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How to Make the Most of Holidays with Your Customers

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By James Pruitt, Senior Staff Writer

The holidays can present challenges and opportunities for Veteran Business Owners. The increased demand presents to labor and supply issues, while also significantly increasing profit margins. A seasonal workforce often must pick up the slack. Meanwhile, customer demands may skyrocket, and nerves may fray. 

Various strategies can slice a bigger piece of the pie for your business.

1) Get in the Holiday Spirit for all holidays!

During the winter months, traditionally we hunker up with the hard-earned rewards of the rest of the yearly cycle. Remember to share this warmth with your workforce! They’re working extra hard especially during holiday seasons.

2) Respect Your Employees and their Additional Workload.

Seasonal workers may not always feel much warmth from employers. For some, the holidays are the season for overwork. 

Respect your employees, no matter what the type of business. Mandatory “ugly Christmas sweaters” and elf costumes affront human dignity and have no place in the workplace. Furthermore, consider that the workforce may be working extra hard to meet the spikes in demand. Some workers may even work extra hard during various holiday seasons for money to last over the year.

Respect for your workforce conveys positive vibes. Remember that most customers have been employees as well.

3) Keep Holiday Décor Tasteful

Some people think many decorations including some for  Christmas are “tacky.” 

Well, maybe they are. As alternatives for your business, tasteful alternatives abound. For example, the “snowy” look might appeal to more discerning customers. “Traditional” holiday decorations strategically placed provide the right vibe while maintaining a professional look for the establishment. Just remember the work for the cleanup crews at the end of any holiday season.

Cornucopias and colorful artificial fruits can last from November until early January. Furthermore, consider the final cleanup for the sake of both employees and employers.

2) Remember, some people celebrate a different holidays such as Channukah or Kwanzaa

Channukah ends in early December, while Kwanzaa lasts until January. Depictions of the season’s bounty convey importance to the Kwanzaa festivities as well as Thanksgiving and the Holiday period in general. 

Christmas colors are traditionally green and red. For Chanukkah, blue and white, and Kwanzaa colors are red, black, and green. The holiday season integrates diverse traditions. Winter decorations can integrate any medley of holiday baubles, so long as creative decorating brings that warm holiday cheer to your entire clientele. 

3) Make Things Local

Many holiday celebrations provide chances for local communities to come together. Participation in local events might win goodwill that could liven up your business. Maybe Santa can visit. Maybe a Christmas tree needs decorating.   Perhaps the Easter Bunny can help decorate eggs, etc. Regardless, presence at a local fair or festival can provide rich opportunities.

4) Holiday Promotions

Local festivities may even provide opportunities for coupon distributions and free samples. For example, raffles and contests may offer bundles of coupons as rewards. Sponsorships for entertainers and appearances may also bring attention to your business.

Online events can offer the same opportunities. Don’t forget your digital marketing skills while concentrating on the local state fair. Assuming the resources for the increased demand, remember the opportunities that each holiday season brings. When carefully planned, the increased demand can bring the opportunity to relax a little during the months afterward. Your online presence may even convey seasonal products. 

5) Finally, we wish joyful holidays for you and your families and staff from VAMBOA, the Veterans and Military Business Owners Association!

Holidays provide the opportunity to have fun while doing work. Remember to extend this holiday cheer to your employees as well as friends and family while directing this positive energy in safe directions. Don’t forget to take care of yourself during this busy season, and never grow out of the Holiday Spirit!

VAMBOA, the Veterans and Military Business Owners Association hope that this article has not only been valuable but provided some unique perspective.  We work hard to bring you important, positive, helpful, and timely information and are the “go-to” online venue for Veteran and Military Business Owners.  VAMBOA is a non-profit trade association.   We do not charge members any dues or fees and members can also use our seal on their collateral and website.   If you are not yet a member, you can register here:  https://vamboa.org/member-registration/

We also invite you to check us out on social media too.

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/vamboa

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/VAMBOA

Do not forget that VAMBOA members receive significant discounts on technology needs.   Check them out here: https://vamboa.org/dell-technologies/ 

 

Share Your Favorite Holiday Recipes & Win a Gift Card!

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By Debbie Gregory.

LinkedIN Debbie Gregory VAMBOA VAMBOA Facebook VAMBOA Twitter

 

 

My last blog article addressed sharing experiences of joy during the holidays with our friends and family.    Food is a joy and much more than survival.  We make friends with food, court lovers and count our blessings.   Sharing food has always been part of the human story.   During the holidays, each of us has special dishes and desserts that we enjoy.     

 

To move things to a lighter note, our blog will share your favorite recipes and I will kick it off with one of my own in the next article.   I encourage you to send us your favorite recipes with the ingredients and instructions and we will share it on the VAMBOA blog with everyone and attribute this joy from you.  If you have a photo, please send it too.     

 

I’m thinking that we will make this a contest of sorts and you can vote on VAMBOA’s Twitter  – www.twitter.com/vamboa and Facebook – www.facebook.com/vamboa for your favorites and we will award the winner a gift card and acknowledgement at the end of January. 

 

Please email your recipes to info@vamboa.org and tell us a little about you and your holiday culinary joys.  

 

Stay tuned for my forthcoming recipe to share.   A little about me and food.    I am not a baker so if you are looking for cookies, pies or other desserts, someone else will need to contribute them to our blog.     

 

The recipe that I am going to share is a compromise for me as 90 percent of the time, I only do fresh foods with nothing processed, frozen or canned.  I eat meat rarely.   I do enjoy fish, chicken and fresh ground turkey as well as lots of sashimi and ahi including different kinds of ceviche. 

 

 I’m known as the “Salad Queen” and spend hours shopping, washing, chopping to make amazing salads.   I also enjoy making healthy soups, chili and spaghetti but later today I am going to share a recipe that my family loves during the holidays that is not too healthy but so delicious.   We all need to indulge once in a while.   

 

Our family has changed some holiday traditions.   Instead of because a huge traditional dinner, we do this amazing breakfast casserole and breakfast often extends into the afternoon.   We don’t rush and linger over crazy Christmas stocking gifts, playing games, watching sports and movies and even go to the movies (it is a great day to go to the movies without tons of people).  Sometimes we will do a sports game or go for a hike together.  The point is we eat like queens and kings early and then lightly the rest of the day and it makes for a different type of holiday that focuses more on spending quality time with each other.   It also is much more enjoyable and lower stress as you prepare my breakfast casserole the night before and then just put it in the oven.     

 

Stay tuned on the VAMBOA Blog for Debbie’s Amazing Breakfast Casserole….. 

 

Debbie Gregory 

CEO, VAMBOA 

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