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Ever since I realized that 73.8% of my sales for ALL of 2016 happened in November and December, I’ve been working hard to maximize holiday sales for this year.
I believe in the 80-20 rule, and that taking the time to narrow down the 20% that yields 80% of results is time well spent.
This post goes over the action steps I’ve found to be the most important for making holiday sales. As I was writing it, I realized I’ve been (unconsciously) focusing on these steps… and my year-to-date revenue is almost 5x what it was at this time last year.
Though I’ve written mostly about my Amazon print-on-demand biz, the majority of this information can be used with any ecommerce model.
Here’s what I found to be the biggest “bang for your buck” steps, in no particular order:
#1: Keep adding products.
Platforms like Amazon, Etsy, and eBay reward you when you list more products with them. You scratch their back by adding more value to their marketplace, so they scratch yours by rewarding you with better search engine rankings.
Even traditional sites get SEO love from Google when products are added. Google loves to see actively updated sites.
Beyond that, though… more products = more money.
The more buy buttons you have for people to click on, the more opportunity you have to make sales.
If you’re doing the LHS model, this is crazy-easy. I’m not trying to sell LHS, ha, but this picture was sitting on my computer and I thought it made a great point. Check out the power of one design:
One design = 10+ more ways for people to buy from you
Adding more products to your catalog is HUGE in maximizing your holiday season.
#2: Make sure your products are the right ones.
Last week I posted my my 2016 review where I went over my sales numbers for 2016 and assessed what worked well and what didn’t.
When I saw how helpful that was, I ran through my 2017 reports.
The time spent doing that was fantastic. An hour of poring through this information helps you get laser-focused with your time and lets you concentrate on what will earn you the most sales.
If you have any selling history, take the time to review it.
If you don’t, feel free to use mine.
#3: Send bestsellers to FBA.
I’m a firm believer that you don’t need FBA (where you pre-send inventory to Amazon) to make great profits on Amazon.
During Mother’s Day I sold $54k worth of one mug in a few days and most of the time it was was not an FBA item. Most of my sales are not from FBA items.
That said, FBA does help increase your conversion rates. More people buy products when they see the “Prime” button on your listing. It’s an indisputable fact.
I’m sending some of my bestsellers to FBA this year.
If you plan on doing this as well, I recommend you do it soon. Last year Amazon stopped accepting shipments sometime in November and if I recall correctly, there was no warning given in advance.
If you want my warehouse to ship items on your behalf, either email rachelreports @gmail.com or check out The Holiday Challenge if it’s available when you’re reading this.
#4: Outsource whatever you can.
Last year during the holidays I didn’t have time to eat or sleep (#joysofowningawarehouse) and I did NOTHING in my Amazon business during November and December. I’m not counting on having time this year either, so I’m spending a good amount of time working on outsourcing systems so that progress happens without my being personally involved.
Even if you do have time, outsourcing is a no-brainer if you can afford it. It helps you multiply your efforts (creating and listing more products), supports you as your business scales up, and helps ensure that progress is happening even on your off days.
Now’s the perfect time to get help with adding in new designs, listing products, and finding slam-dunk niches to sell in.
#5: Learn from people who are doing well.
I was recently considering buying a product from some Amazon mega-sellers. It wasn’t an easy decision because I didn’t know if I’d have a ton of time to go through it, and because the investment was very sizable.
To make a decision, I decided to look at what I’d get instead of what I’d give up.
Instead of having to “give up” time, I realized that I’d ultimately be saving time. Learning from experts means you don’t try and reinvent the wheel yourself and that you don’t waste fruitless hours doing things that won’t work.
Instead of having to “give up” money, I looked at it like I was getting the knowledge of people making 10x what I was for a fraction of the cost of the knowledge inside their head.
The course had a limit of 100 students and ultimately I squeaked in at #99. (And yes, I did confirm they weren’t lying about the 100. ;))
I haven’t regretted joining at ALL. It’s been a great decision and even though I may not ever make it through even half the information, what I’ve gone through already has made it worth it.
Whether or not you invest in something, I recommend taking the time to learn from people who have gotten where you want to go. You save a boatload of time and aggravation and reach your goals a lot faster.
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Hopefully this helps give you at least some insight on where to focus your energy this year. Even if your list doesn’t match mine, hopefully you at least have some new things to think about. :)
Want my personal help this holiday season?
I’ve crafted a Holiday Jumpstart package that specifically takes these 5 factors into account. It’s a high end package where you get everything you need to make this holiday season incredible: 100 done-for-you designs, cases of mugs shipped to FBA for you, coaching from me, gives you software to find hidden-gem niches, and a LOT more.
I’m closing this down over the weekend, so I recommend you check it out ASAP.
Full transparency: there’s a slight chance I re-open, but I want to make 100% sure that everyone gets a great experience before I do. Either way, the time you have left to rock this season is ticking, so I recommend you start making your moves now.
