Building your business during the holidays

As the holiday season approaches, it's time to start preparing your business now to get through the holidays. It's just a fact that we all get busier and if we aren't prepared and we haven't planned accordingly, some things just may slip through the cracks.

Here's 10 tips to help you grow your home business through this hoiday season.

1. Retail your product. Does your business have a retail outlet? Holiday season is perfect for retailing. Make sure people know your product(s) is available. Anything you can do to make the season a little less busy for someone is great. And retailing is a great way to get some fast cash during the holidays.

2. Offer specials or a coupon. Run some specials during the holiday season and post holiday too. It's a great way to strengthen your customer base. Or offer a coupon that can be used at the time specified.

3. Socialize at holiday gatherings. Just touch base with friends, family, and those people that you don't get to talk to as often as you like. Gather their contact information and just find out what is going on in their world. You might be amazed at what you find out.

4. Send out Thanksgiving cards vs. Christmas cards. This is a great way to remind people of your business and product. Place a coupon in the card for holiday shopping.

5. Block out your time now! Schedule time now for the activities of your business. Stick to your guns and do a little extra now, so your not so overwhelmed when the schedule of the holiday season becomes crazed.

6. Follow up, follow up and follow up. Set a face to face or a phone meeting. Get in contact with those you haven't contacted in a while. How can your business and your products fill a need for them now?

7. Refer a friend. Offer refer a friend incentives. Or what about punch cards? Buy xx and receive one free.

8. Give your product as a gift. I use my product(s) as gifts all the time. People love them and I have certainly added to my customer base as well as my team this way.

9. Start looking at the year ahead. What are you goals? What do you need to change from this past year? Keep pushing forward and those actions will shine through on into 2010.

10. Have Fun! A home business is meant to be fun and one you are passionate about. Let your passion shine through your actions.