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Worldwide Holidays or Events for December 2011

1st December

Independence Day: Portugal, Ukraine.

National Day: Central African Republic.

National Day: Romania.

2nd December

National Day: United Arab Emirates.

Republic Day: Laos.

5th December

Discovery Day: Haiti.

King's Birthday: Thailand.

St. Nicholas Day: Netherlands.

6th December

Independence Day: Finland.

St. Nicholas Day: Germany.

7th December

National Day: Ivory Coast.

Pearl Harbor Day: United States of America.

8th December

Immaculate Conception: Argentina, Austria, Chile, Colombia, Italy, Malta, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Seychelles, Spain, Switzerland, Venezuela.

9th December

Independence Day: Tanzania.

10th December

Constitution Day: Thailand.

Foundation Day: Angola.

Human Rights Day: Guinea.

Settlers' Day: Namibia.

11th December

National Day: Burkina Faso.

12th December

Independence Day: Kenya.

13th December

Republic Day: Malta.

16th December

Constitution Day: Nepal.

Day of the Vow: South Africa.

National Day: Bahrain.

Victory Day: Bangladesh.

17th December

National Day: Bhutan.

18th December

Republic Day: Niger.

21st December

Independence Day: Kazakhstan.

Hanukkah (Festival of Lights): Jewish Holiday Begins at Sunset

23rd December

Emperor's Birthday: Japan.

Victory Day: Egypt.

24th December

Christmas Eve.

25th December

Christmas Day: Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Bonaire, Botswana, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Myanmar, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Senegal, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Taiwan, Tanzania, Trinidad & Tobago, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Merry Christmas

26th December

Boxing Day: Australia, Bonaire, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom.

Goodwill Day: South Africa.

Independence Day: Slovenia.

St. Stephen's Day: Spain.

29th December

Hanukkah (Festival of Lights): Jewish Holiday Ends at Sunset

30th December

Proclamation Day: Australia, South Africa.

Republic Day: Madagascar.

Rizal Day: Philippines.

31st December

New Year's Eve - Time to turn over a new leaf.

We try to keep the dates as accurate as possible. Please let us know if there is an omission or incorrect date. Click Here

