As Thanksgiving approaches, meal prep entrepreneurs often brace for a seasonal slump. Customers travel, routines change, and sales can dip. But what if you could transform this challenging period into your most profitable season yet?

Let's talk about leveraging holiday pre-orders to supercharge your sales.

In our recent live strategy session within our exclusive Facebook group for meal prep business owners, we explored data-driven tactics to maximize holiday revenue. We were joined by Melanie, founder of Golden Roots Kitchen, who shared invaluable insights from her own success.

Today, I'm excited to share five proven holiday pre-order strategies that can help you not only maintain but significantly increase your sales during the festive season—including real-world case studies that demonstrate these tactics in action.

Let's dive in.

Strategy #1: Create a Dedicated Holiday Pre-Order Store

Why it works: Separating your holiday offerings into a standalone store creates a focused shopping experience, making it easier for customers to find and purchase seasonal items.

Data in action: Merchants who set up a separate holiday pre-order store saw 46% more orders compared to those who simply added holiday items to their existing menus.

Moreover, a merchant who did not set up a holiday pre-order store experienced a 20% drop in sales during the holiday period, highlighting the importance of a dedicated holiday strategy.

"Creating a separate holiday store, we really saw an increase in sales more in line with our normal sales. We didn't see the drop-off that week."
— Melanie, Golden Roots Kitchen

Action Step: Set up a separate online store specifically for your holiday pre-orders. Ensure it's easy to navigate and showcases all your seasonal offerings prominently.

Strategy #2: Launch Your Holiday Menu Early—It's Not Too Late!

Why it works: Customers plan their holiday meals well in advance. By introducing your menu 4-6 weeks before the holiday, you position your business as part of their planning process. But even if you're just getting started now, there's still time to make an impact.

Data in action: Merchants who began pre-selling 3-4 weeks in advance noticed a steady increase in orders, with the highest conversions occurring after the final reminder before the cutoff date.

A health-conscious merchant who launched a New Year's pre-order store saw sales rise significantly, demonstrating that customers are eager for holiday offerings even beyond Thanksgiving and Christmas.

"Getting our menu out early allowed us to tap into free media coverage and gave customers ample time to include us in their holiday plans."
— Melanie, Golden Roots Kitchen

Action Step: If you haven't launched your holiday menu yet, do it now! Promote it aggressively in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. And remember, opportunities like New Year's are right around the corner.

Strategy #3: Offer Both Complete Meal Packages and A La Carte Options

Why it works: Catering to different customer needs—those hosting large gatherings and those having intimate meals—broadens your market reach.

Data in action: Offering individual holiday meal plates (complete meals) and a la carte dishes led to a 42% increase in average order value during the holiday period.

A case study highlighted a merchant who saw significant sales increases by offering New Year's meal plates. This shows that customers are interested in holiday meals beyond the traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas offerings.

"I was surprised the first time we offered it at how many of the complete meals we sold. It definitely brought up our overall average pretty significantly."
— Melanie, Golden Roots Kitchen

Action Step: Design a versatile holiday menu that includes full meal packages and individual items. This flexibility can attract a wider customer base.

Strategy #4: Highlight Local and Seasonal Ingredients

Why it works: Customers appreciate transparency and quality, especially during the holidays. Showcasing locally sourced, seasonal ingredients adds value and builds trust.

Data in action: Merchants emphasizing local partnerships and fresh ingredients saw higher engagement and customer loyalty. Melanie shared how highlighting local farmers and suppliers not only resonated with customers but also encouraged them to spend more.

"We highlighted our local farmers and suppliers, which resonated with customers wanting to support community businesses. People are willing to spend a little more because they see the faith behind the food."
— Melanie, Golden Roots Kitchen

Action Step: Collaborate with local producers and feature them in your marketing. Share stories about your suppliers to create a deeper connection with your customers.

Strategy #5: Promote Continuously Up to the Cutoff Date

Why it works: Consistent reminders keep your holiday offerings top-of-mind, capturing last-minute planners and maximizing orders.

Data in action: The final reminder before the order cutoff date typically generated the highest conversion rates for holiday pre-orders. Merchants who promoted their holiday menus up until the last moment saw significant increases in sales.

"We noticed that even though orders started coming in closer to the holiday, continuous promotion kept our offerings on customers' radars."

Action Step: Develop a promotional calendar with regular updates across email, social media, and other channels. Emphasize urgency as the cutoff date approaches.

Bonus Strategy: Take Advantage of Multiple Holidays for Pre-Orders

Why it works: Holidays like New Year's offer additional opportunities to boost sales when customers are looking for convenient meal options.

Data in action: A merchant who launched a New Year's pre-order store saw sales increase just as much as during Thanksgiving and Christmas. This demonstrates that customers are receptive to holiday pre-orders beyond the major holidays

Action Step: Don't limit your pre-order strategies to just Thanksgiving and Christmas. Plan special menus for New Year's, Valentine's Day, or other holidays to keep sales momentum going year-round.

Next Up: Don't Miss Our Upcoming Live Session! 🎉

Are you ready to make this holiday season your most profitable yet?

Join us next week for an exclusive Facebook Live event, where we'll dive deeper into:

• Advanced marketing techniques to maximize holiday sales.
• Success stories from top-performing meal prep businesses.
• Interactive Q&A to get your pressing questions answered.

🕑 When: Thursday, November 21st at 2 pm ET
📍 Where: Our Exclusive Facebook Group — Click here to join

Don't miss out on strategies that could redefine your holiday sales. JOIN US LIVE!

Hear More from Melanie of Golden Roots Kitchen

In our recent podcast episode, she shared:

• How focusing on organic, locally sourced ingredients built her loyal customer base.
• The importance of leveraging technology like Bottle and Parsley to streamline operations.
• Tips on growing through authentic community engagement and word-of-mouth referrals.
• How she overcame scaling challenges while maintaining product quality and integrity.

Don't miss her insightful stories and practical tips!
👉 Listen to the full episode here

Your Holiday Pre-Order Action Plan

Ready to implement these strategies? Here's your roadmap:

1. Set Up Your Holiday Store:
   • Create a dedicated online store for holiday pre-orders.
   • Use festive visuals and clear navigation.
2. Launch Now and Promote Aggressively:
   • Even if you're just starting, it's not too late.
   • Send daily reminders leading up to Thanksgiving.
   • Start planning for New Year's offerings.
3. Design a Versatile Menu:
   • Offer complete meal packages and individual dishes.
   • Include options for various dietary preferences.
4. Emphasize Local Partnerships:
   • Highlight your use of local and seasonal ingredients.
   • Share stories about your suppliers.
5. Engage with Your Community:
   • Leverage social media and local media outlets.
   • Encourage customers to share their holiday experiences with your meals.
   • Use the holidays to attract new customers and retain them afterward.

Join Our Community of Growth-Focused Meal Prep Entrepreneurs

Want more insights like these?

Join our exclusive Facebook group, where we share data-driven strategies, host webinars, and collaborate on ways to grow our businesses.

Connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, share ideas, and get inspired with proven tactics to boost your profits.

👉 Click here to join the community and take your meal prep business to the next level.

That's all for this week.

Although Thanksgiving approaches, there's still time to implement these strategies and make this holiday season your most profitable yet.

See you in the Facebook group!

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