Easter, Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Valentine’s Day are the biggest events of the year and ones that most retailers build huge campaigns around.  They are the events that probably bring in a high percentage of the years income for many businesses.

We can use the same principle in home based business.  Find your season and wind it throughout the business.  Small businesses are agile compared to the elephantine corporations like David Jones or Myer so they can jump to new opportunities easily.  Why not take advantage of that and look for some other ‘seasonal’ marketing opportunities?  A lack of budget can be made up for with some clever ideas.

What other seasons could you use as a basis for a marketing campaign?  Your choices might be affected by your line of business but what about some of these ideas?

• End of financial year
• Harvest
• Spring racing carnival
• Comedy festival
• The Oscars
• Winter / Summer / Spring / Autumn
• Grand Prix
• Melbourne Cup
• A popular TV show finale
• Back to school
• Religious festivals
• Clean Up Australia Day
• Australia Day
• Anzac Day
• Fashion festival
• Biggest Morning Tea / Daffodil Day
• St Patrick’s Day

There are lots more to find if you go out and look and each of these can become a theme for a sale or even a special event that you might run.

How could you apply these seasonal events to your marketing?    Let’s take a look.

Charity events are easy.  You could do a special fundraiser on your site or offer a percent of each sale to the charity.  You could turn your site yellow for Daffodil Day or Pink for the McGrath Foundation.  You could include a ribbon free with every order.

Clean Up Australia Day (or similar environmental days) can be celebrated by using green or recycled packaging, or by promoting the products in your range that cause no harm to the environment.

The Comedy Festival / Arts Festival or Fashion Festivals are all fun.  Can you imagine some of the lines you could use in your promos?  “This price is so low that it is a joke!”  Go one step further and include a printed joke with each order in the same way they are included in a Christmas cracker.

Don’t forget to carry the theme through into your newsletter and blog, too.  If you are going to run a seasonal promotion then it needs to be consistent across all parts of your business.

Seasons and events can be the best friend of small business.  All it takes is some awareness, inventiveness and pre-planning.

What are some of the seasonal promotions you’ve done with your business? Share with us below .

Name & Bio

Dawn Christian

My name is Dawn Christian, I live in Oklahoma with my husband and 3 children, two boys 10 and 7, one girl 5. I am 35 years old and love to workout, sing and hang out with my family! I am very involved with my Church and various ministries within it.

What is your business name and your website url?

SeneGence International

www.senegence.com/face2face

How long have you been in business?

4 years

What made you decide to start your own business?

I was looking for something that I could do part time and earn some extra income and help take some pressure off my husband, without going and getting a job. I could not find anyone in my town or state selling these products that I already loved, so I knew that this was the Company for me.

What strategies do you use to keep yourself motivated?

Trainings are essential for growing your business. Whatever your Company offers, go to it, it is so worth it and it really educates you and pushed you to the next level.

Do you have a current product or promotion running?

I have a great promotion that is offered by the Company, our Solution for Haiti line, 20% of proceeds go to Haiti Relief Effort (from SeneGence) and I am offering free shipping. This set includes an Anti-Wrinkle, Anti-Cellulite, Lash Extend and Lip Volumizer!

What makes your business/products unique?

Our products are unique in that they are a combination of waterproof cosmetics and anti-aging skin care. It’s nice to represent a product line that does exactly what it claims to do. Our business model is unique as well as we have one of the highest paying comp plans in DS’s and we are able to sell our products in several different venues.

How do you keep the balance between family and work?

Planning! Communication with my spouse and the extended family that helps me when I’m doing parties. I am very specific about my work time and demo time and make sure that my family always comes first.

Do you have any advice for new WAHMs?

Once you find a Company, make a commitment and stick with it. Most people quit too soon. Set goals, have a mentor who will encourage you and motivate you. Don’t walk away when it seems tough. Success is up to you!

Did you know?
- There are more than 350 million active users.
- 50% of those active users log on to Facebook in any given day.
- More than 3.5 million events are created each month.
- More than 3.5 billion web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photos are shared each week.
- More than 1.6 million active Pages on Facebook.
- More than 700,000 local business have active Business Pages on Facebook.
- Pages have created more than 5.3 billion fans.

Let me just repeat myself, there are 350 million active users, more than 700,000 local business have active Business Pages and all types of pages have created more than 5.3 billion fans.

Those statistics are phenomenal!

A Facebook Business Page offers a range of benefits that would excite any small business owner:

1. Connections: With the ability to customise your Business Page, you can encourage discussions with your fans, create and upload videos, profile your products or services and have a welcoming page that introduces new people to your business.  Your fans can submit testimonials, comment on your notes and keep up-to-date via blog posts or tweets.

