How do you manage overwhelm in your retail business?
How do you decide what to focus on and how to get it done, and what to set aside?
During this crazy time of year, I’m seeing a lot of my Retailer’s in the Inner Circle running super busy shops, and of course, there are lots of things pop up that are throwing a wrench in plans for even the most seasoned and planned our retailers. But when you are juggling so many things, how do you keep your brain from going off track?
There are so many things going on right now in your business, in your life, and with your customers. I want to help you prioritize it all and figure out what to do when.
Here are a few helpful tips:
Who can you ask for help?
Keep things simple, light, and easy. Ask your staff, your loved ones, your friends for help. A true CEO knows when to delegate.
Some simple ideas..
Hire a cleaning crew for the month of December
Have your kids make dinner one night
Have someone run an errand for you
Support is crucial.
Ask yourself: Is this revenue-generating?
I tend to classify my tasks as a “money-maker” or a “nice-to-have”. When you are feeling the overwhelmed, ask yourself at the moment if what you are doing is generating revenue for you.
We have to prioritize the revenue-generating tasks such as getting your orders in, getting orders unpacked, getting inventory on the shelf, etc. That’s what’s important right now within your business rather than getting the garland hung. (a nice to have)
Boundaries
You also need to make sure you have the capacity to say yes to something new. An extra workshop, a last-minute wholesale order, or extending cut-off times for shipping… all things not in your original plan but are revenue-generating – but – do we have the bandwidth for this?
You have to put your CEO hat on, protect your energy and just say no if you can’t fit it in your plan.
Set boundaries. 🙂
Don’t overcommit.
Keep the marketing wheel going
Ask yourself, “What am I doing today to invite customers in?” every day.
This will help your December marketing mindset.
Maybe it’s an email one day, a Facebook post, a live, share a how-to video, etc. During this busy season, don’t add new things to your plate – go with your current marketing strategy and make sure you keep it in motion. You can even reuse content, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every single time. Keep it simple and show up consistently.
Take just 10 minutes a day to market your business in some way and include an invitation with a call to action.
Batch your work
Batch like with like.
Usually, when you are doing a daily task, so many distractions come into play and your chicken squirrel brain takes over. You start thinking about ideas, you check Facebook, or you’re on the phone. We have to stop and focus on similar tasks and schedule them throughout the day.
Avoid those distractions, especially during the month of December. We actually talked a lot about this in my Creative Shop Talk Podcast episode 48 – The 3 Biggest Time Wasters for Retailers and How to Avoid Them. You can also listen to part of our encore series – episode 71.
If you can control the chaos, we can actually really enjoy the season without all the overwhelm!
If you are looking for support and need to avoid the chicken squirrel brain, join our Retailer’s Inner Circle. I’d love to support you and your business.
Foot Traffic Made Simple
My most popular mini-training!
In this 90-minute training and walk away with a simple way to complete a full month of marketing planned out and a repeatable, easy marketing framework to follow.
Then sit back and watch your customers walk in your door smiling!
