Christmas season is probably the most important time of the year as it is one of the most profitable periods for many businesses. As families and friends gather and reunite with each other, we aim to offer the best products to meet our customers’ demands and match their expectations.
During the holiday’s season, people are quite often dealing with questions such as : What to offer? What should I choose? What’s best for him/her?
That’s where companies do their best to make it easier for people, and propose them the best offers possible to spoil your loved ones!
To learn more about how to prepare your business for this season we asked some questions to Cuvelier Fauvarque’s general manager Ludovic Bigo and sales director Fabien Dete :
-How do you prepare for this big season ?
LB : The end of the year is like a harvest and a good harvest is the result of your effort made all throughout the year. You have to look after your clients and be close to them all over the year. This way you will catch the wave at the right moment.
FD : We do a special Christmas offer, with specific products. Nowadays the offer is very large. For me, what attracts clients is a proper atmosphere. The best way to attract clients is to let them identify themselves with the brand through marketing (being fun and offbeat for example). If they relate to your brand they will buy your products.
-How to increase sales before Christmas ?
FD : Unfortunately we don’t have the perfect recipe to increase sales. It is the result of small actions; it’s important to be seen, to get people to talk about us, to highlight products and offers that will catch customers’ attention. We put ourselves in the clients’ shoes and imagine their needs to make interesting promotional deals.
In stores we have to be at our client’s disponibility, keep open a little bit longer and also open on holidays or Sundays. The Christmas decoration also attract client, they like to feel the Christmas atmosphere.
For our commercial team, it is the time to meet companies and meet their needs. But they don’t change the way of working.
-Compare to the past year, what have you done more or change ?
LB : This year we opened a new store in Wambrechies which lead us to think over our commercial policy and stores’ layouts, merchandising : to sell quantity we showcase products at competitive price creating « totems ». It creates a fluid path through the store and galvanize it.
-How do you handle the « After Christmas » period ?
LB : Before and during the Christmas we propose « good deals ». These operations ends on January 8th, then will come discount sales which is the occasion to rethink our ranges, destock, clean up the stores. We start to built a new catalogue, add new references, and consider which product to acquire to meet our client’s expectations.
-Do you have a Christmas tradition ?
LB : First we celebrate St Nicolas, and distribute « coquilles de Noel » (traditional pastry) to our employees. And in January we all gather together to wish each other all the best for the upcoming year.