A small business guide to thriving in January

The festive season can be a chaotic and stressful time no matter what your business.

Once the turkey’s been eaten, the presents unwrapped, and the chaos of Christmas is dying down, it can be easy to take your foot off the pedal come January.  But January shouldn’t be overlooked, having a clear plan in place to ensure you make the most of this sales season can win you vital business – no matter what your field.

We’ve put together some top tips for small businesses on how to survive and thrive through the month of January.

Introduce new offers and discounts

The New Year is the perfect opportunity to introduce a new deal (or two) to your customers, who are often on the hunt for a bargain at this time of year.

Choose a deal that’s time-sensitive to ensure a more successful uptake on your offer and a rise in orders within your chosen timeframe. Consider ways in which to make your products or services relevant to the season; be it a ‘winter warmers’ menu, clothes to combat the cold, or a productive programme for a ‘fresh start’.

January sees an influx of discounts and special offers, so it’s the perfect opportunity to get rid of outdated stock and make way for new season arrivals, as well as getting your brand in front of a bargain-hungry audience.

Reward existing customers

Attracting new customers can often take over entire marketing strategies, causing businesses to neglect their existing clientele. In today’s competitive market, retaining customer loyalty is becoming an increasing challenge. The New Year is a great time to reward your existing customers and take the time to thank them for their support over the year.

Why not offer them an exclusive discount or free trial within a targeted email or social campaign? Exclusivity is the perfect way to make your customers feel valued and improves your chances of winning more business and referrals. Give your customers an incentive to come back to you beyond the holiday season.

Take advantage of New Year’s resolutions

New Year, new you? January can be a prime time to re-market products and promote specific services in line with those popular resolutions. Think fresh starts, health & fitness, and new goals. Draw on all your channels – social media, email, blog – to get your offers in the limelight and showcase their associated ‘New Year’ benefits.

A fresh year is also a great time for new launches. Offer sneak peeks or trials of new products/services or your upcoming plans to maintain momentum, increase web traffic, and keep customers (and prospective customers) engaged with your brand.

Plan ahead

With December being one of the most manic months in the calendar, it can often be a last-minute hurdle to communicate your January offers. But scheduling in the time to let your customers know what to expect from you during the New Year, ahead of time, is a great way of building anticipation and generating buzz around your products, services, or brand as a whole; perhaps it’s a major sale, a one-off offer, or an exciting launch. Whatever it is, marketing will be a crucial component.

For small businesses, social media can be a savior in providing an affordable and highly effective platform for creating awareness and reaching your target audience.

You might also want to take a look at your SEO strategy to target those browsing for January offers and discounts in your sector. Or, if you have a GDPR-compliant database, why not consider an email marketing campaign to count down to the start of your sale or offer to generate plenty of buzz.