If you're in the business of professional holiday light installation, success comes down to one thing: planning ahead. Installers who prepare early win big with fewer headaches and higher margins.

Let's discuss how to plan smarter, stock better, and make the most of your busiest season.

1. Understand Your Seasonal Sales Cycle

Timing is everything.

The best installers are thinking about Christmas in the in the Spring. Because high-demand products move fast, early planners lock in inventory before the rush and enjoy lower prices and better selection.

What to do: Review your previous season's past sales data, identify peak buying/install weeks, and plan backwards.

Pro Tip: Plan your Product Advancement Program (PAP) Order 3-5 months before the season hits!

2. Forecast Your Inventory

You can't treat all products equally. It's important that you are selective in which items to order, especially if ordering early.

What to do: Identify your best sellers vs niche/trendy items or colors. Stick to the classics and try not to get lost in the trends as they tend to change annually. 

We recommend stocking up on the the following products first, as they tend to be the most popular:

• C9 LED bulbs (industry standard for rooflines - approx. 80% Warm White)
• Pre-Bulb socket spools
• Commercial-grade socket wire

Pro Tip: Forecast your demand using last year's sales + any updated marketing changes.

If you used 10,000 C9 bulbs this past season and are aiming for 20% revenue growth next year, a good rule of thumb is to increase your bulb order by the same percentage -bringing your forecast to 12,000 bulbs. Since product costs typically make up about 30% of your P&L, they tend to scale with revenue. Planning ahead this way helps you avoid running out of inventory during peak season while keeping your cash flow in check.

As a Certified Lights Partner, you can utilize the Certified Team to help you forecast your next season's demand. 

3. Set Your Stock Levels

During the holiday lighting season, stockouts and overstock both cost you money. Having the right stock strategy, paired with simple tracking tools, ensure you're never guessing... especially when demand spikes. 

What to do: Identify par levels (minimum stock thresholds) for your core items and create stock categories.

• Essential Core Stock: High-volume items that must always be on hand, like the Classic Filament C9 bulb. 
• Nice-to-Have Stock: Decorative colors or accessories that don't sell as quickly.
• One-Time or Promotional Stock: Limited-edition or marketing driven items.

Once you have established your stock categories, you can adjust the levels based on:

• Previous year's sales (look at top 20% items sold by volume)
• Sales or install forecasts from marketing/promos
• Lead time from Certified Lights

Quick example: If you used 3,000 Warm White C9 bulbs last year between November 1st to December 10th and expect a 15% growth, set a reorder point at ~2,500 with a safety buffer of 1,000.

Pro Tip: Take your 1,000 buffer and put it in a closet that only you or a business partner have access to. Once you open that closet to access the product, place your order!

4. Use the Right Inventory Tools

Inventory chaos doesn't just happen in warehouses - it happens in group texts, lost clipboards, and last-minute phone calls when someone runs out of lights onsite. The right tools keep your inventory accurate, your team aligned, your customers happy, and your profits high.

What to do: Find the right inventory software for your current needs.

You don't need enterprise-level software to stay organized, but you do need something beyond memory or text messages. 

For Smaller or Solo Operators:

• Use Google Sheets or Excel
  • Create columns for your items, quantity on hand, re-order point, and usage notes.
  • Use color-coded cells (example: red for below par levels) to flag attention items.
  • Share the sheet with your team for visibility.
    

For Growing Teams:

• Use an Inventory App (lightweight but powerful)
  • Check your CRM to see if they have an inventory add-on feature.
  • Migrate from your current CRM to Tinsel CRM where you can easily track your inventory through one system.
    • Certified Partners get a discount on their Tinsel CRM subscription through our Affiliate Network!
  • Use QuickBooks Commerce if you already have an established QuickBooks account.

Pro Tip: Download our free basic Inventory Tracking Spreadsheet and adjust it to work for your business!

5. Audit, Learn, and Adjust Post-Season

Most inventory problems are not fixed mid-season - they're fixed in how you prepare for next season. A thorough post-season audit gives you the insight needed to reduce waste, order more accurately, and scale profitably year after year.

What to do: Conduct a full inventory count after peak season, compare forecasts vs reality, document lessons while fresh, and make adjustments now - not October!

Count everything - from best-sellers to unsold specialty items, and all leftover accessories.

Separate the following items:

• Sellable Leftover Stock
• Damaged or Obsolete Items
• Open Box or Partially Used Stock

Review what you thought you needed vs. what was actually used or sold.

Create a post-season inventory review sheet (Google Docs or something similar) and answer questions like: 

• What products should we buy more of next year?
• What products didn't sell well - and why?
• What accessories were frequently forgotten or understocked?
• What inventory did install teams request more of?

Pro tip: Label and store leftover inventory, update your forecast sheets, and reach out to Certified Lights to plan your pre-season Product Advancement order!

Final Thoughts: Plan Now, Win Later

Inventory planning isn't just a back-office task - it's a frontline strategy that separates the overwhelmed from the well-oiled. When you take time to prepare in the off-season, you give yourself the gift of control, profitability, and peace of mind during the most critical months of the year. 

At Certified Lights, we’re here to help you build a smarter, stronger lighting business. Our team is ready to support your forecasting and ensure you're stocked and ready when it matters most.

Ready to take the next step?

If you are not a Certified Lights Partner, download our free basic inventory tracking spreadsheet, and connect with our Certified Lights Support to discuss how we can help take your business to the next level.

If you are a Certified Lights Partner, make sure you check the Certified Lights Partner Portal for inventory tools, like the detailed Inventory Management Spreadsheet with Inventory Trends.