November. The Thanksgiving season is a perfect time for community involvement and generating  goodwill for your shop. Consider having a canned food drive for your local food bank; a winter coat, hat and mittens drive for a homeless shelter or toy donations for your local pregnancy center’s baby store. Arrange to have the organization pick up donations from your store afterwards. Once again, look to see if there are other shops in your area who would partner with you and find out who else is participating in Shop Small Saturday.

Week 10   Friday, October 16

Evaluate what needs to be changed from Halloween to Thanksgiving decor. How will you change your in-store signage and your front window? Can you capitalize on any local events such as your town’s football team, homecoming dances, Veteran’s Day parades or fall festivals? Begin planning your shop’s special Christmas event by outlining a calendar for additional employees, food and beverages, special merchandise and prizes. Your special Halloween event should take place next week.

Week 9   Friday, October 23

This is the week of Halloween. Your employees should have fun wearing a variety of costumes, handing out candy and prepping for your Halloween event. Make sure they’re ready to take lots of pictures to post on all of your social media. Be prepared to name the winner of your in-store costume contest. Christmas is now 8 weeks away and you should have in mind what your window decor will look like and determined your holiday promotions whether it’s a one-time event or something as simple as offering Christmas cookies and hot cider throughout the month. Contact a local high school or senior citizen group to see if they will offer free holiday gift wrapping in return for a charitable donation. Be sure to purchase small, holiday impulse-buy items for your register too.

Week 8   Friday, October 30

Halloween is over and you’re headed full steam ahead to the biggest shopping season of the year. Set up definitive times for sales training for your employees and review policies for such things as shoplifting. Read “Be Prepared for Shoplifters.” Make sure they’re familiar with the current brands of merchandise you offer and how to cross sell products. If you’re going to add extended hours for the holidays now is the time to begin promoting those. Purchase any gift cards or gift certificates shoppers can use as Christmas gifts. If you’re participating in a local donation drive, begin promoting it now through social media, bag stuffers and signage. Your Shop Small and holiday hours signage should be in your window.

Week 7   Friday, November 6

Your donation drive is in full swing. Be sure your staff is thankful and recognizes everyone who takes the opportunity to donate. Take photos with shoppers and staff to use on your social media. If you have chosen not to do a donation drive, have your staff tie in with the season of thanks in a special way. They can hand out “Thank You” cards with return incentives for shoppers. Schedule team sales goals, holiday parties, sales rewards and avenues for recognizing exceptional customer service for your employees during the Christmas holiday. In-store holiday signage that gives clear instructions should be ready to be put up in a week or two. Determine your top 25 – 50 customers and send them a special invitation for holiday shopping.

Week 6   Friday, November 13

Many stores take this time to transition to Christmas decor with Thanksgiving one week away. Holiday signage indoors and out should be in place. Your Shop Small and/or Black Friday event marketing should begin. Your shop should be filled with the sights, sounds and smells of the Christmas season. Your front window is your biggest billboard. Everyone loves decorated Christmas windows so make them magical, drawing customers in from outdoors and reinforcing the quality of merchandise they will find inside. Your staff, including those part-timers you’ve added on should know their holiday schedules, especially what’s required of them for Black Friday and Shop Small Saturday.

Week 5   Friday, November 20

Thanksgiving week is a huge transition. This is when you, your staff and your shop completely transform from fall to Christmas. Your donation drive has ended and you have set the stage for the holidays. Double check that the flow for shopping and final check-out is clearly marked. Now’s the time to begin thinking like your shoppers. Their mindset has changed. They are no longer looking as much for themselves as they are for others. Conversations must change to “who are you buying for this year?” Thursday, November 26 is Thanksgiving. Friday, November 27 is Black Friday and Saturday, November 28 is Shop Small Saturday. A very full week!

Week 4   Friday, November 27

This next month will be a whirlwind. Encourage your staff each morning and review store policies for such things as layaways, rewards points and wish lists. Inform them of any new merchandise that has come in the store. Your holiday hours and special shopping incentives should be promoted regularly though social media and emails. Planning for inventory reduction and winter decor after the first of the year should start now.

Week 3   Friday, December 4

Continue to energize your staff. Encourage them to wear Santa hats or ugly Christmas sweaters and hand out candy canes to everyone who comes in the door. Give them a reason to interact with each shopper. Read “Should You Say ‘Merry Christmas?'” Shift your merchandise to make your store look fresh and new so customers will want to return. If you’re in an area where weather is an issue, make sure your outside is as clean as the inside of the store.

Week 2   Friday, December 12

As Bob Negen says, “There’s a time to work ‘on‘ your business and a time to work ‘in’ your business.” Your job now should be to lead the charge. Be on the sales floor interacting with staff and shoppers. Who doesn’t like to be personally assisted by the owner of the company?

Week 1   Friday, December 18

By now, shoppers and staff are frazzled. This is a key week to create brand ambassadors for your store. If you and your staff can show patience, kindness and an extra willingness to be helpful, you will have customers for life. Doing extra things for your staff this week can go a long way too. Bring cookies, fruit or pastries in the morning; give special hand-written thank you notes and sincere compliments to boost morale and attitudes.

Friday, December 25  Merry Christmas!

Whew! You survived. Congratulations! I hope the Christmas checklist made your life just a little easier.

Q. What’s the scariest part about Halloween?

A. Not taking advantage of all the money being spent!

Halloween ideas that will cast a spell on shoppers!

Nearly $7 billion was spent in 2015 on this special day. Make sure your store participates in several of these Halloween ideas to get your share of the Halloween pie.

1.) Decorate, decorate, decorate

This is the time of year to take advantage of great decorating opportunities. Whether you choose fall leaves, pumpkins or scary ghosts, make sure your shop is festive and fun. Inner Child Fun has an idea using Glad Press ‘n Seal Plastic Wrap on your windows. Tape the plastic wrap to your windows with the sticky side out then attach objects to the wrap. They suggest fall leaves, but you could just as easily decorate with black bats or skeletons.

2.) Hold an event

There are so many fun events that require very little preparation on your part. For instance, sponsor a Halloween Child Safety Seminar. Hand out child safety Tips, give the kids a Halloween coloring page and offer reflective bags or pumpkin containers to those who attend. Or, hold a “Get Ready for the Night” event on October 31st where children receive free face painting and candy while parents receive a special coupon for a one-day sale event on Saturday, November 1.

3.) Offer scary prices to your existing customers 

Don’t forget to reach out to your loyal shoppers. Send spooky invitations and emails to promote a special sale with really scary prices that is by invitation only. Send your top 25 customers a bewitching gift box filled with candy and a special note that might say, “Fangs a lot” and of course a gift card to your shop. Or, host an evening party where customers are encouraged to dress in costume. Present a fashion show that is all in black or black and orange. Then, make sure you offer appropriate refreshments like witches brew and monster eyes.

4.) Get employees excited

Shoppers like to frequent businesses where the workers are friendly and fun. Nothing says “fun” more than a salesperson dressed like a beautiful Fairy Princess. Make sure your employees wear costumes and have plenty of candy to hand out. Offer a drawing for a special prize that makes it easier for employees to interact with shoppers.

5.) Be very social

Using all of your social media is a must. Host contests on Facebook for the best costume whether it’s people or pets. Create a Halloween Pinterest board with all of the black and orange items in your shop. Use Twitter and Instagram to promote your special event. No matter which Halloween ideas you choose, by adding a bit of fun, you will be building your brand awareness.