Keeping Up Business Momentum This Season

I don't know about you, but once the cooler weather sets in, I have the urge to head to the Appalachians, sit around a campfire and sip cocoa with my family. It's a bit harder for me to focus on business with the Autumn leaves so lovely!

What about you?
Here are a few ideas that will help you keep the momentum going in your business even while you play a little bit. Soon enough it will be too cold to spend much time out of doors, so better go enjoy it now.

Blog When Nobody's Home
Just because you are out playing doesn't mean your blog has to shut down. If you use WordPress you can schedule blog posts in advance. Write a bunch of them and have one a day added automatically. If your blog is on Blogger, you might want to write several posts, save them as a draft, then pay a Virtual Assistant to post them for you.

Keep In Touch With Subscribers
Most newsletter management systems allow you to schedule broadcasts. If yours doesn't, get a new one! I use Aweber and WahmCart and highly recommend both.

Load up your autoresponder with informative emails to keep selling your product for you as well as prevent your customers and subscribers from forgetting you.

Invest In Strategic Advertising
My favorite form of advertising is free, but spending a few dollars towards some valuable advertising can bring you new business while you do other things. It's a smart investment.
For instance, Kelly McCausey's WC magazine offers VERY reasonable advertising costs.

Get Others to Publish You
If you're doing article marketing (and you are, aren't you?!), why not have an article distribution service like iSnare send out several of your articles to thousands of publishers?

While you're away from your computer, other people are adding your articles to their sites and getting you additional traffic, search engine rankings and expert status. It feels really nice to log into your email program and have dozens of emails saying: "We have published your article here..."

The same applies to press releases. Craft an informative release and send it out to media outlets that reach your target market.

One of the wonderful things about an Internet business is the ability to create passive income. If you set things up properly, you should be able to get away with playing a little and still earn money. Now, go jump in a pile of leaves somewhere.

Send Business greeting card this holiday season

The holiday season is around the season. There are lots of cards and gifts being exchanged, with lots of money being spent in the air. This is the season to be jolly, and also to make others jolly through greeting cards and phone calls.

When the holiday season comes, one starts deciding on whom to send business greeting cards to, and on whom not to send cards to. Then comes the decision of what kind of business greeting card to choose, and how to address the envelope. The main reasons business greeting cards are exchanged are to attract new customers to your business, enhance your current business relationships with people, to show appreciation to all your supportive clients and to remind old clients that you are still existing! Whatever the reason, proper business greeting card etiquette has to be exercised as a well meaning gesture may offend the person you tend to impress, if not done properly.

When sending business greeting cards, it is important that you buy and send good quality greeting cards. It is better to start with a good quality business greeting card to show the value you hold of your clients and colleagues. If you do skimp in your selection, it may be interpreted in a number of ways, to thus lead to misunderstandings like that the business is not doing good or that the clients aren’t worth a little investment. Even though you may have preprinted information on the business greeting card, it is important that you add your own handwritten signature on the card. Even the most elegant of business cards should have your personal signature and a handwritten message to give that personal touch to the business greeting card. The recipient is sure to feel happy at seeing your personal signature on the card. Before starting on sending business greeting cards, it is important that your list is up-to-date with correct names and addresses. It will be easier if you do this on a regular basis, to avoid it becoming a dreaded holiday chore. Change changed addresses periodically to avoid embarrassing yourself by sending the card to the old address!

Avoid using computer generated labels when addressing the envelopes as these are impersonal and make your holiday wishes seem like mass mailing. If you don’t have the time to write the addresses, at least have someone else address the envelope for you. Make sure you use titles of Mr. or Mrs. when addressing the envelope to an individual or couple as a sign of respect to the customer or client. If you know the small business owner around the corner, mailing the business greeting card to the home produces better and happier effects on the recipient’s part. If married, include the spouse’s name on the envelope as it is not always that you find both the husband and wife working at the same establishment. Be sensitive with traditions. Find out if the recipient follows Christmas, Deposal or Hanukah, and then find out if the message is appropriate for the individual. Or else, you may go in for a card which will not offend anyone like “Season’s Greetings”.

It is best to avoid the mail rush by mailing the business greeting cards way before the actual festival. This is because around the festival time there will be a mad rush of cards for the postal department to sort out, and that in turn may that take lots of time. If needed, you could also think of inserting a business card along with the business greeting card to remind the recipient of the services or product you excel in. It is actually a good idea of getting next year’s Boxer Day cards a few days after this year’s Boxer Day. This saves a lot in terms of time and money! Not only can you send clients and friends business greeting cards; in fact, you can also send them to employee for employee motivation. As everyone enjoys being recognized, you could build team spirit by having everyone to sign on a colleague’s holiday greeting card. Avoid having corporate logos printed on the business greeting card; else it may look like it has been pulled off the company stationery shelf.

The best time to send business greeting cards are went the recipient least expects it. Perhaps you could send it during the customer’s birthday or something. So whatever business greeting card you do send, and for whatever reason it may be, make sure you use the right etiquette when sending greeting cards for the holiday season, or birthday!

Business Gift-Giving Tips For The Holiday Season

Be the First to Say 'Happy Holidays'

While it may be fashionable to show up late to the holiday office party, it is not fashionable to send your holiday gifts late. Send your holiday gifts early to make an impact. Consider sending a gift basket the week after Thanksgiving. You could also consider sending a gift to celebrate the New Year around the 28th of December. Sending holiday gifts at a different time than other companies will make your gifts stand out!

Be Creative, but Considerate

People say, "It is the thought that counts" when they receive a gift. If the gift you send, however, has nothing to do with your clients' interests, they will think, "Wow. They did not even put thought into this gift."

Make sure you know what your clients and employees like before selecting their gifts this year. If they are avid golfers, consider giving your clients or employees Nike Golf Bags or a gift basket filled with golfing essentials like golf balls, divot tools, and golf markers. When giving a food item, take into consideration any dietary restrictions due to religious or medical reasons. Make sure your gifts fit your clients' and employees' likes to make a positive, lasting impact this holiday season.

Quality Gifts Deserve Classy Wrapping

No one enjoys seeing a gift wrapped in newspaper or a paper sack. To avoid running into any last minute wrapping problems, think about the proper wrapping utensils you need to make your gift's wrapping as spectacular as the gift it's concealing.

-Cards

A card is not necessarily a part of the gift wrapping process, but many times, cards do come attached to gifts. Let people know how much you appreciate them by attaching a card with a thoughtful message inside. And, be sure to double-check the spelling of your client's name because the smallest error can ruin your gift.

-Gift Wrap

Invest in nice gift wrap. You do not need to buy the most expensive wrapping paper, but you should invest in something so the recipient knows you did not just haphazardly pick up the gift the day you gave it to them.

-Ribbons and Bows and Frills

There is no need to go overboard with these gift wrapping accessories. A nice bow, however, can be the perfect finishing touch on a present.