2. Search Engine Optimization: Besides creating a “vanity” URL name (eg: facebook.com/wahmbizsuccess) you can add keyword-rich descriptive text in certain areas of your Business Page, add backlinks to your website, link your blog posts to Facebook, upload photos, current events and other content.  All this and more helps you with your search engine optimisation.

3. Communication: Besides connecting, you can keep your fans up-to-date by sending an ‘update’ that appears in their inbox, post your business status updates, add notes and link to your blog.  These communications automatically appear on your fan’s personal pages therefore reminding them of your business and encouraging the to reconnect with you.

4. Insights: These tools show you how users are interacting with your page, broken down by Wall posts, likes and comments.  It also provides you with statistics on where your fans are located and which languages they speak.  You can even explore your reports.  This information is invaluable for target marketing.

5. Budget: The best thing for the budget conscious business owner is that a Business Page is free.  Yes, that’s right, you can set up a basic Business Page yourself and it won’t cost you a penny.  Actually, it won’t take much of your time either.  If you want to customise your page with additional features such as landing pages, newsletter subscriptions and the like, that too can be within your budget.

If your business doesn’t have a Business Page yet, I suggest you put it on your to-do-list and mark it as a high priority.  You’ll be delighted with the connections you make and soon recognise the unlimited possibilities of promoting your business.

Biography: Nicole is the founder and owner of Bauhinia Solutions.  Bauhinia Solutions offers virtual assistance in business planning, copywriting, graphic design, web development, WordPress design and customisation, Facebook customisation, blog management and social media management.

Website: www.bauhiniasolutions.com

Name & Bio

Linda Enever

Is loving life as a work at home mum to a beautiful baby girl and has created www.familycapers.com.au a community to assist families at all stages in life in a supportive and caring environment. Family Capers offer support through an excellent Professional Support Panel, Articles, Business Directory, Jobs Board, Forums and more. We are a place for everything family!

What is your business name and your website url?

Family Capers

www.familycapers.com.au

How long have you been in business?

11 months (including planning time – 3 months since launch)

What made you decide to start your own business?

After 10 years in the corporate recruitment sector, I wanted to offer families a place where they would be welcomed no matter what age their family is and what parenting style they use. Family Capers is a caring and supportive community that focuses on having fun and quality time with your family. To help WAH parents we have created the Family Capers Department Store so they can have a customised link to an online presence without a huge outlay and get the advantage of the high traffic volumes coming to Family Capers.

What strategies do you use to keep yourself motivated?

Planning keeps me motivated; I am a business plan and to do list person. Plans can adapt and change but with a husband who is a Business Mentor, I cannot break the planning rules. The Family Capers Community also motivates and inspires me as we have a fantastic team and our members are just amazing mums, dads, uncles, aunties, grandmas and grandpas.

Do you have a current product or promotion running?

Have a Heart – Supporting Backpacks for Aussie Kids

Family Capers is pleased to announce that $2 from every VIP membership bought between now and Valentine’s Day, will be donated to:

Backpacks for Aussie Kids

http://www.backpacks4aussiekids.org

http://www.familycapers.com.au/VIP-Club/how-to-join.html

What makes your business/products unique?

We are a place for the whole family providing information, resources and support – personal and business – in a caring non judgemental environment

How do you keep the balance between family and work?

This is an area that I have to keep working on….I love the time with my family, yet I am so passionate about Family Capers and the community, I sometimes end up with too little sleep.

The weekend is family time and when ‘Miss C’ sleeps or plays, is when mummy works. However, she (Miss C) is an excellent networker and is looking for a briefcase of her own at 9 months.

Do you have any advice for new WAHMs?

Plan and research your business. It is not an overnight income generator, but if you work hard, it can work in time.

Schedule family and business time. Your children will love having you work at home if you engage them in the process too.

Dream the dream and then go out and achieve it!

Most of all – if you need help, ask!

However there will unfortunately come a time when this enthusiasm will wane, you will tire of your business or you run out of ideas to increase the size of your business. This is one of the hardest aspects of running your own business and one which is sometimes rarely spoken of, as no-one wants to admit defeat particularly when so much time and effort has been spent on building your business.

If this feeling lasts a short period of time then usually it is not too difficult a problem to overcome. Sometimes by just taking a step back from your business and giving yourself some time to breathe can clear your head and allow you to refocus. Small business owners or WAHMs often spend 99% of their time thinking about and running their business. But at some point, they are likely to burnout.

