Best Product Business Planning Resources to Jumpstart Q4 Sales
Best Product Business Planning Resources to Jumpstart Q4 Sales
Christmas in July isn't just a consumer holiday meant to spur slumping summer sales.
Christmas in July is a call to all product business owners to begin planning for stratospheric fourth quarter sales.
Product business owners can use the summer months to plan in-person sales events, stock purchases, production, and a promotional calendar to make the most of consumer buying over the holiday season.
Product Business Owner Summer Planning Checklist
- Research and identify in-person holiday sales events.
- Use sale data from pre-pandemic and pandemic years to estimate required product levels.
- Contact vendors for stock availability.
- Work with manufacturers to plan production runs of any size.
- Budget advertising spend for various platforms.
- Design and produce creative assets for marketing.
- Plan staff levels for holiday fulfillment surge.
- Consider holiday staff recruiting and training.
For a deep dive into optimizing Q4 sales for product businesses, grab my production and sales timeline guide in the link below.
Q4 Production and Sales Timeline for Product Businesses
Get the timeline and guide here.
34 Holiday E-commerce Sale and Promotional Ideas
Get the promotional and sales ideas here.
And if you're just getting started, see how I break down Shopify and Etsy Store startup costs. This matrix also shows the per sale, monthly and annual fees associated with the e-commerce platforms.
Direct to Consumer vs. Wholesale this Holiday
Direct to consumer allows product business owners to reap higher margins on every sale.
A wholesale account on the other hand can afford great reach and brand visibility for small businesses.
As a designer, manufacturer, AND bricks and mortar retailer over the past 20 years, I have been on every side of the purchase order.
Here are some tips on landing wholesale accounts that can become some of your best customers and friends!
More Ideas on Landing Big Fish Wholesale Accounts
I've spent a lot of time considering both sides of the wholesale order as both designer/producer and retail buyer.
What's clear is that the path to success in consumer and wholesale transactions is very similar.
See if you can spot the difference(s)!
- Treat every customer with respect
- Seek to understand the need
- Determine how your product/service/expertise can fulfill that need with the best quality solution
- Provide that solution at a reasonable price with superb follow-through
- Get feedback and learn from the results
- Adjust as needed, then go do it again!
Not many, are there?
Even with many similarities, there are distinct differences between wholesale accounts and direct customers.
The most fun one is the opportunity to build a partnership with another like-minded business leader through wholesale accounts.
Truly, the right wholesale partnership can be much more than the sum of its parts to serve and delight customers for years.
Here are some ideas on how to cultivate those wholesale partnerships!
How To Create an Order Form that Sells
12 Ways to Delight Your Retail Partners
How To Guarantee Wholesale Account Reorders
Let’s Be Social!
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