Whatever holiday you celebrate as the end of the year draws near, there’s a general feeling of good will and generosity of spirit in the air. Sending cards and warm wishes to customers and doing something charitable are all ways to promote positive visibility for your business during the holiday season, but what else can you do to attract attention? Because with more attention comes greater recognition of your expertise among your customer base. This week, I have a some suggestions for specific ways you can tap into the holiday spirit to grow your business.
Helping Others
We previously covered the benefits of helping others, both to your community and your business. There’s no better time to pursue the spirit of sharing than the holidays. Charitable organizations are at their busiest, and the needs of those less fortunate are at their highest. The opportunities to give something back and—in so doing—help yourself and your community are also at an all-time high. Whether you’re donating your valuable expertise to a non-profit or dressing up as Santa at the local shopping center, charity is good for the soul. Get into the giving spirit, and have some fun!
Betting on Your Business
If you’ve seen my “I Believe” page, you know that I encourage taking calculated risks. Delegating precious resources to holiday activities and charitable efforts may seem like risky behavior when it comes at the cost of devoting time to growing your business. But nothing important comes easily, and as an entrepreneur and an expert, you know better than anyone that the pathways to success aren’t always linear. What you may lose in work productivity, you’ll make up for in good will and networking opportunities. When people see your business giving back to their community, whether that’s online or in-person, you’ll reap the benefits.
Creating a New Stage
I teach that you should Sell from Stage so you can reach as many people at once as possible. Your stage can be an actual stage, a webinar, a boardroom … you name it. When you tap into local holiday activities or charitable drives, you meet other experts and other potential customers, all of whom are likely to ask you what you do. Use the holiday as an opportunity to sponsor a contest, drive or promotion based around your product. What you’ll find is that your involvement in area festivities provides a ready-made stage for you and your enterprise. You’ll do some good, promote your business and have a great time. It’s a win-win-win!
Happy Holidays!
Sean