Sale sign photo credit: Kimo Räisänen CC by 2.0

The first day of fall is just around the corner and soon enough you may be finding yourself passing out candy to trick-or-treaters and feasting with family come Thanksgiving. While fall holidays are certainly much about the food, the season is also very centered on shopping.

Do the words, “Black Friday” ring a bell? The day after Thanksgiving can be a considered a holiday in itself these days! As a business owner, you certainly have heard of this and in fact, Black Friday and Cyber Monday both present huge opportunities to rake in sales, especially online. It really is time to start planning your specials for this major shopping season.

Here are some quick tips to help you prepare for Black Friday (or even Thursday) and Cyber Monday.

• Make sure you have gift cards available for purchase, both physical cards and digital, too. It’s a favorite and easy-to-give gift!
• Expect a lot of credit card sales so make sure you’ve got the best rate available. Shop around or speak with your credit card processor. At Group ISO, we offer very competitive rates. Don’t forget that on October 1, you must have an EMV-ready terminal or else liability from credit card fraud will shift to you.
• Got a retail store? Ensure you’ve got a game plan for the day of your sales. Make sure each employee is equipped to handle the potential large crowds.
• Get the word out! Cover your bases when it comes to advertising. Consider multiple avenues like print advertising, TV, online video and of course, through social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter.

Best of luck to your business this holiday season!