I am launching my Business of Selling workshop this year and wanted to give you a sneak peek at some of the content I am teaching you. In module 2: The Strategy, we cover how to create a selling calendar. Grab your planner or calendar and let’s get organized. A selling calendar is pivotal to staying organized with your sales versus non-sales seasons. This is important because you cannot be in a selling-model all year, you will burn out your audience.
A sales calendar will also tell you the weeks or months that you have some downtime. In other words, during slow non-sales times, you can prepare for the next sales season. Use non-sales times to map out what needs to happen before your next event. Do you need to order more products, buy more foam core, replenish your fine prints? The slow times are perfect for taking inventory, restocking, reviewing your marketing and selling plans, and charging up for the next selling push.
Now grab your calendar or planner and let’s start your selling calendar.
Creating Your Selling Calendar
1. Mark Committed Events
First thing you should do is mark major sales events you already participate in annually. Some of these dates you may have already committed to, or participate in annually. Get these on the calendar.
2. Note Life Commitments
It’s important to include life and family with your business planning. On your calendar, note holidays and personal events that affect your business.It’s no use planning a big launch the same weekend you take a family vacation.
3. Note Business Trends
For many creatives, November and December are big for holiday and gift buying. However, look at your artwork or products, do any of them lend well to another holiday or season? Spend some time combing over your artwork and finding at least one date, month, or holiday that relate to an item you sell. Here are a few examples:
- If you make custom scarves, these would sell great in the fall and winter so you would begin promoting these at the end of summer.
- New Year is a great time to sell calendars while July isn’t, but July is a good time to start planning, building your inventory of your calendars.
4. Expand your Sales Strategy
Finally, put events on your calendar you want to participate in. Pair your calendar planning with a bit of event research. I am going to caution you to be realistic with this step. If filling your entire summer with festivals and sales is doable – then go for it. But for many of us, that’s not sustainable.
It’s easy to want to participate in something but fail to plan and miss the opportunity. Look into when the deadlines for applying or entering these events and mark important dates on the calendar for getting accepted. Get these deadlines on your calendar so you won’t miss them.