How to best prepare for your busy season

October 14, 2025 2 min read

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Whether you’re planning for Black Friday deals or the holidays, as a small business owner you know that busy reason rush all too well. But these exciting times don’t have to be overwhelming. Here are some ways to help you get ahead of the game and feel fully prepared for those times when you have more customers than ever.

Invest in your employees

Your employees are the ones who truly keep the wheels turning at your business and investing in their performance can make all the difference. Conducting trainings and even collecting feedback from them is sure to improve your business’ operations during peak seasons. You might also consider bringing on new or seasonal hires before the height of business hits – giving you ample time to show them the ropes and get them fully trained in their roles before your business is slammed.

Refresh your inventory (and your space)

Before peak season kicks in, why not refresh your business’ storefront? Take a close look at your inventory and restock accordingly. This might be a perfect time to research trending products to begin offering at your business. And if you have a physical location, take some time to deep clean, organize and even redecorate so you’re ready for all the foot traffic you’ll be getting.

Plan social media and digital content

When business is busier than ever, your social media strategy can fall by the wayside – so it’s crucial to plan ahead. Create a content calendar for the forseeable future, one that includes social media posts, emails and video content. This way, you’ll be able to stay on top of your business’ digital efforts even when you’re so busy you can hardly think.

Learn something new

There’s never a bad time to learn new skills that could benefit your business when it’s at it’s busiest. Maybe you want to change POS systems, or maybe you’d like to learn a little more about web design so that your website really pops. By leveraging this time to educate yourself on something new, you’re setting yourself up for increased traffic or sales, or maybe even improved workflow.

There’s no feeling quite like the craziness of your business’ peak season. When it hits, you’ll be grateful you took advantage of any downtime you might have to prepare for the season ahead of you and set yourself and your employees up for success.

The content of this page is for informational purposes only. It is not designed or intended to provide financial, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice since such advice always requires consideration of individual circumstances. Please consult with the professionals of your choice to discuss your situation.
The responses to these interview questions were given by business owners and were not written by M&T Bank.