How to Navigate the Holiday Season as a Business Owner 

By: Lucas Mitchell

As this year comes to a close, and holiday merriment fills your personal calendar it can be easy to let your business goals and priorities fall by the wayside. However, this is actually a crucial season for your business in terms of shoring up your end-of-year goals, ensuring client retention, and planning ahead for next year.  

With just a few weeks left on the 2022 calendar, these are our top suggestions for business owners and entrepreneurs who wish to finish out the year on a high note. 

Express Your Gratitude for Your Clients or Customers 

While it’s always important to share your appreciation for your clients or customers, it is at this time of year when we often wish to show thanks through gifts, personalized cards or letters.  

The fewer the clients or customers, the more special and personalized you can (and should) make the ‘gifts’. Remember, quality and price are related, but you don’t have to break the bank to send something memorable. After all, it’s the thought that counts! 

Don’t Be A Grinch – Treat Your Team Well 

Maintaining internal policies is important, but it’s equally important to remember that your team is made up of real people. And just like you they have families, in-laws, friends and travel plans to deal with during this season. Gestures like granting them an extra half-day of PTO or a special holiday bonus (of any size) may go a long way to build and reinforce a company culture that will yield record breaking results in the coming year.   

It’s Time for that Final Push Towards Your EOY Goals 

We’ve said this before, but we’ll say it again – front loading your EOY goals is a must if you’re hoping to reach the targets you laid out at the beginning of 2022. Hopefully, by now you’ve prepped your team to push hard during the pre- and post- Thanksgiving periods. Setting your expectations for sales or client work delivery between Christmas and New Year’s Eve may not be the best strategy for bringing success into 2023.  

Celebrate Your 2022 Wins to Set the Tone for 2023 

As the year comes to a close, it’s important to recognize all the wins you and your team have made along the way. Sharing these achievements and highlights with your team, clients/customers, and social media followers (and thanking them for their contributions) can create positive perceptions internally and externally, and ultimately inspire future successes and momentum as you move into 2023.  

Look Ahead to the New Year with Goals in Mind 

As the year comes to a close, it’s very likely that some things in your 2022 playbook just didn’t get done – and that’s perfectly normal. Prioritize these items in your 2023 goals. That being said, this is also the best time to document all of the new goals you have in mind for the coming year. We recommend that you not only brain dump these ideas into a list format, but also assign timelines, team members and key performance metrics to each of your goals to ensure that you’re set up for success in the new year. While it’s important to remain flexible and acknowledge that things may change as we reach 2023, making your goals as specific as possible will help you in the long run. 

If you’re ready to take on 2023, book a discovery call to find out how Nourish & Sow’s talented team can help push your business to new heights in the new year.