Building a business plan for your Christmas lights business
Having completed a successful season, you now have the experience to take your business planning to the next level. Revisit your objectives and adjust your strategy based on what you’ve learned. A dynamic business plan will help you adapt to new challenges and capitalize on emerging opportunities, ensuring continued growth and innovation. Use our business plan template to ensure your next season is planned out for marketing, sales, and operations.
1. Operations: Refining Your Processes
Scheduling and Logistics
Reflect on past scheduling successes and identify areas for improvement.
Leverage insights from previous installations to optimize travel routes and timing for smoother operations.
Plan efficient routes for re-installs to save time and labor.
Inventory Management
Reassess your inventory systems to reduce waste and improve efficiency.
Work to end the season with as little leftover inventory as possible.
Take advantage of vendor discounts for pre-season ordering to lower material costs.
Enhanced Production Systems
Reevaluate your production methods with the goal of achieving $350+ per person/hour on new installs and $300+ per person/hour on reinstalls.
Review your safety systems. As your business grows, ensure you’re continuing to prevent accidents and keeping safety at 100%.
2. Marketing: Amplifying Your Brand
Evaluate Your Marketing Mix
The Academy provides about 15 different marketing strategies as a starting point—review which ones worked best last season.
Scale up what worked (e.g., 100 yard signs a week instead of 10).
Test new marketing methods like PR, direct mail, or home/community shows.
Enhanced Digital Presence
Refresh your website with updated images, testimonials, and case studies from the season.
Use social media analytics to double down on the content that resonates most.
Refine your PPC campaigns using last year’s performance data.
Community Engagement
Strengthen your reputation by attending community events and partnering with trusted local businesses.
Encourage happy customers to share their experiences, fueling word-of-mouth growth.
Consider charity installs or local TV coverage to boost visibility and PR.
3. Sales: Building on Proven Success
Customer Relationships
Use customer feedback to fine-tune your offerings and strengthen your value proposition.
Make holiday light estimates part of every client interaction—either during initial estimates or as part of your closeout process.
Pricing Strategies
Reassess your pricing model with insights from last year to ensure profitability and competitiveness.
Offer seasonal incentives for repeat clients and early sign-ups to lock in re-installs.
Ready to Take Your Business to the Next Level?
A well-crafted business plan isn’t just a document—it’s your roadmap to scaling your holiday lights business with clarity and confidence. With the right strategy for operations, marketing, and sales, you’ll be set up for your best season yet.
Download our free Holiday Lights Business Plan Template and book a discovery call today. We’ll walk you through how to apply these strategies to your business so you can grow faster, work smarter, and increase your profits this holiday season.
