Let’s be honest — Black Friday and holiday marketing for boutiques can be overwhelming! Here are 3 quick tips to help you get started planning the right way, with the most engagement!
For FULL DETAILS and even more tips — be sure you check out my complete training – Holiday Marketing Masterclass, here.
1. Work Backwards now!
Grab a calendar and right now, mark out all of the big dates — black Friday, small business Saturday, Cyber Monday, giving Tuesday, your events, pop-ups, open houses, online promotions.
Once your dates are set, what team will you need to hire to make your holiday marketing plan hum?
What are your projected sales?
In what categories?
What worked last year and what didn’t?
Will you run more promotions this year rather than sales?
(This is a trick question, the answer should be duh, Ashley, I’m not going to give away my entire margin on my best items this season!)
What gifts or freebies do you need for your promotions?
What marketing graphics, emails, and photoshoots do you need NOW to get ahead of the season?
What numbers will your team focus on rather than just gross sales? How about AOV and add-on sales or UPT? AND MARGIN!?
You get the picture — start planning your Holiday marketing NOW so you can buy smarter and get ahead of the game!
2. What collections will you feature?
The difference in your business vs any big box store is that you come with service, trust, and suggestions. Your customers trust that you’ll make the best recommendations for them when it comes to gift-giving and personal style.
Think ahead of what they might need, and build collections and gift guides for your customer.
These might be for: Gifts for mom, your sister, BFF, teacher, nail tech, babysitter, and more.
Or they might be outfit ideas for a night out, Christmas morning, Holiday parties, you name it!
As you’re buying, build creative collections that make life easy for your customer.
3. Who will you collaborate with?
What other makers, salons, local businesses, online businesses or services will you collab with?
This is the season where EVERYONE is shopping — so you have a huge opportunity to reach new audiences through collaboration while serving your customer and making her shopping experience much easier!
Whether it’s a tire store down the street, with tons of men who you know may need help with gift-giving this season, to an online maker you love to support.
Look for ways to cross-promote, run IG takeovers, giveaways, collab in gift guides and share one another’s audiences!
—– NOW IT’S YOUR TURN! —
http://www.holidaymarketingmasterclass.com
The 4th Quarter is the MOST important time of year in retail, and unless you’re ready to maximize it, it can also take your business for a ride.
Stop concentrating on your gross sales numbers, and start making sure your 4th quarter is profitable. From years of retail experience, and the latest proven strategies, we’ll make sure this Holiday season is one both you and your customers will always remember.
Join Holiday Marketing Masterclass!
What is the ONE THING you are doing now to make the Holidays this year that much stronger?
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Recent Blogs:
- Five Minute Friday (Couch Conversations): The Real Questions Boutique Owners Need to AnswerWhat happens when you stop avoiding the hard questions about your business—and actually answer them? Ashley Alderson and Sara Burks are back for another Couch Conversation to unpack the real, unfiltered truth about building a business while raising a family. From playing small out of fear to the resentment that can build when expectations aren’t… Read more: Five Minute Friday (Couch Conversations): The Real Questions Boutique Owners Need to Answer
- The Andromeda Algorithm: How Boutique Owners Can Get More Reach on Social Media in 2026
Social media reach isn’t what it used to be—and there’s a reason why. A new shift known as the Andromeda algorithm is changing how content gets seen, prioritizing watch time, engagement, and real, relatable video over polished sales posts. If you’re a boutique owner wondering why your clothing posts aren’t performing, this blog breaks down exactly what’s happening and how to create content that actually gets reach (and drives sales) in 2026. - Why the Success of Your Brick and Mortar Store isn’t Working Online (And the One Shift That Changes Everything)
Guest Blog by Capital Commerce. You built something real. Your store has that vibe where people walk in and immediately get all the feelings. Your regulars bring their friends (and most have become friends by now). Your product mix is dialed in. Your merchandising tells a story – one that changes with the seasons, with trends, with your own instincts about what your customer is about to fall in love with.
