Philadelphia’s residents know all about snow - it’s part of the charm of the city. That said, 2022 was a bit dry on that front, draining away some of that classic winter spirit. Good news - 2023s holiday season is set to be a bumper one, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer, with 75% more snow forecast over the month. The snow will be falling, and Philly will feel like most residents feel it is its natural state during those winter months.

This is a big opportunity for businesses. Disposable income is on the up and families are looking forward to a high spending and celebratory winter season. Getting the name of your business out in front and as the first place families will visit requires a little preparation to make the best first impressions.

Making a scene

As Forbes highlights, understanding motivations is the key to making sales. A lot of modern marketing is rooted in psychology, rather than simple needs. People want to shop and enjoy themselves, and they will have internal priorities that reflect that. Nowhere is this more apparent than during winter weather. People enjoy the cold, they enjoy the idea of being out in the frost and enjoying winter-themed activities, and they’ll spend more money for it.

Businesses need to adapt to attract this business. In the most obvious form, this comes in displays. Livery and decorations can reflect the winter; you can look to replicate the themes of warmth against frost, and capture the time of a year in a way that really appeals to locals. Important in achieving this is a clean and open front display. It’s important to get windows professionally cleaned before the cold sets in; this, in turn, will give the proper foundation on which to construct the displays. Invite people in out of the cold, make your store seem like the best stop.

Working the outside

While the inclination for most businesses will be to hunker down when the cold weather sets in, there’s a good bit of reputation to be earned, and money, too, from street food. Americans love street food, whether it’s any of the amazing offerings available state-to-state, as highlighted by New Food magazine, or something simple like coffee. Hot drinks by the shop front are a great way to make a little extra money and promote the business even further.

Hand in hand with street food comes safety ratings - ensuring the business is regulated and licensed by the state - but also public safety. Make sure you conduct a professional exterior clean of the property before getting set up. If there’s leftover leaves from fall, or general vegetation material, risks will be created that fall, liability wise, on the store. Keep it away. Pressure washing - conducted in such a way that ice slicks won’t form from the leftover water - is the best way forward.

Making something amazing

For some businesses, this time of year is so lucrative that they might want to construct entirely new displays, awnings, and other areas for customers to get involved with. Some of the same structures that go up for Halloween can come up for the winter season, evoking the sense of European alpine towns, for instance, or the same of American winter towns. There’s a lot of inspiration there, and it can attract a lot of interest. As with everything else, it’s important to take precautions in janitorial and maintenance terms. Bringing in professionals to help manage the staging and ensure everything is clean and safe is the key.

A look at Visit Philly shows how amazing these shows can be, though. Macy’s Light Show and similar shows such as Dickens Village flashes just how amazing a little effort can be in bringing in a cosy winter vibe and attracting shoppers to the fore. Properly managed and with a commitment to ensuring they stay safe, a little light show and winter theming can do a lot of good for the aura a business presents and what they’re hoping to attract that season. It means a little discomfort, sure, by heading out of brick and mortar and into the cold - but it’s worth it for the long run.

Let the snowfall - and embrace it. Philly has a long history of white winters, giving inspiration to lovers of the season and giving an excuse for people to get out in their warm winter gear and start enjoying the food and drink of the season. There’s no reason your average Philly business can’t get involved with this, but there needs to be some preparation in the background. Fortunately, that’s fairly simple, chiefly requiring a bit of cleaning and maintenance - but doing a thorough job, ensuring the best come in to give a thorough examination of the premises and their outside works, will help to make it a safe experience for all.