We think we can. We think we should be able to. We’re told that doing everything is just standard practice. It’s not even a big deal, it’s just what’s expected.
Successful business, perfect relationship, amazing friendships, a house that’s always clean, tidy and stylish, a perfect body, relaxed and highly effective parenting, picture-perfect holidays. That’s the picture. Be quirky, original, AND entirely acceptable.
And at this time of year, we add the idea that “this is just Christmas. This is what it’s supposed to be like: stressful, over-worked, doing everything because everything has to happen.”
It’s that feeling, when you look at your to-do list, that you cannot drop a single thing. They all need to happen before the end of the day. Because they just do! There’s no option!
When we’re over-worked, overwhelmed and have gone too long without sleep, rest and a calm moment – that’s when we’re even more susceptible to thinking we have to do everything. Ironically.
But here’s the thing: you can’t do everything
You’re not super-woman. You’re not superhuman. You, too, are limited by time, fallibility and the human need for sleep.
That’s not to say you’re not strong, resourceful, successful, and doing your best.
Let’s accept that those two things can happen at the same time. (I know you might need to suspend your disbelief for a second. Play along with me…)
If you’re both human and striving to do your best, what does your to-do list look like?
Perhaps you buy the mince pies for your Christmas drinks, instead of making them. Perhaps you cancel the entire thing.
Perhaps you pay for all your presents to be gift wrapped.
Perhaps you let go of a whole load of things.
Perhaps you ask for all kinds of help.
Now, this last one is where it gets tricky, I know, but if you can’t do it all, and some things really need to get done, asking for help is where it’s at.
You’re allowed to ask for help. All kinds of help.
Need a boost or help prioritising or to get it off your chest? I’m here. Get in touch.
I wish you a week of doing your best, but acknowledging that you can’t do it all. Welcome to the club.
When we think about incentives, we often think about money. That to incentivise a customer to buy, we have to offer a discount. Or to incentivise a member of staff to work late or quicker, we need to offer them a bonus or overtime pay.
In a culture so bound by monetary value, it’s no surprise that this is the case. Want something delivered today? Sure, you just have to pay for it. Want to make the sale immediately? No problem, just remove your profit margin.
I could write for hours on our relationships with money, and especially on the ‘need to earn more and spend less’ mentality that I often hear from clients. I really could, but I’ll save it for another time.
Because right now, on the cusp of Christmas and Black Friday (a week today), I want to suggest that encouraging customers to buy is not simply about 15% off, or buy one get one free.
I was talking to a client the other day, and I asked, ‘What incentive can you offer the customer?’ She immediately went to discounts and giveaways, which made me realise that that’s still the first reaction to so many people who want to boost sales in the short term.
But let’s just pause for a moment.
There are lots of reasons customers decide to buy a particular item at a particular time. There are many millions of pounds spent on trying to discover customer motivations and how to capitalise on them, but we don’t need that research. We already know.
Customers buy because:
They like a product (for themselves or someone else)
They trust the vendor/maker/seller
It matches their value perception of the product
It’s the right time for them to buy it (they were just thinking about something like that for baby niece Lela, and this fits right in)
There’s a time limit on the availability of the product (in essence, FOMO)
And yes, because there’s a money-saving opportunity
Customers are moved to make a purchase based on one or all of those reasons, or variations of them. And every customer has their own beliefs and values that make them different. Some customers are generous towards others, so it’s very easy for them to make a decision to purchase a gift, but much harder for them to decide they’ll buy for themselves. Some customers are the exact opposite.
And I say all this knowing that Black Friday is a good opportunity to boost sales, and that sometimes a discount or a giveaway boosts engagement and results in sales anyway. You can make good, strong business decisions to offer a monetary incentive, but let me just offer some thoughts before you do:
Do you always offer discounts and giveaways to boost sales? Doing this regularly may de-value your brand. Save discounts for special occasions, and be creative about giveaways. Make them generous and focused on a particular goal (eg getting rid of old stock, or building your email subscriber list).
Do the customers who are buying your discounted product also buy from you at full price, or will they in the future? If your discount attracts people who only buy from you when your products are on offer, it might be a sign that you need to add in a lower price point (that still offers you at least 25% profit).
Which products can take the discount? Both in terms of profit margin and sales status – bestsellers often don’t need to be discounted to be popular, and are more likely to be de-valued by a big discount.
Can you save discounts for special occasions? Like twice-yearly sales, or birthday sales, or launch discounts. You may find it better to offer discounts in a strategic, planned way, rather than simply as a push to get people to buy because it’s slow for you right now.
I’m not saying never offer discounts – just be confident they’re the right thing for your business right now.
And if you need a few ideas to offer non-financial incentives, here are some goodies:
Buy now, while stocks last! A great one for Christmas, and definitely motivated by FOMO.
Don’t end up in the dog-house this Christmas (buy one of our products instead). A good one for targeting men at Christmas.
Here’s something extra-special that’ll suit you really well. Customers need reminding that you understand them, and understand what they’re looking for.
How can you even resist something so beautiful / cute / useful?! Especially good for baby and pet products – things that tug at the heartstrings. Or remind customers how well you solve a problem they’re having.
You can get this by tomorrow if you order now. Be explicit about your turnaround times, especially in the run up to Christmas. Speed sells, especially for desperate customers.
Similarly: you can get this sent to a friend tomorrow, and it’ll be gift wrapped. Mid-December marketing.
