Holiday Planning Guide for Small Biz Owners

Saturday, December 8, 2007

It's that time again............ Holiday Gifts!!! - How Small Biz Owners Can Prep for the Holiday Season

1. Make Sure you Have Enough Materials - Stock up on raw materials. You don't want to run out of materials during the busiest season of the year. You want to be able to fill customer orders without a backlog.

2. Advertise your Business - Put an ad in your local paper, send emails, etc.

3. Think Fresh - Now is the time to think outside the box. Come up with fresh, creative ideas. Look on the internet, look through fashion and jewelry magazines, etc.

4. Send gifts to customers - If possible give holiday gifts to your best/favorite customers/clients. They appreciate your fabulous freebies.

5. Be generous with your staff (if you have any) - Bonuses, Gifts, etc. A gift certificate to a spa, starbucks or walmart goes a long way.

6. Budget - Budget wisely!!!!

I've been busy getting ready for a "gift basket party." It's kinda like a tupperware party. I host a bunch of smart, savvy, intellectually stimulating, otherwise boring (i'm kidding - they're smart, warm, friendly, sassy, fabulous and generous :-), albeit a tad bit overworked), women and feed them. They in turn, browse my wares and (hopefully) shop from Boutique MIX.

First, I have to fill in a bunch of holiday gift basket orders from some colleagues and neighbors. I've hit a creative roadblock today, but I have some pics of what I've done so far. Obviously these are going to change 100 times before I deliver them next weekend, and I have run out of tulle. I'll go get some tulle early next week.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining at all......... its just that I lost my eye glasses when I went out to buy some gift basket supplies earlier today. I can't see without them so I'm quite unhappy at the moment because I"m sure there's a Columbo rerun that I'm missing at the moment. Though I can always turn on the tv and just listen since I can't watch. I'm that much of a fan. Anywhooooo, back to the post - here are some pics of my progress thus far.













Last week I committed to making 75 gift baskets for donation to a charity event. I stayed up all night making the gift bags, but it was quite fulfilling and definitely put me in the holiday-giving spirit. I wish I could bring myself to give more. I remember back in high school, I was part of a group called Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and each holiday season we made gift bags for nursing home patients. We'd go to the nursing homes, spend time with the residents, and distribute love, gift bags and holiday cheer.

Sometimes I feel awful for not making the time to continue that tradition, but I cut myself some slack when I remember that I do share my time and talents with family, friends and others throughout the year. My new year resolution for 2008 is to be a better me!!! What's yours? Oh, and don't forget to take the 2008 Resolution Polls to your left!!!

Below are "not-pretty" pictures of the charity gift bags, which I must admit made me very proud and a little more human :-)





41 comments:

Yayemarie said...

Heyt sista nanga deff'
i love your sites..these gift baskets look great must have takne so much time..im def' gonna stop by some more..)
all the best
yaye:)

Jet Pass said...

Happy Holidays!

I agree that the McDonalds incident is funny now, but my buns were burned when it did happen.

Love the baskets, very creative!

SD Sue said...

KreativeMix/Sassy/SaLon Pickins, you are the most creative lady I have ever had the pleasure to read! I LOVE your gift baskets, your blog on Sierra Leone has been passed on to friends who have just returned from Uganda and have a heart for the children of Africa and I thought I would laugh forever as I read about your dates! Does Washington DC breed those kinds of guys? My son used to work in DC and he said there were some interesting guys there! Too much power for the ego to handle! Keep doing all that you do, I am enjoying your energy! My husband loves your choice of music also! :)

Model For Hire said...

(If I responded to your comment on my post, would you know? Wasn't sure, so here you go, instead!)

Pics to come, for sure! My coffee table is FULL of fabrics (sorry, hubby!) Love your gift boxes, they're so cute!

Wendiva said...

i'm giving you cheerful props for making donation holiday baskets. they're the BEST!!! and definitely puts you in the right holiday, i especially LOVE the ones w/ beauty products in them :)

foof said...

Nice you were doing some wrapping with them bags. I just have one ?? Did you have your glasses on when you took the pictures of the gift baskets?
LOL I haven't done any cooking picture worthy hope your not going to crazy from the xmass rush.. Good luck Foof

Kelly said...

Those baskets are amazing!

Carole said...

i like your blog song very much
(dont know if it should be called blog song)

btw, we have to send x'mas gifts overseas - France, Japan and USA

yet i dont have much idea for my US client

Sugabelly said...

I love your blog. Thanks for coming by my blog, and this post just gave me the info I needed. It's so difficult trying to start a new business, so thanks. Your posts are informative and very interesting. :)

Hey it's Amy said...

It is so nice of you to make those nice gift baskets! I believe giving to "strangers" is the best way to get in the holiday spirit! Also baking gingerbread is nice...
Love, Amy
PS. Thanks for commenting on my blog :)

(m) said...