If however this burnout period lasts for a long period of time, weeks or even months, then there are some things you can do to help rekindle that zest you once had for your business. Having a break is always a good first step however if this does not help, you may need to focus on why you started working on your business in the first instance. If it was to earn an income to support your family, are you finding that the income you are bringing in does not meet your original expectations? Sitting down and analysing your income and expenditure can often highlight issues that you might be unaware of.

Are you finding that you are not moving as many products as you thought you would? Maybe it’s time to do some customer research on your business – maybe the items you like are just too niche a product to do well and you might have to add some new spark into your business by way of new products.

Facing any issues head-on is the best way to gain a greater understanding of your business and yourself. It might be worth hiring a business consultant to help you identify any underlying issues which may be contributing to your lack of enthusiasm or you may just need an assistant, even temporarily, to assist you with the business allowing you to focus on the more creative and fun aspects that may inspire you.

As Ralph Waldo Emerson stated; “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm” and it is true up to a point. You can continue working as you are: minus the enthusiasm – however, there will come a time when you need to put the zing back into your swing to allow your business to grow and prosper as it should.

Biography: Michelle’s career spans 20 years in various administrative and marketing roles. She has owned and sold a successful online store, written articles for a number of online magazines and now focuses her energies on writing – proofreading and editing, ghost and copy writing and blog management.

Visit Michelle’s Website

Bio

Turnaround times and efficiency are what makes Erin Dawson and her business Dawson Documents– Virtual Assistant leaders in the administration field.  Based in Perth, Western Australia, Dawson Documents- Virtual Assistant provide administration services worldwide.  Having a Diploma in Business and over ten years administrative support experience Erin is passionate about helping small businesses grow.  Erin enjoys using her excellent communication skills and superb attention to detail to support and encourage like-minded entrepreneurial women, particularly Work-At-Home-Mums (WAHMs), through her application of sound business administration support to achieve their business goals.

Erin believes that having the passion to do what she does best shows through in all of her work, onto her clients and their customers.  She is vibrant, fresh and young – qualities that allow her to bring new ideas to her clients and ensure she is flexible enough to meet their quality and turnaround time needs.  Her passion for business extends to her newly launched Letters from Santa business, which she manages in tandem with Dawson Documents- Virtual Assistant.

What is your business name and your website url?

Dawson Documents – Virtual Assistant.  http://www.dawsonsocuments.com.au

How long have you been in business?

Almost 2 years

What made you decide to start your own business?

I was at home after just having my son and was asked to do some work for someone. I had come from an Admin and HR background so could do the work no problem. I then looked more into it and saw there was a profession for what I was doing. It was called Virtual Assistant, and here I am.

What strategies do you use to keep yourself motivated?

My clients keep me motivated. I have different projects and work coming through all the time so it keeps it interesting. Working around my kids, at home is also a huge motivator.

Do you have a current product or promotion running?

For January, all new clients that come on board with Dawson Documents, book 1 hour, get 1 hour free.

What makes your business/products unique?

The fact that I can assist a business from my home office. It is easy for the client, I reduce their stress and costs and increase their productivity. The client is just paying for the work completed and time it takes. No leave, sick or holiday pay. It’s just so simple.

How do you keep the balance between family and work?

You just do. It all seems to fall into place and work fantastically for us. I work around the kids and other activities we have planned, and it just works. Of course, prioritising comes into it sometimes and having a supportive husband also helps.

Do you have any advice for new WAHMs?

I would say, “Follow your dream”. If you have an idea, go with it and see how it goes. You might surprise yourself! You will never know unless you try, and if it fails, then don’t give up. There is more than one way to do everything!

What does a Business Coach do?  Like a coach of a sporting team or individual the Business Coach enables the one being coached to use more of their innate talents, achieve more in less time and reach greater heights.

It is natural to wonder how a coach might help; what a coach might do; and how one might help.  All valid questions and all deserving of answers.

Some more questions;
?    Are you a new business; or
?    Does your existing business lack clear goals or direction
?    Are your staff disorganised; or do they lack motivation
?    Do you wonder where your ‘bottom line’ went

As your Business Coach my experience in various businesses from all sorts of ‘start’ positions can help you;
*  Explore your potential;
*  Gain clarity on what you really want;
*  Determine the options available;
*  Establish plans which can then be worked through; &
*  Then help you celebrate achieving your growth and your goals.

The first thing you need in business is a Business Plan.  Have you got one?  Seen it lately?  Without a clear vision of where you are going and the appropriate mechanisms, procedures and policies to ensure you can achieve your objectives, you risk losing control.