Incentives are basically anything that completes this sentence: Buy now, because…
You can finish it however you want! You can use whatever little extras you like. You can also simply point out how awesome you are. ‘Buy now because our customer service is great’. ‘Buy now because this is a bestseller and we know people love it’. The options are really endless.
But I encourage you to see incentives differently than simply money off.
What’s your experience? What has worked for you? What hasn’t? Where do you get stuck? I’d love to hear!
On November 9, my supportive Christmas ecourse starts for the second year.
Now, this course is dear to my heart. It’s some of my best work. It’s something I whole-heartedly believe in.
It’s the result of supporting small creative businesses through six years of busy Christmas periods.
The course is designed to provide you with regular dashes of inspiration, support, reminders, and the feeling that you’re not alone.
You don’t have to do anything or learn anything, you simply receive emails (and care packages, if you choose) packed full of ideas and resources to help you stay sane over Christmas.
The idea of Progress, not perfection is just that – a shift from the idea that to have a successful Christmas, you have to do everything perfectly. That if you do one thing wrong, you’ve failed.
No. Enough of beating yourself up and working yourself to the bone.
Weekly printable to do lists
With Progress, not perfection, you’ll get support throughout the busiest weeks of the year that’s easy to pick up, doesn’t take up very much of your time, but might just make a difference to how you feel and what you do.
I believe the idea of perfection gets in the way A LOT, especially when we’re stressed, busy, and worrying about whether other people are doing it better than we are. It’s easy to get caught up in every little detail, without knowing how to prioritise the mountain of stuff you have to get through in the next 24 hours. (Or, let’s face it, the next 5 minutes.)
So what do I actually get?
Starting on Monday 9 November, for 6 weeks, you’ll get three emails directly to your inbox on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. There’s no Facebook group or community to be part of (although you can get involved in chat on social media if you choose) – this is about me and you. It’s Christmas, after all, so while you’re giving so much to your customers, I’ll be giving you a little something in return. I give, you receive.
Is it different from last year?
Some of the content will be repeated from last year, but I’ll also be adding in new audio and video recordings and a couple of live chats (like this one) during the course. Because the main aim of this course is to prompt and remind you to take care of yourself, you’ll find it just as helpful this year.
What do the emails include?
Mondays: introducing the theme for the week (ranging from productivity to priorities to gratitude), a printable checklist with practical stuff to do, and a couple of ideas and practices intended to help you through each week
Wednesdays: a gentle reminder of our theme, with a printable reminder to pop up in your immediate eye-line, plus some suggestions of how to make your day work even better for you
Fridays: a feel-good playlist to get you moving and dancing, a little pick-me-up message and chance to check in, plus links to festive treats online.
You can also opt in to get two happy post care packages (one at the beginning of the course, and one at the end), filled with surprise treats for you:
Printed copies of the weekly checklists
Reminders to put up in your workspace
Relaxing, energising and balancing essential oils
Surprise treats just for you
Holistic holidays
If you’ve been following me and my blog for a while, you’ll know that I offer a mixture of practical business stuff (like pricing spreadsheets and writing product descriptions), as well as a more holistic approach to supporting small businesses (like my mentoring).
This course matches that approach – it includes practical tips and reminders that are easy to adopt in busy weeks, plus reminders to eat well, take deep breaths, and make sure you have a healthy dose of perspective.
Let’s be honest. You already know most of this stuff. You know that you need to get sleep. You’re already preparing for Christmas as best you can. You’ll survive – you have to.
What I’m offering is a series of reminders to do it. To get sleep, to keep on top of orders, to keep things in perspective. And, maybe, to believe it’s not just about surviving – it’s about thriving.
Wouldn’t it be lovely?
To have someone who knows how truly, madly, deeply hectic it can be at Christmas pop into your inbox every other day.
To feel you’re not alone, but without having to ask for help. (We all know how hard that can be when you’re already running low.)
To be reminded to celebrate the brilliance of your business, your success, your life when it feels like you’re teetering on the edge of sanity.
To get a parcel of lovely things that remind you to take care of yourself, to keep your eye on the end goal, to focus on progress, not perfection.
You might even end up feeling like you know more about yourself and your business, rather than feeling depleted, on 25th December.
How to get the goodness
For 6 weeks of emails and online goodness, sign up below. You’ll get three emails a week packed full of support and reminders for £65.
For all the emails, online goodness, plus two care packages, sign up below. You’ll get a package at the beginning of the course, and one at the end, and both will be full of helpful, encouraging, and relaxing luxuries – all for a total of £130. That includes emails AND care packages.
Care package participants: This is available for UK only.
About me:
I’m Jenny Hyde – your guide to a better Christmas.
I’m a mentor and advocate for small creative businesses. I believe that looking after your business means looking after yourself, and that business success comes in many different forms.
While working for notonthehighstreet.com, I supported their small business sellers through five Christmases, so I know the rollercoaster of challenges, successes, panics, relief and joy of the season very well.
My speciality is combining practical help with understanding and clarity.
I believe in the power of tea (and cake), and, of course, I believe in progress, not perfection.
Enter The Forge
Life's too damn short to chase someone else's definition of success. I'm here to give you the courage and tools to forge your own path.
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We think we can. We think we should be able to. We’re told that doing everything is just standard practice. It’s not even a big deal, it’s just what’s expected.
I’m Jenny Hyde – your guide to a better Christmas.
