The week before a long holiday is often the busiest week of the year. We actually become super-productive as we crack through our ‘things to do list’ in an attempt to clear everything before we leave so it gives us a stress free mind to enjoy.
We wish to make sure that we have communicated with everyone and tied up any loose ends. How can you make sure you can be productive after your holiday? However, the first few days back from holiday can often be our least productive days.
We can feel deflated and unmotivated. We often don’t feel ready to resume our normal pace. We can find it hard to get back into “work mode”. All the details that were so clear before we left can seem very blurred on our return. How can we take control and be productive after our holiday?
Those who know, know that recovering a business after holidays is an arduous task, especially when the chips are down. Every year, businesses all around the world spend a considerable amount to boost their sales during the holiday season.
However, they face different challenges once the holiday season is over. Globally, the Halloween season rolls into Thanksgiving, Christmas, and then New Year without anyone realising it. Unlike a decade ago, now Sri Lanka has embraced this rhythm and lifestyle and businesses try to cash in the bloated demand in relevant industries.
Before the onset of the holiday season, businesses often drain their resources to maximise their sales and once the festive season is over, a slow period dawns upon companies. Ironically, marketing is all about managing the slow periods well and then maximising the profits when the consumer traffic increases.
The problem lies in the fact that these “slow” periods last during most of the year. With a large chunk of their marketing funds depleted, businesses are left with limited options of making a recovery post-holiday.
You cannot repeat the mistakes you made during the year. People rise up against the government and politicians and consequent economic downturn leading to business failures are well understood but the new knowledge you gained navigating such a bad patch is priceless.
Trends
It is essential to analyse the slow period, assess the trends during this period, and take measures to mitigate your potential losses. This is where strategy comes into play with resource alignments to reduce variable cost.
It is imperative to organise yourself before the year comes to an end. Your sales and employees are affected the most during the slowdown period. You also need to take steps to mitigate the consequences of reduced sales. Here is an insight into the steps that you can take to mitigate the risks attached to a period of low sales after the holiday season.
Businesses change their pricing strategies to account for the holiday season and maximise their revenue. Holidays, according to many retailers, are all about discounts as they are meant to attract sales. Similar efforts during the post-holiday season may not provide you with the same benefits. This is why it is imperative to reconsider the pricing strategy when you begin the new year. After going through periods of high sales, a business realises its potential.
Most businesses make the mistake of slacking after a period of high sales. Waiting for things to happen is the last thing that you can do as a business owner. Rather than being reactive in your attitude, it is imperative to be proactive and to take the challenge head-on during the rest of the year.
Mood of customers
The Sinhala and Tamil New Year is the only time during a year when you see a stark difference in the attitude of customers. Just before the final moments of the New Year, you can see customers enjoying and partying and having a good time. However, the mood changes entirely within a fortnight.
The customers may be quiet, and the market may lack the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, but it is still listening. If you raise the voice when everyone else is silent, you get an advantage you can only dream of having during the holiday season. So continue to communicate with customers through selected mediums.
New Year goals
Setting New Year goals for your employees is one way that you can motivate them and increase their productivity levels. The rewards and incentives of achieving a goal are some of the driving factors that convince workers to deliver their best performances.
Employees typically face an increase in the workload once they come back from holidays. One way that you can manage the workload for the employees is by dividing them into teams. Rather than making them stay long hours after work, assign teams to get done with the work assigned.
Getting back in full swing once the holiday season is over is challenging for all businesses. However, transitioning between different phases of business is as important as preparing for the holiday season. You can use the steps mentioned above to monitor a smooth transition while keeping the sales intact and recovering your business from the holiday season.
