Year-End Promotions a Good Idea for Small Business

The title said, “Don’t Make This Common Year-End Mistake” – and the first thing I see is a pair of holiday socks that eerily resemble a pair I’m fairly certain I own. Uh-oh! Was I relieved to see the writer was talking about promoting your business and not questionable taste in footwear. But Erik Sherman (whose Inc. article I tweeted about yesterday) raises a valid point: Why not take advantage of other people’s down time?

I know I scarcely have free moments in my day just to browse online or research things of interest to me. And as a typical small-business owner walking that line between short-term running-your-business needs and longer-term promoting-your-business needs (know the feeling?), I feel I never get the luxury of tracking down all the information out there that might be a good fit for my own company. So I’m grateful for down time like the days between Christmas and New Year’s to catch up. (You know, when the kids have grown tired of playing with the boxes their gifts came in and are back out in the snow.)

Still, as a small business owner, I can appreciate the benefits of solid promotion during this period, too. So why not reach out to folks like me who are probably not working vigorously with clients or on specific projects – but who might be doing their planning for the New Year? It’s a good time to expand your radar range, right? Be proactive in making your success. Look for others who share that same philosophy.

Don’t stop the wheels of your entrepreneurship just because the snow is falling and you think no one is paying attention. They might just be momentarily distracted by sleigh bells. As soon as they get their snowshoes on, they’ll be back. Be there when they come swooshing by.