Hello Everyone,

I hope you all enjoyed the latest edition of Retail Insights which went out yesterday.  If you missed it, you can check it out here.

September's edition was all about preparing for the busy holiday season!  And can you believe that we are already in it? On my trip to the pharmacy last night, I noticed the Halloween candy calling my name!

If this notice, that we are less then 100 days away from the New Year, (which means were about 90 days away from Christmas) gets you a bit nervous, don't panic!  The GHC is here to provide all the tips and tricks you'll need for this season! 

First off, DISPLAY, DISPLAY, DISPLAY!  Have fun with it!  And after you've set up your fabulous displays and watched a few videos here on the channel on how to create the best looking one, take a picture, send it to me, and viola - you've entered our Holiday Display Contest!

If you do, you could win thousands of dollars of internet marketing services to help build your business!  And, according to an article I found just yesterday, online marketing is where independent retailers can really beef up their efforts and obtain great ROI. 

If you're worried that with the current economy no one will buy that much anyway, check out what I discovered,

"Consumers will still spend hundreds of billions of dollars this holiday season. For retailers, the countdown has already begun and now is the time to start thinking about your holiday e-mail marketing programs for the holiday push. Start in September and you have 100 days to grow your business...Getting off to a strong start for the crucial holiday sales period is more important than ever, especially for smaller, specialty retailers competing against big box chains that will be slashing prices and running heavy promotions to attract shoppers."

Check out the rest of the article for 10 steps you can take to ensure your e-mail marketing programs are top notch for the 100 days left of the holiday retail season!

And as always send in any questions or comments on my blog.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on our latest newsletter, did the videos and blogs featured help you plan for the holiday season?  Do you have any questions on displays that you'd want some advice in?  You know I can be the gateway between you and our industry experts, so don't be shy, just Ask Me!

Until next time...

Happy Blogging,

Jessica