What’s Working Wednesday: Why I’m Talking About Christmas in July

I posted on instagram on June 25th that it was exactly six months until Christmas, and that post kick-started a plan for getting ready for fall and the holidays right now in the middle of summer. I’ll admit, it feels a little strange to type that while it’s hot outside and I’m thinking about sherbet and fireworks and avoiding the mosquitos.

But honestly, as a business owner and especially to my creatives who are gearing up for quarter four, six months until Christmas doesn’t mean thinking about wrapping paper and snowflakes. It means thinking about about getting prepared!

I’ve learned the hard way that Q4 doesn’t wait for you to feel ready. It just arrives, and usually in a hurry! The difference between a smooth holiday season and a stressful one is almost always decided somewhere around… now. I am determined to not repeat past mistakes where I am not nearly ready, and end up feeling behind for the entirety of the season.

Instead of waiting until September or October to think about the holiday season, I’m asking myself now: What can I put in place today that will make the second half of the year smoother?

Reviewing My Own Website First

There’s something a little humbling about being a web designer who has to remind herself to tend to her own website. But here we are. (I’m super awesome at helping others stay on top of THEIR businesses, while my business just hangs out on the back burner).

July is a great time to actually sit down and look at my site the way a potential client would. Is everything current? Are my services clearly described? Does my contact page work? Is there anything outdated, broken, or just plain embarrassing that I’ve been meaning to fix for six months?

Let’s Talk About Your Website Next

And if YOU have a website, a shop, blog, portfolio, whatever, July is the perfect time for that same honest look. If you’re a creative business owner, your busiest season often starts long before the holidays. Whether you sell handmade products, offer services, coach clients, or run an online shop, your website becomes one of the hardest-working parts of your business. It needs to be ready, and you don’t need to be fixing things between Halloween and Thanksgiving.

And if you DON’T have a website? Well, let me just say this – websites aren’t something most people can (or should) throw together in a weekend. The time to get started is now, if you want to be ahead of the game and feel confident during the holidays.

Mapping Out Content Before I Need It

I’m a blogger, and trying to be a better blogger. I have a tendency to wait until I have inspiration for a topic, but that’s a really inefficient way to be a better blogger. (Just trust me on that!)

So, right now I’m sketching out what I want to write about through the end of the year. I’m making a list of which topics, which series, which posts support my shop and services naturally. I’m not writing everything in advance (that’s not realistic), but having the outline means I’m not staring at a blank page in November wondering what to say.

If you have a blog that supports your business, now is most definitely the time to think about what your holiday season readers and followers actually need and want, and start planning for that.

Getting Listings and Shop Details Buttoned Up

If you sell on Etsy or through your own shop, Q4 is when traffic picks up and new eyes find you. That’s not the moment to have outdated photos, fuzzy descriptions, or shop policies you wrote three years ago and forgot about.

Sales are typically lower in the summer months, so it’s a great time to work through listings methodically. I’m currently working on several etsy shops and shopify stores for clients, fine-tuning and cleaning up all the things. Not in a panic, but steadily. It’s the kind of work that’s easy to skip when things are busy and easy to do when they’re not. Summer is the not-busy window. I’m using it, and I highly recommend you do too!

So, Let’s Get Started!

If you’ve been meaning to update your website, fix up your shop, get consistent with your blog, or finally set up that email list, July is your window. Q4 will be here before you believe it’s possible. And if you’d like some help getting your site or business ready before the rush? That’s exactly what I do. Let’s talk now, while there’s still breathing room.

Because talking about and thinking about Christmas in July isn’t crazy. It’s just smart!

Book a call HERE, or send me an email through my contact form!