Thanks, sassy. Your gift bags look amazing. Wouldn't mind getting one of those ;)

Yes, yes, Tulle is AMAZING.

Couture de Papier said...

thank you for your blog love it!

Anna said...

Wow you have been a busy lady! Those baskets look enticing- I like idea of the charity gifts- a nice way of spreading the cheer. Thanks for your lovely comments on my blog- its great to see new faces! :)

Anna

Practically Perfect In Every Way said...

am I vintage if I handmade all my gifts last year???

my customers are loving the personalized christmas stockings for their dogs and a dog toy inside. the best part inside to me is the magnet with my co. name, number and website with ALL THEIR 2008 appointments circled!!

love your gift baskets!! hope you found your glasses!

Jess said...

LOVE the gift baskets! They look deluxe!

Susan Tuttle said...

Such fabulous ideas for small biz owners!

I so enjoyed visiting your blog.

Thanks so much for the kind comment on mine.

Happy Holidays!

Susan

Nicole Zaffuto said...

The gift baskets are adorable, and I love that you made some for charity. I hope your gift basket party goes well.

Kimi Pryor said...

Hey! My December's been a little up and down so far, but I am very much looking forward to the actual holiday part of it. I need to fix my digital camera, which I didn't realize before starting my blog. :( You gift baskets are quite impressive! How is your December thus far?

Amelia Plum said...

your donation of 75 gift baskets is extremely generous. you might be hoping to be a better you in 2008 but I think many people could learn by your current example of charity.

Mathieu said...

Nice!

Angelika@ Purple Sage Designz said...

Wow, you are generous with your donations of time and items, what an inspiration for a better me:)
Enjoyed your post.

NY Spender said...

You have a very interesting blog. Loved your place, and the fact that you are secretly dating Beckham, because I can't stand Victoria! ;)

Kiki said...

Those baskets are super!!! Anyone would be lucky to receive them, so extravagant and thoughtful!! Your site is wonderful a font of information!!! Thank for stopping by mine!!!

Scribbit said...

What beautiful baskets!

Cocaine Princess said...

I'm not a business owner but if I was I would take your tips to your heart.
Your baskets look beautiful. Thank you for your kind words and advice. Thanks for stopping by my blog.
XOXOXOXO,
Cocaine Princess

princesa said...

I loved the small biz tips. Am planning on starting my own biz soon so they were insightful.
Your gift baskets look fab too.
Keep it up.

bonnie said...

I love the idea of a gift basket party. Have you put together a basket for men? Your tips are really great. What do you think of using etsy to promote one's work? I don't do it, but I understand that people do buy off etsy for holiday gifts. What do you think?

SP said...

Oh I love the gift baskets! I wish I had known about you earlier. You could have shipped one to Seattle for my sister for me! Her birthday just passed and I had the hardest time picking something out for her.

James Tubman said...

yeah columbo is pretty cool show

right when you think he's finished asking questions and he's at the door

he says "uh just one more question"

and that's the question that normally gets the answer he wants

http://reelinspiration.blogspot.com/ said...

OK. I'm impressed. I have to ask...How do you get over 4000 hits on your profile and all those comments?
Jana

Cynthia Thornton said...

The gift baskets look great! THe tips for small businesses is great! I wish I had a site like this to come to when I was starting out!

Rebecca said...

Wow! Busy are we?
Thanks again for your wonderful comment on my artwork at "fouratrsake" blogspot.com.
I felt so thrilled, that I added ten more art pieces to the blog. So, if the mood strikes you, check it out!
BTW - like you are to gummi bears/worms, I'm to tootsie rolls!
Have to have them once in late morning and once before bed. Strange I know.

Kate said...

mmm...anything with chocolate is good!

Flair said...

oh very fun gift baskets! I'm sure whoever is the recipient will enjoy it very much! This must have taken you a lot time!

Lizzy said...

That is awesome, Sassy! The gift bags are a fantastic idea. =)

Thanks for stopping by my Odyssey... Your words of encouragement have been helpful. Dare I ask, what brought you to my blog?

Have a wonderful December and Happy Holidays! =)

Liz

TravelDiva said...

That's awesome!

*sossip said...

Those look lovely! What great ideas!

jellofer said...

Thanks for the comment on the boots and the encouragement on jewelry making! :)

Btw, I have to say...Those gift baskets look awesome! Back when I was in high school we would make Christmas hampers for the local women's shelter every year. It was a lot of fun and knowing that the hampers would bring smiles to the recipients always gave great sense of accomplishment

kari and kijsa said...

Great ideas!

Have a blessed day...

smiles, kari and kijsa

foof said...

That was so funny I laugh good on that one your glasses that is.. Well glad you didn't have to get new ones...

Renee Baker said...

Great gift baskets!

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