Make Sure Clients Know Your Holiday Hours

Nov. 28-Dec. 4

Operations Update your local pages on Google, Facebook, and elsewhere to ensure they reflect any changed store hours or other special services over the holiday season. Add terms such as “holiday hours” and “holiday specials” to your meta descriptions to give your web pages a better chance of ranking above those of the competition and drawing a click.

Dec. 5-11

MANAGEMENT Schedule some breaks from your business. Even during this busy season, you’ve got to have time to relax. Include “me time” in your daily schedule. And don’t forgo festive celebrations. Even if it’s just a couple of hours to be with family and friends, find a way to make it work.

OPERATIONS Run through a checklist of everything that needs to be taken care of to allow you to focus on business. After a busy day working, the last thing you’ll want to do is run an errand. Stock up on all hygiene essentials (sanitizer, wipes, maybe masks) in addition to the usual business essentials. In a cold weather location? Review the needs to winterize your space (de-icing salt, space heaters). Even connect with a snow-plow service to help keep sidewalks and parking lots clear.

Dec. 12-18

HOLIDAY SPIRIT Brew extra cups of coffee for the UPS, FedEx, and other courier service members who are going flat out in support of your operation.

Dec. 19-25

PERSONAL CARE The excitement of the this time of year can make it difficult to fall asleep despite how tired you might be. Dr. W. Christopher Winter of the Martha Jefferson Hospital Sleep Medicine Center suggests you spray lavender oil on your pillow. It will make you go out faster, sleep deeper, and wake up fresher, he told Men’s Health.

MARKETING CUSTOMER RELATIONS What thank-yous can you prepare for your loyal clients this year? Gift cards, be it for movies, restaurants, or app-store purchases, aren’t particularly inspired, but they always go down well.

Dec. 26-Jan. 1

REWARDS Shout Hallelujah because after the 25th, ‘tis the season to rest, relax, and enjoy the fruits of your labor with family and friends. Enjoy the break. You’ve earned it.

MANAGEMENT On New Year’s Eve, here’s a question to ask yourself as you prepare to close your doors on 2021: Was the less-than-successful approach I took to a long-running issue/challenge/problem this year the same one that I used in 2020?