4 Tips for a Successful Valentine's Day at Your Business

Valentine's Day is only a few days away! No matter what kind of business you manage, you can take advantage of the upcoming holiday to increase sales and delight your customers. Here are some tips on how to do just that:

1. Play to your strengths

Valentine's Day doesn't have to be a boon reserved for white tablecloth restaurants. If you're a casual or counter service restaurant, take the opportunity to present yourself as an alternative. There may be couples looking for a lower-cost alternative to pricey prix-fixe menus, or friends and families just looking to enjoy a meal together without breaking the bank.

2. If you're a retailer, be sure to highlight potential Valentine's Day gifts

Valentine's Day isn't always about candy, roses, and expensive jewelry. Most likely, you can position what you sell as a potential Valentine's Day gift. There are plenty of friends, long-term couples, and new couples that are looking for something different to gift. Try to cover as many price ranges as possible, and make sure you highlight great gift options.

3. Use social media to provide a little validation to would-be customers

A great example is a local retail chain here in California that runs radio ads featuring the gift recipient talking about how much they loved their partners' gifts. You can highlight those positive "reviews" on your social media too, so potential customers feel confident that their partner will love what you're offering. Gift-giving is tricky, especially early on, and oftentimes your customers will want a little reassurance that their loved one is going to love this gift.

4. Take Valentine's Day as an opportunity to attract new lifelong customers

Avoid dramatically increasing the price of your usual menu items or retail inventory. Instead, use the opportunity to attract lifelong customers and reaffirm your commitment to them. Customers will remember and, with any luck, they'll be back many times over the next year. Valentine's Day is also a great opportunity to stand out! In other words, it's totally okay to toot your own horn a little bit and emphasize that you're serving your regular menu (or regular inventory) at regular prices. Of course, it's important to make sure you're delivering a great experience to your customers, whether you're a retailer selling gifts in the days leading up to Valentine's Day, or a restaurant or cafe providing a memorable meal on that special day. That means it's important to be staffed appropriately, so everyone gets some extra special attention. Now's a great time to start planning employee schedules for next week! If you are still scheduling on paper, switch to Homebase and save yourself hours every week, for free.