Reflections on Traditions & Your Home Business

          This time of year seems ideal for reflecting on traditions and how they might influence our home businesses. 

*Are there traditional holiday events in your community you can participate in? What you do will depend on the event and your type of business.  Be creative as you look at what’s going on in your area.  Even if you have strictly an online business, you still can become involved in community events and thus make others aware of you.

*Organize a tree decorating event at your business. Perhaps you could get other businesses to participate around the community.

*Does your community hold a holiday open house, with each business offering a small hand-out to visitors and featuring special sales?  If there is no such event, organize one involving your business.

*Community parades are traditional events in some towns.  Ours holds a parade along its short main street the first Friday evening of December with businesses, organizations and schools marching or decorating floats.  Then Santa Claus makes an appearance.  The businesses stay open that evening for open house (and additional business!)

*Holiday decorating of your walk-in shop and/or web site adds a traditional aura to the scene.

*Research the holiday custom/traditions of other cultures in your town and tie in with them in your promotions.  Have a sharing Saturday afternoon or an evening at your business. 

*Discover unique traditions and incorporate them into your business.  Or bring back some of the old-fashioned holiday traditons.

*Involve your family in helping establish traditions in your home and business.  These also may evolve into enjoyable memories over the years.

              Have fun!  Enjoy the holidays and their unique traditions.