“We’re in a recession.”
Photo by iboy daniel
No one wants to hear those words, especially small business owners. Now that the phrase has been uttered, what can you do to make sure your business survives?
First – take heart in the fact that, even during a recession, both society and the economy depend on small businesses. The import-dependent US relies heavily on local business owners to stabilize an unsteady economy. Even more inspiring, some of the most successful companies in the nation seen their beginnings during shaky economical times.
- The last large-scale recession in the 70’s and early 80’s seen the start of FedEx, Microsoft, and CNN.
- During the Eisenhower recession of 1957 and 1958, Hyatt Hotels, IHOP, and Burger King began.
- General Electric was born in the short, but fierce, recession of 1873.
And if we look back to the Great Depression of the 1930’s, the banking industry struggled miserably but companies like Proctor & Gamble, Radio Flyer, and even Camel (the cigarette manufacturers) came out on top.
How can your business survive the recession?
Photo by Amagill
Advertise and build your brand. While a slow economy may seem like the time to cut expenses, the companies that prospered during the Great Depression were those that continued to push their brand. In the ’30’s, radio was the medium of choice. Today, businesses are taking advantage of the world wide web to spread their name.
Buy local whenever you can. Buying your materials and supplies from domestic vendors will stimulate the economy by encouraging employment and profits that, in turn, can increase your own sales and revenues.
Make quality your priority. Even if your product or service isn’t one of life’s necessities, great customer care and attention to detail can give your business the edge it needs to stay afloat during tough times. Great products from a respectable provider will always have a place in society.
Surviving an economic crunch with your small business isn’t easy – but it is possible. Even startups can prosper during a recession with a bit of work and the proper goals. Keep your brand fresh on the minds of prospective clients through effective marketing, do your part to keep the economic cycle flowing, and deliver the absolute best product or service you possibly can and your business will continue to grow – even through a recession.
As you can tell from the gap in blog posts, this is a busy season for writers! Marketers and businesses want to get their holiday and Christmas marketing in full swing, so the Priceless Writers’ girls have been brainstorming, researching and writing away. Along with all of the magic, a new trend is in the air – ‘written Christmas gifts.’
With the awareness of global warming and the health of our planet increasing, individuals are stuck thinking of new and inventive eco-friendly holiday gifts. There are many different options, and among them are written gifts; gifts that will not create more waste and that loved ones will cherish always. In the spirit of the season, here are 7 unique and written Christmas gift ideas.
1. Write Your Loved One a Poem – sure, this isn’t a very original idea but it’s a great one. This is an especially great gift for guys to give their sweethearts or for children to give parents. Spend a little time thinking about what your loved one means to you – and capture it in words.
2. Create a Book of Memories – This is a fun and creative idea for a written holiday gift. Using a beautiful blank journal, create page titles and allow members of your family to write down their favorite memories about the recipient. Think grandparents, parents and aunts and uncles for this gift! Some subtitles could include:
- Favorite Family Vacation Memory
- Favorite Holiday Memory
- Favorite ‘In Trouble’ Memory
- Favorite Trait about Recipient
3. Pay Homage to Your Loved One with a Website – If you’d rather go really green with your written Christmas gift, create a beautiful website tribute to the recipient. If possible, buy their personal domain name or a domain name which is somehow related to them. Most websites have builder tools which allow non-techie individuals to create a great site quickly. You may want to include pages like these:
- Childhood (with facts about their past and upbringing)
- Favorites (a page about their favorite things)
- Family (pages with pictures and info about family members)
4. Write a Song for Your Loved One – What a beautiful idea for a written holiday gift! If you know someone who could put the lyrics to music, this would work even better. Whether you want to create a sentimental and sweet song for your loved one or a funny and humorous one – it’s a wonderful present that the recipient will never forget. Oh, and go that extra mile and actually sing it for them.
5. Create a Personalized Book for Your Child – This is a very cool idea for your own children or children in your family. Write a story featuring the child and some of his or her favorite activities, toys or hobbies. Then take the pages to your local printing company and have it bound!
6. Write a Book of Memoirs – This is an increasingly popular written gift that many individuals are attempting to write themselves or are hiring ghost writers for. A book of memoirs is a touching and lovely gift idea that is perfect for grandparents, parents or others in your family or group of friends that have led extraordinary lives.
7. Create a Cartoon Strip – Another unique and fun written Christmas idea is to create a cartoon strip for a family member or friend. Do you have memories of someone that are really funny and great to remember? Write the memory in the form of a comic strip! If possible, work with an artist to create the pictures – or simply do it yourself. Then, have the comic strip framed and present it to your loved one!
Imagine your loved one opening a personalized written holiday gift this season! Not only does it carry much more meaning than traditional, store-bought gifts – but it is better for our planet and your loved one is sure to remember it long after other holiday gifts have been thrown in the closet or eaten.
If you’d like a little help with your written Christmas gift, contact Priceless Writers – we’d love to give you a hand creating something wonderful for your sweetheart, your parents or some other special person in your life.
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