#216 Business Etiquette - Holiday Gift Giving & New Entrepreneurs
Dec 04, 2019
The holidays are upon us and some of you may be feeling a bit of pressure to let people know you appreciate them with a gift from your business. I think that business people should be practical - everyone likes to feel appreciated but let's face it, if you're new to business, no one wants to see you break the bank. There is business etiquette around these things but when you're brand new - give yourself a break. Keep it simple.
When I was a fairly new business owner, a gentleman who had been in business many years paid me a visit. You see, I had sent him a coffee card as a way of saying thank you when he sent a couple of clients my way. When he came to see me he gave me a lot of advice and one thing that I recall was around being careful with money. We both agreed that if the business wasn't profitable, then you should limit the gifts you are giving. We hit it off right away because we were both practical people.
Don't go in debt to say thank you. It puts too much strain on a business. There are so many wonderful ways to say thank you to those who have helped you out this year.
Get creative, send them a handwritten note. I picked up a post card early in the year with a picture of an old fashioned washing machine. I have a mentor who loves antiques and I know he will treasure this card.
Send random thank-you notes during the year - don't wait until the holiday season. Show your gratitude when folks do not expect it.
I am not going into an exhaustive list here - I just wanted to start the dialogue around this topic. I've seen too many businesses get into trouble by spending money they can't afford to be spending. Be good to yourself this year and don't try and impress anyone.
Join us for our book club for entrepreneurs in the new year.
