Christmas Is Over - Did You Profit? (Part 1)

If you are looking at the calendar making sure you really didn't miss the biggest holiday of the year, don't worry you aren't going crazy. Christmas is still a few days away, but the biggest shopping rush has been over for a few weeks now.

As the last few orders roll in (and don't expect TOO many, the last few weeks are usually only deliveries and a few last minute purchases from what's left over), it's time to sit back and look at the sales you've done over the past few months. The new year is approaching, so it's best to figure out what can be changed right now instead of only half way planning when the new year hits.

Ask yourself some of the following questions:

Take a look at your sales vs costs. Did you make a profit? If not, it's alright if you are just starting out. If you've been in business awhile, it's not so good to be showing a loss at your best time of year. If you sent out promotional materials to current customers, how many responded and was it worth the cost?

How many events did you attend? Were they worth the cost? Pay close attention to your profit (the amount you made from the sale), time spent at the event, travel cost, reorder rate, and cost of the table. Will you be doing each event again next year, or passing on a few?

When did you see the biggest increase in sales? Was it December, November, or maybe even October? The earlier your rush started, the earlier you'll need to get your promotion out to customers.

Next week we'll talk more about what you can do with the results you picked up, and how you can make 2007 even better!