Getting Ready for December Sales in Kenya: A Four-Week Checklist
December is the busiest month of the year for most Kenyan businesses that sell to the public, and the one where small gaps cost the most. Customers search later in the evening, compare faster and buy from whoever answers first. The good news is that most of the preparation is free or cheap. Here is a checklist you can work through over the next four weeks.
Week 1: make sure people can find you
- Update your Google Business Profile. Check your hours (including any holiday changes), add recent photos, list your products or services, and reply to every review. Many December buyers find shops and services through Google Maps.
- Check your website on a phone. Open it on mobile data, not Wi-Fi. If it takes more than a few seconds to load or the prices are out of date, fix that first. Our free website health check can help you spot problems in a minute.
- Make your WhatsApp number easy to find on your profile, website and social pages.
Week 2: get your answers ready
- Write down the questions customers ask most in December: prices, delivery areas and cut-off dates, stock, opening hours, payment options.
- Set a WhatsApp Business away message with those answers and the time you will reply.
- Decide your delivery cut-off dates for Nairobi and upcountry now, and say them clearly everywhere. “Order by 18 December for delivery before Christmas” saves dozens of messages.
Week 3: one clear offer
- Pick one offer, not five. A bundle, a gift set or free delivery above a set amount is easier to understand than a list of discounts.
- Make it simple to buy. One message or one link should be enough to order and pay by M-Pesa.
- Prepare your content in advance: three to five short videos or photos showing the offer, real customers or behind the scenes, ready to post.
Week 4: launch and answer fast
- Start ads at least two weeks before your peak days, so they have time to learn who buys. Even a modest daily budget works if the offer is clear.
- Answer every enquiry quickly, including evenings. In December, a reply the next morning is often too late. If you can’t cover evenings yourself, this is the month an AI assistant earns its keep.
- Track three numbers each day: enquiries, orders and the average order value. They tell you whether to push harder or change the offer.
If you want help
We run festive campaigns as short campaign sprints, from KES 35,000 one-time, with ad spend billed separately. To give the ads time to work, book at least two weeks before your sale date. Prices for everything else are on our pricing page.
Not sure where to start? Message our assistant on WhatsApp, tell it what you sell and when your busy days are, and it will suggest the steps that matter most for your business.
Questions about your own business? Ask our assistant, any time.