Keep inspiring this Christmas

Top Christmas planning tips

For many retail and hospitality operators, Christmas in July is a key moment when Christmas ranges, promotions, marketing, menus and overall planning is reviewed and signed off. We want to add store checklists and internal communication planning to this mix! We want to help you empower your teams to make a difference.

Sean Murray former Christmas event lead at Tesco and Sarah Morris, former director at the UK’s John Lewis share their tips for powerful internal communication.

  • Encourage store teams with a checklist to plan for Christmas now.

  • Remind your teams who your customers are and what their needs are during November and December.

  • Have a small number of most important priorities. Examples: availability, no queues, promotion launches on time - and the role everyone has to play to deliver these.

Phone list-01

Phone list-01

• Start the season with a celebration of success for the year so far. Get everyone in a positive frame of mind.

• Remind your teams who your customers are and what their needs are during November and December.

• Have a small number of most important priorities. Examples: availability, no queues, promotion launches on time - and the role everyone has to play to deliver these.

 

Christmas in July new image 1-1

 

  • Refresh team knowledge of online ranges and services. Ensure sales are not missed if products are not available in-store.

  • Share the likely shape of trading; when will the peaks be and will things be different as we continue to emerge from Covid?

  • Empower teams with product/service knowledge. Example: The top ten gift ideas this season. Include what are good alternatives for most wanted gifts that may sell out.

  • Can teams play a role with the marketing/advertising theme?

  • Encourage brand advocacy and incentivise referring family and friends for seasonal roles.

 

Christmas in July new image 1-1

• Refresh team knowledge of online ranges and services. Ensure sales are not missed if products are not available in-store.

• Share the likely shape of trading; when will the peaks be and will things be different as we emerge from Covid?

• Empower teams with product/service knowledge. Example: The top ten gift ideas this season. Include what are good alternatives for most wanted gifts that may sell out.

• Can teams play a role with the marketing/advertising theme?

• Encourage brand advocacy and incentivise referring family and friends for seasonal roles.

  • Identify any training and communication for the increasing role of Omni-channel orders eg: Click and Collect.

  • Incentivise and publish the best Visual Merchandising eg Windows, displays. Use your internal platform to publish the best.

  • Encourage positive acts of kindness: share a compliment, praise a colleague or give a thank-you.

  • Provide examples of how teams can internally share images of fun and success.


Christmas in July new image 2

Christmas in July new image 2

• Identify any training and communication for the increasing role of Omni-channel orders eg: Click and Collect.


• Incentivise and publish the best Visual Merchandising eg Windows, displays. Use your internal platform to publish the best.


• Encourage positive acts of kindness: share a compliment, praise a colleague or give a thank-you.


• Provide examples of how teams can internally share images of fun and success.

What we can do to ensure store teams have a rewarding work experience and customers get great service, is inspire and empower.

Good luck with your Christmas planning.

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