Festive-Season Selling Tactics for Small Sellers

The festive weeks bring more people looking at your shop page, and that is good news. They also bring more messages, more questions and a longer list of things you could do. A small shop run by one or two people cannot do all of it, and it does not have to.

A calmer way is to pick a few things and do them well. This post gives you a short plan: a few bundles that make sense together, one clear note about what is ready now, and, if you want one, a creator for a single bundle. All of it fits into a normal working day, with no new tools and nothing extra to buy.

Clear photos still do the most work; we covered the phone basics here: Phone Photo and Video Tips for Products. Start there if you need it, then come back to the choices below.

Build a few bundles around who they suit

A gift-ready bundle is simply two or three of your items that go well together, named for the person they suit. It saves a buyer from guessing what goes with what, and it saves you from explaining the same pairing in every conversation. Four small choices make it work.

Keep the range small

A few bundles are easier to prepare, easier to explain and easier to keep going than a dozen. Choose the ones you can describe in a single breath. If you are unsure about one, leave it out for now.

Name each bundle by who it suits

Use plain names such as "for a new home", "for a desk" or "for a reading corner". The name does the introducing, so a buyer with someone in mind can find the right bundle quickly. Names that need explaining only slow people down.

Write what is inside in plain words

Say what is in the bundle the way you would tell a friend: one table runner and one cushion cover, for instance. Name each item and say how many of each. If two items only come as a pair, mention it once and move on.

Offer a simple note option

A short note in your own handwriting is enough. Let the buyer tell you the line they want, keep it to a sentence or two, and write it when you prepare the bundle. If notes would be too much for the busy weeks, offer them on one bundle only and say so.

(example) A block-print table-linen maker, two friends working from a spare room, decides on three bundles. "For a new home" holds a table runner and a cushion cover. "For a reading corner" holds a cushion cover and a small cloth for a side table. "For a desk" holds a small block-print cloth and a pencil pouch. Each bundle gets one plain sentence on the page, and a handwritten note can be added to any of them. The rest of the range stays as it was.

Say plainly what is ready now

During the busy weeks, one question keeps coming back in different forms: whether an item is ready or needs time to make. You can answer it once, on your page, and then use the same words in your chat replies. Start by sorting every item into two groups.

• Ready now: made, with you, and ready for a buyer.

• Made after you ask: you make it once someone asks, and it needs time to make.

Keep the wording the same everywhere. When the answer is already on the page, a buyer can decide without waiting for a reply, and you do not have to type it out again. If an item fits neither group, leave it out of the festive weeks.

(example) A small handmade notebook shop has three notebook sets made and sitting on the shelf. A name written on the cover is made after someone asks. At the top of her page she writes two lines: "Ready now: the three notebook sets." and "Made after you ask: your name on the cover. Takes a few days to make." The same two lines go into her chat replies, word for word.

A short brief if a creator joins you

A creator is optional. If you do work with one for the festive weeks, a short brief keeps things clear for both of you. Five lines are enough:

• Bundle: the one bundle you want shown.

• For whom: the person it suits, in the bundle's own name.

• Ready now: which items are made, and which are made after someone asks.

• One thing to show: for example, what is inside the bundle.

• Label: say whether the post is paid or gifted, and ask for it to be stated clearly in the post.

If you are still choosing a creator, our checklist is here: A Small Brand's Checklist Before You Pick a Creator. A short brief is easier to follow, so keep it to these lines.

Quick checklist

Save these for the festive weeks:

• Choose a few bundles and leave the rest of the range as it is.

• Give each bundle a plain name for the person it suits.

• Write what is inside in one short sentence.

• Decide on a note option you can keep up with.

• Sort every item into ready now or made after you ask.

• Use the same words on your page and in your chat replies.

• If a creator joins, use the five-line brief.

FAQ

How many bundles should I make?

A few. Enough that each one has a clear person in mind, and few enough that you can describe all of them without checking your notes.

Should I make new products just for the festive weeks?

No need. Your existing items, grouped sensibly, are enough. If something new was already in your plans, keep it separate from the bundles.

What if an item runs out?

Move it to the made-after-you-ask group if you can make more, and say so where people look. If you cannot make more, say that too, in one line.

Do I need a creator for this?

No. Bundles and a clear ready-now note stand on their own. A creator is an extra, for a shop that wants one.

A calm plan, kept small

Pick a few things, say them plainly, and let the rest of the range be. AffiLink is a performance marketplace connecting brands, creators and influencers.