As part of your Business Plan identify:
*  Key skills – from which you will identify key strategies;
*  Weaknesses and strengths within your organisation;
*  Opportunities for you to grow your sphere of influence
Knowing these things helps you arrive at where you want to be more quickly, with the least amount of stress and hardship.

Every minute spent in planning saves ten minutes in execution. The purpose of planning is to increase your returns; the return on the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual capital you have invested in your life, your career, your business.

Wondering why various unhelpful things are happening in your life or your business?  Get a real plan and have real control of your business and your life!  Eliminate errors and negative unhelpful activities; take charge of your success.  Surround yourself with someone who will concentrate ‘with’ you on ‘your’ success.

As a mentor to small businesses across Australia, Clive has over 20 years experience in Business & mentoring and enjoys helping businesses to grow, develop and diversify. Your helping hand in Business, Clive is here to help you understand your business and its unique needs and how to gain your success through it.  www.eneverconsulting.com.au clive@eneverconsulting.com.au

Bio

My name is Lisa Kavenagh. I often wonder that myself with the times I wish I could find a clone. I am, though, a very proud mother of 4 darling boys ranging from 13years through to 19 months. A wife to an amazing man! But, very proud of my achievements of building Overall Being. Past times and hobbies, when I get free time, would be enjoying moments with family either ‘chillaxing’ (as my 13 year old says), sharing a latte or a nice cold chardy or sav blanc whilst enjoying a BBQ with friends/family. I love the beach, markets, Natural Therapy/spiritual world, movies and holiday times. So, I suppose you can say, I am fairly well rounded with likes.

What is your business name and your website url?

Overall Being ~ http://www.overallbeing.com.au

How long have you been in business?

I have developed Overall Being since back in 2003, but took a few moments off whilst having two extra darlings. In 2009 I began again as I needed something to occupy my brain.

What made you decide to start your own business?

I love having the freedom whilst being at home. Putting all my eggs into one basket so to speak, with what I love and then offering them to others.

What strategies do you use to keep yourself motivated?

I meditate quite regularly and keep a postitive outlook.

Do you have a current product or promotion running?

For the fans of my Facebook group, they receive regular ’specials’ and this varies from month to month.

What makes your business/products unique?

I feel the Overall Being name says it all. It offers a range of products in the one spot. Someone once said my products are like a ‘Circle of Love’.

How do you keep the balance between family and work?

I am very organised and have become quite good at multi-tasking. This and also my frame of mind helps me each day to overcome any obstacles that I may encounter. Think positive!

Do you have any advice for new WAHMs?

Think positive! Have a dream and always believe in yourself. Treat each client as if they are your first and last.

Aromatherapy is a healing art using the essential oils from plants and other aromatic compounds to help soothe the human mind and cure certain illnesses. You can do it at home with the help of essential oils, perfume and cosmetics. When it becomes a part of pharmacology, it is known as clinical aromatherapy (Aromacology).

Aromatherapy can be done through inhalation. By taking baths, massages and compresses, the essential oils can be absorbed by the skin. Through oral rinses and gargles, they can be absorbed through the mucous membranes. Ingestion is another method of aromatherapy.

Aromatherapy causes various therapeutic effects like the antiseptic effects, anesthetic effects, and psychological effects. Aromatherapy has its effects on the central nervous system and the metabolism. For home aromatherapy, you can blend neroli, eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary, nutmeg, and peppermints in the base oils and add a few drops of basil in that mixture. For bathing purposes, you can add oils like lavender, and rose to the water. Aromatherapy can heal depression, insomnia, acne, joint pains, stress, cough, and other types of diseases. For the skin, aromatherapy best solves acne and dry skin problems.

Aromatherapy helps to enhance the skin and makes it glow. It gives a pedicure and manicure effect, and prevents skin wrinkles. The common essential oils used for aromatherapy are sweet almond, avocado, cocoa butter, grape seed, jojoba, olive, peanut, rose hip, sesame, sunflower and more.

Creative business ideas using Aromatherapy

These are just a few ways you can create a homebased business using Aromatherapy:

• Affiliate Marketing ~ Design an information website that recommends other’s products, ebooks and courses in Aromatherapy
• Do a course if you don’t know much about Aromatherapy and then create your own products to sell
• Dropship or wholesale Aromatherapy products and sell from your own online store.

Do some research, find a unique niche or get creative a create your own unique niche. For example, you could create Aromatherapy gift baskets for:

• Healing Gift Baskets
• Pet Pamper Baskets

The possibilities are endless!

