Summer is the busiest time of year especially for small businesses in retail and hospitality, and for for new businesses, just starting out and getting established, summer trading can be a little daunting with the increase in foot traffic. Here are a few straightforward tips for new businesses to help prepare for the season ahead.

1. Making time to plan ahead

There is nothing worse than going into the unknown without a plan. Take some time to sit down and go through everything involving your business and assess how you can plan ahead for the busy season. Review your budget, upcoming jobs, stock levels and your employees’ schedules. It is likely your employees will want to book time off over Christmas so make sure you have the right amount of staff working at all times.

Go through your inventory and have a look at what needs to be replenished. Make a list and plan your orders for key things you may need and make sure you have extra stock of the things you just can’t be without; for instance, imagine it’s Boxing Day and you run out of paper rolls, see how to order more from the Tyro Portal and the Tyro App

2. Get your employees ready

Employees are essential in running small businesses so it’s important to make sure they are prepared and set up for success. It’s a good idea to sit down for an informal meeting before the busy period hits, this way they can voice any concerns they might have about the upcoming influx of work. The health and happiness of your staff is vital so being able to work well as a team will alleviate stress and your staff will appreciate your thoughtfulness.

As well as looking after your current team, you may want to think about getting some extra hands on deck and adding a team member or two. Seasonal workers are a great way to manage the workload and there are sure to be a lot of people looking for part-time or temp work around that time.

3. Boost your website and socials

As a small business owner you likely already have or considered getting social media accounts. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are all cheap and effective ways to market your offerings and update customers on any seasonal sales or events you may have on. –

With summer in full swing it’s an ideal opportunity for fun seasonal content, covering upcoming events, deals you may have, or even showing off the day-to-day activity in the business. If you aren’t posting, you may be missing out on an abundance of business opportunities.

4. Offer promotions

Summer sales and promotional offers are a great way to draw in customers, especially for those in retail and hospitality. Think about hosting a special event, for example drinks are half price for a certain time period, or kids eat for free on one day of the week. If you work in retail or provide product and services you could offer Christmas specials on certain products, gift packages or do gift wrapping in store!

5. ‘Tis the season! Get into the spirit of things

For many Australian families Christmas is a time for family, friends and gift giving.
With festive purchases, parties and dining out, it’s the season of spending for the average Australian.

When your venue or business gets into the spirit of the holidays, your customers are more likely to eat, drink and be merry. So for small businesses it is the perfect time to capitalise on the festivities and bring in some extra cash.

Put together a holiday menu, themed specials are great for the silly season. Think hearty flavours that’ll inject the Christmas spirit into your menu. Get to work decorating your shop or cafe, you may want to stick with the classic red and green tones, but look to incorporate it to the specific style of your current decor to stay true to your branding.

Keep these 5 tips in mind this summer and you’ll reach new customers, engage existing customers and avoid any seasonal stress the busy season might bring… and most of all, enjoy the festivities the season brings.