Midrand Moonlight Market, Carols by Candlelight

For those who don't live in Johannesburg and don't know: We tend to schedule some of the Festivities a bit sooner than is done elsewhere simply because most of Johannesburg shuts down from about the 10th of December every year and many leave the City for other places in South Africa or overseas where they can relax with family and friends and just take a rest from the frenetic pace of life in the "City of Gold".

The one Christmas Market I've been looking forward to most is finally here, tonight, I just can't wait!! Find Beautiful Bracelets there if you can make it! Bring a R20 donation for the Candle (goes to Botshebelo Children). Details on the Poster:

Celebrate!

"Go Where You Are Celebrated Instead of Where You Are Tolerated." Mike Murdock

I love this quote by Dr Mike Murdock and it really resonated with me this week. I am very happy to have Beautiful Bracelets stocked in various outlets, from Johannesburg to Cape Town and in 2013 one of my goals will be to increase the retail outlets where Beautiful Bracelets are sold in South Africa. Sometimes it may seem that one or another retail outlet's sales of Beautiful Bracelets are either minimal or zero. There could be several reasons why this is not happening, perhaps that particular store has a sales representative inhouse who is simply not interested in the product or for some reason is promoting other items in the store.

Then there are other outlets that are selling Beautiful Bracelets with such gusto that I have to replenish stock almost every other day. This kind of retailer is Celebrating Beautiful Bracelets! And that is where we want to be: Where we are Celebrated...!

Tips to Boost Business This Christmas

Eiffel Tower decked in Gold Christmas Lights, December 2010

Run a Last Minute Competition. I’ve noticed a few companies still doing this, why not you? There is plenty of information on the internet on how to do it well, and inexpensively via social media and online via your website.

Christmas Markets. If you’re in a small startup like Beautiful Bracelets, ensure you’re at every possible Christmas Market you can gain entrance to. People do go to these Markets with the express purpose of buying Christmas Gifts, and at one such Christmas Market, a real estate agent was handing out free “branded” bottled water to everyone as they arrived at the market, so there are ways that any business can increase it’s “reach” this Season.

Delivery. Offer guaranteed delivery by a certain date. Christmas should be perfect, especially the presents. Customers will want their deliveries promptly before the big day arrives.

v    Make sure your customers know the last date and time they can order something and have it delivered before Christmas.

v      When they might expect to receive delivery of the item/s.

v      If they ordered after the final date for it to be in time for Christmas, where else might they be able to find the item.

Greetings to your Database. Email your database with a “Happy Holidays” or “Christmas” greeting to ensure they keep you top of mind. Include a few special offers on products. Don’t overdo it or it could backfire on you when your email is sent to “spam”.

Run limited period promotional offers: Free-gift wrapping, perhaps give them a mince pie and a cup of tea whilst they are waiting (it would be great if the tyre balancing service people would do this). Use any opportunity you can to get to know your customers, and offer excellent customer service.

Branded Gifts. Give your clients or customers a useful Branded Gift. (Like the Bottled Water mentioned before). The more personal the gift, the better. Many people use Fridge Magnets for branding these days. But if these are a conspicuous advertisement they could land up in the trash.

Christmas is very commercialised, but we can make it special and personal, and if carefully thought out, it is a time when people are thinking of community and involvement (exchanging gifts) and it can be a very uplifting and joyous time. Celebrate it with your customers in a way they will remember you.