Three months to Christmas: five things service businesses forget

On 25 September, Retail NZ published a media release saying, in their words, "Today marks three months until the biggest holiday of the year." Their four-item list was written for retail stores; if you're still finishing jobs, five different things get forgotten — and number one costs the most.

On 25 September, Retail NZ published a media release titled "Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Christmas is on the way!". Its first line reads: "Today marks three months until the biggest holiday of the year." In the same release, chief executive Carolyn Young said: "September 25th is an important date on the retail calendar, as it marks just three months until the biggest shopping period of the year."

Note what that four-item list is for: retail stores. Seasonal hiring, stock, promotions, staff refreshers for the rush. If you run a service business, a renovation company or a joinery workshop, those four items barely apply — but the countdown does.

The real sticking point isn't knowing the rush is coming. It's not knowing what to post before it, or when. Decide in December and your last post is still from last month, which to a customer can easily look like a business that has stopped taking work.

So here is our 5→1 list for service businesses.

5. Book four weekly content slots now. One service or one real customer question per slot.

4. Write a one-line answer to the five questions you get most: timeline, scope, delivery or on-site, payment rhythm, and whether you can fit the work in before Christmas.

3. Write the next step into every quote: how long the reply takes, who approves it, how the customer confirms. If that's unclear, they often ask someone else.

2. Give every post a trackable link and collect all enquiries in one place — not across three phones and voice notes. You should be able to see which post brought someone in.

1. Publish your pre-Christmas cut-off date and your own holiday shutdown dates early.

On the official side, govt.nz's "Public holidays and work" page states that 4 public holidays fall over Christmas and New Year. That page does not give the 2026/27 dates, and it does not cover closedown rules — so check govt.nz's public holiday dates page for dates, and the official employment guidance (Employment New Zealand) for closedown, before you publish your shutdown dates, and check your own circumstances.

Why number one matters most: the first thing a customer asks before Christmas is whether you can get it done by then. If the answer is slow or unclear, they often ask someone else — and whether you can actually fit the job in depends on your situation, which nobody can promise for you. The first four steps exist so that answer is always ready to give.

Holiday-season jobs are decided in the four weeks before it.