In the blink of an eye, the Holidays have arrived. You’re excited! You’re in the spirit! You’re probably also stressed out of your mind. With family, business, and your own sanity in the mix, it can be easy to lose track of some important goals and tasks. Our solution? Make a basic checklist.
This year, it may be a good idea to write down a list of all the things you need to get done within the next 20 days. One for your family, one for yourself, and one for your business. Below are five common checklist items for your business that you may have accidentally forgotten about in the past—but not this year.
Buy & Send Christmas Cards
Hopefully by this point in the season, you’ve already purchased or planned for your various holidays cards, both internally and externally to customers. The benefit of these cards goes beyond just Holiday Cheer; spreading the
season’s greetings to your employees can make them feel more appreciated, leading to higher productivity and levels of overall happiness in the office. Customers appreciate a card every now and then too, but try to make it worth their while (especially if you go with a generic, one-size-fits-all message). Now’s a good time to offer some exclusive Holiday deals, like a coupon, or even give your most loyal customers a gift, like a gift card.
If it slipped your mind:
Great companies like minted or Vistaprint allow you to design custom holiday cards online, and at this time of year, they have some great deals on bulk quantities. You could also go to a site like American Greetings, which has the largest collection of online Christmas cards.
Get Spirited on Social
It’s time for more than a simple “Merry Christmas & Happy New Year” from your business. Share the holiday spirit on your customers’ favorite social media sites by not only wishing them happy holidays, but by showcasing your special holiday offers, encouraging others to participate in your favorite seasonal charity, and even running a holiday giveaway.
If you’ve never considered Holiday Social Media:
People are home during the holidays, but are they really on their phones? Data suggests yes, as long as you’re sharing something worthwhile. Start making some of the above ideas your own, or brainstorm ways to share your own Holiday Spirit with your customers via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or even LinkedIn.
Give Back to the Community
The holidays are all about giving back, and giving back can actually help your bottom line. It’s also a great way to build up your company’s values and personality,
in turn helping you engage with your customers.
You can get involved locally, or even go above and beyond, much like Service King did last year. A fully refurbished Nissan Versa was presented to a mother and her son, who was born with Down syndrome and a heart condition, from the Catherine foundation. This was part of the National Auto Body Recycled Rides initiative.
If you’re not sure how to give back this year:
It’s never too late to give back in some way to your local community. You can get involved in a local food or toy drive, or maybe sponsor a local community event, like a Christmas parade or street fair. Don’t be afraid to get personal, either. Ask your employees if there are any foundations or causes that are near and dear to their heart. Donate or get involved in one of their events; and don’t forget to record it!
Reflect on Performance
Since it is, after all, the end of the year, there are plenty of hard numbers you’ll be crunching besides gingerbread cookies. Calculating and reviewing your company’s fiscal year numbers, reviewing your employees’ performances, and determining next years’ budget are all big parts of your holiday business checklist.
If you’re stressing out:
Everyone is stressed too, don’t worry. If you’ve completely forgotten what a fiscal year actually is, you need a step-by-step guide to giving bonuses, or you’re trying to prepare for dreaded yearly evaluations, don’t worry. The internet has you covered.
A Holiday Party
Holiday parties are fun, slightly awkward, and absolutely necessary. According to Tony Robbins, “The Key to Living is Giving”, and he gives some great advice on why your company should host a holiday shindig, even if you don’t go all out like Google. As long as your party has three components: atmosphere, décor
, and refreshments (and of course Holiday Spirit), you’re sure to throw a great party, one which will make your employees feel truly loved and appreciated, and build internal loyalty.
Wait? A party?
So you dropped the ball and forgot about the holiday party. Or you put it off, sort of hoping it would all come together? Well, whichever boat you’re in, there are plenty
of ways to throw a simple, effective, team-building party; seamless.com has a great 6 step checklist for throwing a last minute party, and you can find some great holiday party Dos and Don’ts here.
In the end, the holidays are meant to be a time of joy and giving. Stress out a little (everyone does), but don’t forget what matters most: family, friends, your employees, and your customers.
We hope you enjoy/survive your Holidays!