During festivals and related holidays, sales promotion is one of the greatest areas of opportunity for sales for brands. However, this period also comes with some form of pressure on merchandising and promotion, mainly in the form of high foot traffic, large amounts of stock to handle and even simple smooth operation. This period gives the promoters a chance to flourish at what they do best.
1. Strong planning and forecasting
Preparing in advance can save a business from the issues associated with increased volume of demand during peak periods. Stock management is one of the first steps in controlling stock levels. The work involves the merchandising department collaborating with inventory and logistic departments to ensure shelves have ample stock for customer consumption. Another important step will be the planning for any seasonal or limited time promos: preparing themed displays are great attention-grabbers that can help raise the sales. Promoters and merchandisers should be thoroughly familiar with all the details of the products they are selling, ensuring they can confidently answer customer queries and drive sales.
2. Smooth Communication
Communication among teams ensures smooth running of business and helps to tackle any unknown situations. Merchandisers should always be updated in real-time regarding the stock levels, promotions, and the chances of a stockout. Communication between the store managers and merchandisers and the promoters within the store helps tackle problems as soon as they arise, thus ensuring minimal disturbance to customers during their shopping. Another important coordination would be with the logistics teams. These are important players in stock maintenance and restocking when the inventory goes low.
3. Customer Interaction
Peak seasons are the times when customers have higher expectations, and the brand promoters need to interact with the customers in such a manner that they feel important. Personalized assistance can make the customer take a right decision, especially when the customer is looking for something particular or gifting options. Open-ended questions should be asked to know the preferences of the customers and accordingly, products can be recommended. In addition, upsell and cross-sell techniques will encourage customers to spend more along with other complementary offers, like matching accessories or add-on offers. The easier the shopping experience is to the customer, the higher their chances of repeated visits and brand loyalty.
4. Stress and Workload Management
In the peak season, handling high demand requires effective time management. Merchandisers and promoters have to prioritize things and keep their focus on the most critical tasks at hand, such as keeping the displays clean and tidy, helping customers with purchases, and replenishing products. Teams should also work together during stressful times and share the burden among themselves in helping each other not to get burnt out. Taking short breaks during the day and remaining hydrated will help keep energy levels up as well.
5. Making use of technology
Technology plays a crucial role in increasing efficiency to make functioning smooth. Moreover, the data insights also reflect the customer preferences, sales trends, and stock levels which inform the merchandising decisions. The merchandiser can interact with customers on digital displays or social media about offers that are in place, and generate more traffic into the store.
By working on advance preparation, communication, customer engagement, and adoption of technology, the merchandisers and promoters can come out confidently to face peak season’s challenges and hence drive the success of the brand by leaving a strong impression among the customers.
By partnering with LIS, brands can confidently navigate peak seasons, ensuring their merchandisers and promoters are well-equipped to handle pressure and drive sales, all while maintaining a seamless and efficient operation.
