5 ways to prepare for holiday shopping – small business ideas

It’s that time of year when your customers start thinking about the holidays. As gift searching and list making increase foot traffic and online searches, being prepared to handle the business boost will help you capitalize on this annual surge.

According to Accenture, 87% of shoppers plan to spend the same or more this holiday season compared with last year. And a growing number of consumers are opting for hybrid shopping journeys: browsing or discovering products online, then completing the purchase in-store, or vice versa. 

To welcome these shoppers, your online and offline brand presence need to reflect one another—clear, connected. Though in-person shopping has bounced back, many consumers continue to use the web to browse, compare, window-shop, or book services in advance.

Here are five proven ways to prepare yourself for the holiday season.

1. Give customers the gift of easy booking, right from your website

With shoppers planning to spend as much or more this year, the easiest path often wins. Adding a ‘Book Now’ button to your website lets visitors schedule instantly, capturing their interest when it counts, instead of reaching out to book an appointment.

Refresh your online presence for the holidays: 

• Update service details 
• Adjust seasonal hours 
• Add holiday or up-to-date imagery 
• Use festive and location-based keywords 

If you offer services—such as hair styling, personal training sessions, or massage therapy—make sure online booking and payment options are available.  That way, customers can book and pay instantly, even as a gift.

To make bookings faster for returning customers and VIPs, enable your branded mobile app. Customers can add your Booking Page to their mobile—with no coding required. Your logo sits on their homescreen, giving instant access to book whenever they like. 

2. The best of both worlds: Offer both in-store and video services

According to BCG, Hybrid shopping is here to stay: customers want the convenience of online browsing or booking, but still value the ‘touch-and-feel’ in-person experience.

Offer both in-store and video appointment slots and give clients options. Adding a Booking Policy to your Booking Page can help clarify what’s new or encourage customers to book specific services for the season.

This helps you include everyone while enabling better scheduling, easier planning, and reducing queuing.

3. Increase your online visibility on Google Search

If you have a Google Business Profile, connecting Reserve with Google allows potential customers to book directly from your listing. Anyone searching for “yoga near me”, “hair salon new york” or “tattoo studio london” can book instantly—without even visiting your website first.

SQ Magazine shares that 80% of online product journeys begin with a Google search, highlighting how often consumers turn to Google first when shopping or looking for services — and how having booking on your profile is a difference maker. 

If you haven’t yet connected Reserve with Google, now’s the perfect time with the holiday rush.

4. Make your marketing merry and bright

Globe News Wire highlights that social media, online reviews, and price-conscious or value-oriented consumers heavily influence holiday shopping in 2025. This gives you the opportunity to showcase your personality, inspire your followers, and encourage them to book.

To reach them early and keep your business top of mind:

• Post regularly and genuinely on social media – blend trends, personal touches and offerings together.
• Add a ‘Book Now’ button to your Facebook and Instagram business profiles to capitalize on likes. 
• Enable Instagram Stream to pull your latest posts into the Gallery on your Booking Page.
• Use Mailchimp to send targeted email campaigns promoting seasonal discounts and end-of-year offers. 
• Segment your audience (e.g. past customers, high-value clients, local followers, gift-seekers) so each target group receives relevant messaging.

This helps you reach people early and stay top-of-mind as they browse and compare leading up to peak shopping days.

5. Grow your rep’ with Google Reviews

Your Google Business Profile isn’t just a listing; it’s a place where potential customers form their first impression of your business. Reviews play a huge role: in 2025, nearly 70% of consumers read between 3–7 reviews before booking a service.

Connecting Google reviews with your Booking Page puts your stellar ratings right where customers make decisions. 

If you’re on Pro, take it a step further by automatically sending a Google review request after each appointment, helping grow reviews both on your Booking Page and Google Business Profile.

Make time this holiday season with simplified scheduling

Don’t have scheduling? Get started with a FREE account today.  If you need help getting your business holiday-ready, our human team is here 24/7 to support you. Contact us at help@setmore.com, via the live chat in your app, or give us a call +1 (800) 749-4920.

by Julia

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