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Home » Business And Finance Articles » When Yearend Sales Resemble Coal And Leave No Room For Gifts

When Year-End Sales Resemble Coal And Leave No Room For Gifts

December can be a trying time for small businesses. The year-end rush to close clients in order to meet target year-end sales goals can leave a person feeling stressed, overworked, and definitely, not in the holiday spirit. Last year around this time, you were probably forecasting sales figures for 2004, and now, getting ready to do it again for 2005. When running your own business, it becomes immediately apparent that monthly, quarterly, and yearly sales resemble the layout for a roller coaster. It's challenging to devise consistent sales figures when the process of doing business fluctuates continuously.

1) Take a deep breath

Because you didn't reach your forecast doesn't mean you did something wrong, so take a deep breath and relax. Failure serves as great fuel, in my opinion. Not meeting your sales will give you the drive needed to ensure totals are met next year.

Jennifer Beasily, a small business owner in Tampa, Florida, stated, "After reviewing 2003 sales, I took an extensive look at what I was doing â€" and what I wasn't doing. Hindsight is 20/20, so I used last year's information to ensure that 2004 sales would be better ... and they were. Now, I'm taking the same approach this year to secure a nice return from the sales I close in 2005."

2) Create a sales report

Take December and January to research your sales to date. Look over those from the last year, or take your research further by comparing each year you've been in business. Identify what months and years were least successful and your thought on why. Seasons, such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, for example, can cause lower sales volumes depending on the type of business you operate. Have a full understanding of what months you recently struggled with, and whether this trend is consistent year after year or month after month.

3) Create an in-depth report

Take your sales report one step further by making notations and devising strategies to curtail lower selling months. Think of reasons why your sales were less than expected. Then, determine if changes, such changing your work habits, running a promotional campaign, or stepping up marketing/advertising efforts, can help. Your finished report should reflect all problem areas, along with several solutions you plan to integrate throughout the year to ensure sales from 2005 are substantially better than those from 2004.

4) New goals

Once armed with a full analysis of your prior year's sales, prepare to set goals for the upcoming year. Create a detailed list that outlines your goals for the next 12 months, and be sure to include a "how to" section. Also, separate and prioritize each goal to be finished within a particular timeline: 3, 6, 9, or 12 months. Weave practical and far-reaching goals into the list because you want to give yourself room to accomplish, but to also stretch beyond your current limits. "The refreshing part about consulting with different types of companies is that my skill level and abilities are always challenged. Who wants a position that is always the same thing, day in and day out?" said Jebdi Zaki.

5) Take time off

Are you crazy? Everyone reading this article will likely ask it. Taking time off seems like the least practical objective when there's so much to accomplish. People tend to lose steam towards the end of the year, especially small business owners who expend more time marketing the business as they do operating it.

Business people need to recharge their batteries before heading into a new year. The holidays pose a perfect time to take several consecutive days off, sneak a few mornings away from the office, and leave early in the afternoon.

Take your kids and spouse to an area pool where you can leisurely waste the day, or go on a stroll with your significant other. Disassociate yourself from the workday, and don't return until the "weight of the year" is lifted.

If year-end sales remind you of coal, don't worry about it. The holiday season is the perfect time to self-reflect, enjoy each other's company, and rejuvenate so you can take a stab at it again next year. The real gifts in life have nothing to do with money. Enjoy your holiday!

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Guide To Terrorism And World Markets

What worse could have happened to the US economy then the 9th September 2001? Some perverted religious fanatics demolished the embodiment of the world trade. Terrorism is a threat to all the nations of the world. The human loss due to these activities cannot be condemned with words. The ruthlessness of the terror traders has an impact on each and every segment of life. The extent of these activities is extending by the day and the generally silent Europe too is feeling the cramps.

The world markets face the wrath of the terrorist activities in their faces. There is an overall loss to the business in many ways. The people suddenly fear traveling through air. The airline companies themselves are more apprehensive about continuing with their normal work. Apart from the loss in passengers, the security too has to be made very tight and the loss has to be born by the companies.

As a matter of fact, all sectors are put to a stand still due to these terror strikes. The direct effect of these is seen in the sudden drop in the markets. The stock prices do drop down and the trading comes to a stand still, however the business seldom stops and the markets show their cushioning effect by regaining the vigor. But at times the loss of even trading day can be fatal to a country's economy.

Such attacks also incur a direct burden on the defense budget. It goes without saying that the governments do take desperate measures to minimize the losses and cover the country against the future threats. The new areas of defense research open up and thus fresh jobs are created. This brighter side of the attacks is over-shadowed by the loss of lives and panic that is created with in the country. The government, under such circumstances, looses the track of their priorities and the developmental works are sidelined. This causes damage to civic society.

The worst hit by terrorist activities is the third world countries. The terrorists make these vulnerable counties their bases and from here carry out the destructive activities. Their influence in such countries shows and threatens the developed world of their power and dominance. Thus such countries make an appropriate guinea pig. If a terrorists strike a big country or a city, the whole world knows about it. The tragedy with these countries is that their miseries are not broadcasted because of their non connectivity with the rest of the world. They are thus the breeding grounds of terrorism and worst hit areas by this destructive activity.

A joint effort by all the countries of the world, taking along the third world countries, is required to curb the growing tentacles of terrorism. Many big nations have joined hands against terrorism after major attacks in the world. They also need to include the most vulnerable victims of terrorism, the developing countries. Support to them, both economic and military, should be provided to them by the capable nations. Bodies like UN must pass resolutions and work upon them to uproot the cannibalistic practice of terrorism. Unless we don't join our hands it would be very difficult to face these destructive forces and our economies will be victims of their activities.