As the holidays get closer, we know your plate is getting full. We'd like to help you organize your holiday business plans, guide you through tasks you’ll want to consider, and help you communicate those plans with your parents and staff. We have a ton of fresh ideas and options to increase business income and visibility within your community.
We encourage you to review and use these Holiday Planning Tips to think about, plan, and enjoy this holiday season. In addition, for your convenience, you can download and save this Holiday Checklist.
Things to Consider
The answers to the questions below will help you create a plan and determine your next steps.
Q. Are you closing anytime during the holidays?
Review the calendar to determine the dates your business will be closed. This may have an effect on billing and prorated class income. Plan on communicating the holiday closing dates with your students/families.
Q. Would you like to accept charitable donations in Jackrabbit?
The holidays are a great time to partner with a charitable organization and encourage your families to get involved and give back to the community.
Q. Do you want to add programming to generate additional income during the holidays?
Holiday Camps and Parent's Night Out offer parents an opportunity to have some "extra time" for themselves. Consider adding customized Gift Cards and Gift Certificates to your Store. If you use the Jackrabbit Plus mobile app, you can sell gift cards to families directly in the app.
Check out these awesome Jackrabbit blog articles, Budget-Friendly Costume Solutions, How to Manage Costume Inventory, Essential Holiday Tips for Youth Activity Businesses, and How to Increase Recital Revenue.
Things to Do
After you’ve thought about the Holiday Planning questions above, it’s time to create an action plan.
| Business Closed Dates | If you've determined that you will be closed on certain days during the holidays, here are tasks that may need to be completed:
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| Charitable Donations | Jackrabbit offers your business the ability to partner with charitable organizations and Accept Charitable Donations in Jackrabbit. |
| Events | Another great way to offer something exciting is to offer events! Events can be Camps, Birthday Parties, Parent's Night Out, Open Houses, etc. This will help you generate extra revenue!
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| Gift Cards & Gift Certificates | Gift cards make an excellent holiday gift when grandparents, aunts, etc., want to contribute to a little one’s activities. Learn how to Sell and Redeem Gift Cards in Jackrabbit. If you are a Jackrabbit Plus subscriber, you can sell and manage gift cards from within the mobile app. Learn more about how to use e-Gift Cards with the Jackrabbit Plus Mobile App. |
| Recitals | The Recitals feature can help you organize and manage your exhibitions, showcases, and concerts. Learn more about Recital Management. With our exclusive partnership with Tututix, you can simplify and streamline your recital ticketing process for in-person recitals. Additional recital information:
Need some inspiration? Check out these virtual recitals from Jackrabbit clients: Roots Dance Academy and Brava Dance. |
Stay in Touch with Families & Staff
Now that you have your plans in place and you've taken action within Jackrabbit to prepare for the holidays, it's time to communicate those plans with parents and staff.
What's the best way to reach out to your tech-savvy and socially minded millennial parents? Check out this blog, How to Connect with Millennial Parents, for some great marketing and messaging techniques.
Holiday Emails | Email families using pre-designed holiday email templates, or create your own to promote your holiday events and classes easily! Additional email information:
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Email Closed Dates | Communicate to all your families when your facility will be closed:
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| Post an Event Notice | Post an Event Notice on your event calendar. |
Parent Portal | Use the Parent Portal to effectively communicate your holiday plans! Designed to help you stay connected with your families at their leisure, you can send a public message to all parents, send private messages to a specific family, and so much more. Learn more about using the Parent Portal to communicate with your families: Parent Portal Communication - An Overview and Send a Public Message to all Parent Portals - News & Announcements. Additional Parent Portal information: |
Staff Portal | Your staff, especially your instructors, have a single place to access everything they need, including communications from you! Use the Staff Portal to keep your staff updated and to let them know what to expect throughout the holidays. Learn how Staff Portal News works and how to Send Emails from the Staff Portal. If you get stuck, use the Guided Staff Portal Setup to get you going! Additional Staff Portal information: |
Contact us if you have questions about the information included in this Holiday Planning Tips hub. Use the Jackrabbit Help icon
to request assistance, or click here to book a call with one of our Support Specialists. For additional information on End-of-Year Reporting, check out this Topic Hub.
