Getting the holiday season right is important for most small businesses. A great holiday can make an entire year for a business. But it’s also a time to take stock, reflect, and give thanks to the customers, employees, and community that help make you who you are throughout the year.

Service Savvy, LLC offers the following holiday checklist for small business owners entering this magical season.

1. Website Update

Get your website in order. Even if you’re not planning to do a high volume of ecommerce this holiday season, your website remains the best way for customers to gather pertinent info on your business. It needs to be fast, easy to navigate, and stylish. Add some seasonal flourishes.

2. Consider Temporary Staff

Hire quality seasonal employees. The key to finding the right people for the holiday season rush is to brush up on proper job interview techniques. This will give you a leg up on hiring the best candidates. Consider also the benefits of hiring a virtual assistant during this busy period. A VA can manage administrative tasks as well as appointments and calendar needs so that you can focus on the bigger picture.

3. Spread the Word

Create a special holiday marketing campaign. Some ideas include special members-only holiday events, coupon sales, donation drives, open houses for customers/clients and/or kids events. Do this through direct email campaigns, or you can also try posting or mailing flyers. Note, if you use an online flyer maker, you don’t need to rely on a graphic designer. Save money on flyer design with free online tools that provide customizable holiday templates, fun fonts and even images.

4. Offer Seasonal Sales

Plan sales. Customers are ready to shop during the holidays, but there is a lot of competition for their dollars. You may not love sales in general, but holiday sales are somewhat expected. You should know what inventory you plan to discount well in advance so you can budget and prepare.

5. Increase Inventory

Stock up on necessary inventory. If your business sells products, the likelihood that your sales will increase during the holiday rush is high. Take the time to study holiday sales over the past few years. Identify trends and plan accordingly when it comes to your inventory.

6. Send Correspondence

Plan holiday greetings to valued customer/clients/suppliers/partners. It’s one way to put a personal touch on your business relationships. You can use regular greeting cards, or you can have cards specially designed for your business. You may also want to send end end-of-year email updates. Or both!

7. Show Your Holiday Spirit

Decorate your storefront. You don’t have to look like Santa’s workshop, but you don’t want to be seen as the neighborhood Grinch either. Festive holiday decorations lure people into your store and create an environment conducive to spending. And don’t be afraid to go overboard. Opt for quality decorations that you can plan to use every year.

8. Give Thanks to Your Community

Don’t forget to give back to your community. They keep you afloat, now it’s time to help them. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it will also increase your standing among your customers and clients. You can donate a part of your holiday sales to a local charity, hold a charity drive at your store, or simply ask customers if they want to make donations when they shop. If you have a large enough staff, consider making volunteering a thing you all do together.

9. A Little Something Special

Offer something extra with every purchase. It doesn’t have to be massive. Just make sure your customers have an extra incentive to shop with you during the holidays. You can offer gift wrapping, free returns, coupons for future purchases, or even give them something extra like a small holiday ornament.

10: Celebrate with Staff

Throw a holiday party. Your employees deserve some holiday cheer. A holiday party — complete with food, drinks, and gifts — shows the people who work for you that you appreciate all they do year-round. On the flip side, forgoing the holiday party sends a poor message — that you simply don’t care enough to make an effort.

The holidays are a great time for a small business, but they can really creep up on you and take you by surprise if you don’t have a plan. Follow this checklist to ensure the final months of the year are as great as they can be.