Selling a product or a service to someone can often be a tough feat as a small business. People have so many options when it comes to purchasing something in our marketplace anymore. What if I told you that certain words you use in your content and sales pitch can help you sell more products and/or services?

With 2014 coming to an end, it’s time to evaluate how different marketing strategies worked throughout the year and how we should change them in 2015 to work better, as well as what predictions we have for the future of marketing, specifically social media. It should be no surprise for you to hear that social media marketing isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. So, why is social media important in 2015?

As we drive around this Christmas season, we enjoy the sights and sounds of the season. One family favorite is the Christmas light displays. Many towns even have a map of the "Tour of Lights" with the most popular addresses, with a route so you don’t miss any.

The end of the year brings with it top 10 lists, reflections and resolutions. After the busyness of the holiday season, which is also my favorite time of year, I enjoy taking a step back, a deep breath, and thinking about what I learned in the previous year and what my goals are for the next. Notice how I said goals, not resolutions. I’ve come to believe that resolutions are so often broken they have negative connotation and aren’t worthy making, but setting personal goals or goal within your small business, are something you can keep attaining, even when you fall behind.

I just finished watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” with that handsome Jimmy Stewart and the lovely Donna Reed. Best Christmas movie ever! I know, “Elf” fans might take exception, but we are talking 1947 so some respect is definitely due this old classic. It is Christmas tradition for my family because I love the reminders about recognizing and celebrating in life the things that really matter.

I have a confession to make. I struggle with an over developed need to be honest and transparent. While that can be a good thing, it makes writing a reflection letter summing up any year rather difficult. I read these incredible Christmas letters that come in the mail from friends and family across the country and around the world, and invariably I am struck by the consistent highlighting of only the good stuff. Little Joey learned to walk, we took an amazing trip, Suzie won the spelling bee, John won an award. Sound familiar? Worth celebrating to be sure, but is that all? Really?

With Christmas being days away you still have time to show how much you care about your employees. Why should you do this? Having a company that is full of passion and provision is crucial to gain your maximum success. By doing these random acts of kindness, you are showing your employees the passion that you have for your business which translates to taking care of your employees.

Can my small business take a break from social media during the holidays? This is a question that is all too familiar. Here’s a simple answer for you: No. While it is a festive time of year where you are supposed to be spending time with family and friends sipping hot cider in front of the fire and wrapping gifts, the world of business must go on.

When it comes to having a successful business where customers are happy, having good customer service is vital. Delighting customers is nothing new to the business world and will never go away. No business is perfect and can always be working on improving its customer service. 

When planning out your business growth strategy for 2015, what do you need to focus on? There are so many factors to running a small business filled with passion and provision, it’s easy to get caught up in things that are not maximizing your business’s resources.