Recommended Books:

Aromatherapy ~ The Essential Guide

Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art

Becoming an Aromatherapist: How to Train and Equip Yourself for a Rewarding and Fulfilling Career (How to Books, Jobs & Careers)

Recommended Courses:

Online e-course with a professionally certified  member of the National Association of Aromatherapy with over 15 years of professional practice.

Bio

I originally trained as a Visual Artist/Photographer with the intention of pursuing a career in advertising but was unfortunate to graduate during the “recession we had to have” when there were very few of these sought after positions available, especially for young graduates without experience.

I found myself working as a portrait photographer and, within a very short time, managing a portrait studio in Melbourne. I worked in similar roles as a photographer, manager and photographic trainer in NSW and QLD before taking time off to travel and then eventually, returning to University (eight years after the completion of my degree) to complete my Diploma of Education.

I worked for eight years as a Visual Arts/Photography/Digital Imaging teacher in NSW high schools and then eventually began my photo restoration and retouching business after a move to Melbourne with my family. I am a WAHM to two gorgeous children and I also operate a second small business; “Little Critters” www.littlecritters.com.au creating customised art and keepsakes.

What is your business name and your website url?

Pixel By Pixel ~ Photo Restoration and Retouching ~ www.pixelbypixel.com.au

How long have you been in business?

I have been in business for four years.

What made you decide to start your own business?

My family made the move from Sydney to Melbourne in 2005. I had intended to return to teaching once settled, but soon discovered that my four years of University training and eight years of teaching experience in NSW high schools were not recognised in Victoria and I would be required to work for a salary equivalent to that of a first year graduate which was almost $30,000 less than what I was earning in NSW. Without family in Melbourne to assist with babysitting and a lack of desire to enter a workforce where my skills and experience were not valued, I saw this as the perfect opportunity to begin my own business, develop my passion for restoring photographs and experience life as a WAHM.

What strategies do you use to keep yourself motivated?

In the short time that I have been operating my business, my photo restoration skills have been widely recognised within the Genealogy community in Victoria. I am often invited to speak and provide workshops at expos and conferences and for special interest groups. This keeps me “on top of my game” plus gives me the opportunity to get out of the office (my spare bedroom) and share my love of photo restoration and retouching with others. It’s a great feeling to be admired by others and this motivates me to continue to learn and to keep abreast with new technology.

I also teach photo restoration at a local college and I have become a member of our local women’s business network. Sharing experiences and knowledge with other women, many of whom are also WAHMs, is inspiring.

Do you have a current product or promotion running?

I like to support other small businesses and provide very competitive rates for deep etching of product photographs for catalogue and web publications.

For new clients, I offer a free trial. Simply email up to two images to carol@pixelbypixel.com.au and I will colour/exposure correct plus deep etch your two images, free of charge.

What makes your business/products unique?

There are quite a few online businesses ow offering digital photo restoration (many located offshore) but no other in Victoria (that I am aware of) who maintain a public face and promote themselves via public speaking engagements and education programs. This has been my point of difference with the photo restoration side of my business.

With my photo retouching, I like to work closely with my clients and am very fussy with aspects such as exposure and colour correction. It is vitally important when selling a product online to provide an honest visual representation of the product. I take the time to liaise with my clients during the retouching process to ensure that colours are as true-to-life as possible and the image “does the product justice”. If I don’t get it right the first time, my clients know that I will persist until it is as good as it can be.

How do you keep the balance between family and work?

I wish that after four years I could say that I have a healthy balance between family and work, but I still struggle with this, especially during busy times of the year like the lead-up to Christmas when there are not only more work orders, but also more social events to slot into my already busy calendar. I would love more hours in the day!

I have a seven year old and a two year old, the latte of whom is often very demanding of my time. I work whenever I can, which mostly means during the evening after my children are in bed. I utilise occasional care three times a week and have a very supportive husband who is great with washing up and laundry.

I have learnt not to stress about how tidy my house is and most importantly, I have learnt to say “no”.

Do you have any advice for new WAHMs?

To succeed, you must be passionate about what you do.

Recognise your strengths and your weaknesses and don’t be afraid to ask for help when needed.

Don’t forget the reason why you have chosen to become a WAHM. If working from home means you are spending “less” quality time with your children than you did when you were working full time, then perhaps it is time to take a step back and re-evaluate your business and your family plan.

Find a business network in your area (or online) and network with like-minded business people who will inspire and motivate you.

Find your unique selling point and build your business around that “thing” that make YOU special.