Your post-holiday game plan: Setting up for success after December

Amy Yaley
Ward Media

As we dive into the holiday season, smart business owners, In North Central Washington, are already thinking ahead to January. Whether you're a retailer managing the holiday rush, a service provider booking end-of-year appointments, or a professional firm preparing for tax season, now is the perfect time to plan your post-holiday strategy.

Understanding Your Holiday Season

Every business experiences December differently. While retailers are at their peak, service businesses might be scheduling January appointments, and professional firms are preparing for year-end reports. The key is working your current holiday pattern to benefit your upcoming months.

As you move through December, pay attention to:

• Who's connecting with your business?
• Which services or products are most popular?
• Questions customers ask about the coming year?
• How are new customers finding you?

This information will be gold for your January planning.

Turning Holiday Connections into Year-Round Relationships

Plan now for how you'll stay in touch with December contacts. Retailers can prepare follow-up strategies for gift buyers. Service providers can schedule January check-ins with December clients. Professional services can set up new year planning sessions.

The key is having your plan ready before the holiday rush ends. Set up your email templates, plan your January specials, and prepare your follow-up strategy now.

Winter Strategies That Work

Different businesses need different approaches. Here's what to plan for:

Retail Businesses:

• Create January specials that complement holiday purchases
• Plan new inventory launches for the new year
• Design winter shopping experiences

Service Providers:

• Develop winter service packages
• Create seasonal maintenance programs
• Structure new year customer programs

Professional Services:

• Schedule annual planning sessions
• Set up year-end review meetings
• Design new year organization packages

B2B Companies:

• Prepare new year budget proposals
• Draft annual service contracts
• Plan industry update communications

Marketing That Makes Sense

Start setting up these initiatives now:

Email Updates: Create your January content calendar. Plan valuable information sharing, not just sales pitches. Have your winter tips ready to go.

Social Media Content: Draft your post-holiday posts now. Plan your January content while December is still busy.

Community Involvement: Register for January chamber events, plan your winter community activities, and set up your new year networking schedule.

Strategic Partnerships: Connect with complementary businesses now to plan January collaborations.

Your December Action Plan

Start these steps now:

1. Set up a system to track December customer information
2. Create your January follow-up materials
3. Plan your first-quarter specials or events
4. Draft your winter communication calendar
5. Set up your post-holiday customer outreach plan

Remember, the best time to plan your January strategy is before the holiday rush hits full force.

Looking Forward

Use December's busy moments to fuel your January success. While serving holiday customers, gather information that will help you serve them better in the new year. Create systems now that will make January follow-up easier.

The post-holiday period can be a time of strong growth – if you plan for it. Take time now, while setting up your holiday promotions, to also prepare your January strategy. The relationships you plan to nurture will benefit your business all year long.

Are you developing creative ways to keep your business momentum going after the holidays? Share your plans with us at the Wenatchee Business Journal by commenting on the online version of this article. Your strategy might inspire other local businesses to start planning now for post-holiday success.

Amy Yaley is the COO of Ward Media and the co-owner of Apple Capital Marketing & Northwest Swag Works. She can be reached at amy@ward.media.