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Take advantage of this Easter long weekend

by OnDeck Australia,   Mar 26, 2018

 

It’s that time of year again and the Easter long weekend is almost here. For many, Easter is a time for family. For most, it’s also a time for delicious food. Over the Easter long weekend, Aussies spend almost $1.2 billion on food and beverages*. So, whether you own a local cafe, franchise takeaway joint or a restaurant, you might see an increase in customers this weekend. Here are our tips to help you prepare for, and take advantage of, upcoming opportunities over this Easter period.

 

Trading Hours

Over the public holidays, small businesses operating in different states are restricted by different regulations. In NSW, for example, many retailers must legally close on Good Friday and Easter Monday. However, as the owner of a hospitality business, it’s likely your business is exempt from this regulation. Take-away food and drink shops, cake and pastry shops, fruit and vegetable vendors, restaurants, cafes or kiosks are all exempt. This means that if your business falls into one of these categories, you can choose to keep your business open and take advantage of the long weekend rush. In VIC, independent retailers are also exempt from restricted trading hours. This applies to retailers with fewer than 20 employees working at a single point in time – so most small businesses. As a business owner, it’s crucial that you are familiar with the different legislation regulating your business. For more information, you can check out the workplace info website, here.

 

Extra Inventory

If you do choose to keep your doors open, it’s important that you have enough stock to see you through the long weekend. Ensure you have all the ingredients, coffee beans and other inventory you need to cater to a potential spike in customers. The last thing you want is to run out of the main ingredient of your signature dish! A large inventory purchase can be a strain on your cash flow, so it could be worthwhile looking at other ways to fund this expense. OnDeck offers small business loans up to $150,000. If approved, you could have the funds in your account in as fast as one business day – and before the Easter weekend. You can apply online here, it takes only 10 minutes!

Special Promotions and Campaigns

Who doesn’t love an Easter egg hunt? In the lead up to Easter, it’s important to let your customers know whether your business will be open. If it is, special Easter campaigns can be an effective way to attract customers to your cafe or restaurant over the long weekend. If your business is on social media, you could hide images of Easter eggs in your posts. Alternatively, you could stick pictures of painted Easter eggs around your cafe or restaurant. Encourage your customers to find them all! You could even offer a prize. This could be something as simple as a free coffee, dessert or even a meal on the house! Additionally, you could offer mini chocolate Easter eggs with all coffee purchases.

 

 

Campaigns like this can help show your customers that you care about them, and ideally, can create a sense of loyalty that will benefit your business in the future.

Whether your business is open over the long weekend, or you choose to close the doors and take the time out for yourself, OnDeck wishes all our small business owners a safe and happy Easter!

*IBISWorld 2014 Report, https://www.hospitalityhub.com.au/easter-spending-sweets-seafood-and-the-great-australian-road-trip/f/14414

 

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