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Top 7 Ways Your Customers Can Boost Your Profits for You By Kate Marsden 1. Ask your customers what else they want - Many businesses know what their customers think of their services (although many don't even get that bit right!), but few actually ask them what other products or services they would like to see. Ask your existing customers what they would be interested in buying - it'll save you wasting time on the wrong things, and give you an order list for your new products! 2. Get Referrals - When was the last time you asked your customers if there was anyone else they know who might be interested in your services. If you are doing a good job, people are happy to recommend you. If not, you need to know that anyway or you'll have another bigger problem looming. Don't be afraid to ask - you might be surprised how many contacts you pick up. 3. Always Upsell When was the last time you tried to sell something more to your customer base? Ask your customers what else they would like to buy from you. You don't have to ask them all the time - but if you never do, they may simply not know what else you offer. 4. Go the extra mile - Think hard about your biggest clients or customers. Can you think of something that they would say you over-delivered because of something extra you did? If not, get busy quickly. Customers need to be reminded constantly that you value them and are doing more than just giving them what they pay for. Go the extra mile - whenever or however you can..     Adland Digest Sponsor Message Be a sponsor. Place your ad here. (Spot II)     5. Keep at the top of your customer's minds - How often do you communicate with your customers and prospects? A lot of sales is about being in the right place at the time, so you need to pop up frequently to hit that chance. It's better to over communicate than under communicate, as long as it's with some decent content. Make it relevant and good communication. Offer the latest thinking in your industry, or hints and tips about what you do, or simple ideas. Don't focus on selling, just reminding them you are there and you know your stuff. 6. Keep your central price low and make more on add on services - You can often sell more if your headline is lower, even if people pay extra for all the other bits. Apparently if you put something on e- bay for 1p and £9.99 postage you'll sell far more than if you price the item at £10 with free postage. No logic to it, but that's how people behave. Even in big business procurement teams focus on reducing core rates, not on all the other bits around the edge. 7. Enter the world of partnerships and joint ventures - Look at your customer base and think about who has a complementary business to you. How could you work together to the benefit of both parties? Do you both spend money on the same things? Do you each offer something that the other's customers might be interested in? Don't forget many of your customers will have their own business needs - can you put people together or partner with someone for a mutual gain? About the Author: Kate Marsden is founder of Ignition Key Ltd and has 20 years business experience working at Director level for a number for well-known organisations. Kate provides businesses with advisory, support, coaching and mentoring services to enable them to step change their performance and results. For more information visit http://www.ignitionkey.co.uk/ Want help improving your business results? Click here for a free report "52 Ways to Boost Your Profits" - http://www.ignitionkey.co.uk/signup.aspx Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6728806   Adland Digest Sponsor Message GVO is looking for Resellers World Wide! Make residual income for life! Regardless of your Technical or Business Skills GVO Provides Two of the Most Attractive Home Based Business Opportunities Online! Click here to visit Be a sponsor. Place your ad here. (Spot III)   7 Ways to Build More Profit Into Your Small Business By Joan Nowak As you prepare your business for success in the coming year, will you focus your time and resources on sales growth? While it's important, it's often not enough. For sustainable growth and profit with a lot more control, spread your efforts around - creating small improvements in ALL areas of your business. It's the formula for a business that is simple, fun and profitable! So where do you start? Here's the formula I recommend. Planning. You don't need a 50 page business plan. But you do need some clear, measurable goals with specific 'actions' you need to take to achieve them. Written goals and a simple action plan provide you with focus and clarity. So take the time to write down what you WANT (results or outcomes) and what you need to DO (actions) to make it happen. Products/Services. When was the last time you actually thought about the products or services you offer? It's more than just 'what price should I charge'. Which ones are most profitable, which produce the most sales? Do your products and services still meet the needs of your target customers or do they need a facelift? Technology, competition and your customer needs change over time - make sure your products and services keep up! Promotion. Sales don't just happen. So what are you doing to attract new customers and keep existing ones coming back and referring others? Most owners associate promotion with marketing for new customers - and invest few (if any) resources on current customers. Big mistake. Make sure your plans also include tactics to turn your current customers into raving fans - who spend more, buy more often and refer other quality people to your business. Processes. Streamlining and standardizing procedures make daily operations easier, efficient and more effective, whether you are there or not. They are also a key to increased profitability. As you plan for the coming year, make systematizing your business more of a priority. Start with just a few. Focus on those that save you time, increase sales, or fix problems that consistently erode profit. People. No business operates successfully in a vacuum - we all need help from others. While we often associate people with employees, building a strong network of contractors, vendors and alliance partners for your business is equally important. Your needs will vary based on your business - but most small businesses have an opportunity to improve in this area. Have a method for hiring or developing new relationships with people who are committed to your customers and the success of your business. Personal Development. As you grow and improve, so will your business. We are all familiar with the phrase, knowledge is power, but it also translates to earnings or income. And it doesn't require a lot of time or money - just a commitment to learning and building skills and knowledge. Here's a few things to consider: Invest 15 minutes a day reading and you will read about 12 books a year. Turn drive time into learning with audio books. Attend interactive workshops or webinars to improve knowledge gaps or simply get new ideas. Meet with and build relationships with other successful business owners so you can share information and learn. Work with a mentor or business coach who can help you find hidden opportunities, provide shortcuts to results and accountability to get more done. Profit. You don't need to be an accountant or financial guru, but you do need to track and understand the numbers that drive your business - beyond just sales. Here's a few others to consider: average sale per customer or transaction, number of leads, revenue per employee, average accounts receivable, gross profit margins, customer retention rates and net profit. Monitor them and focus on activities that help to improve them - especially gross profit margins and net profit. If you keep them at the center of what you do, your small business will continue to serve your needs and the needs of your people and customers. Remember, little improvements in ALL these areas will put more profit on the bottom line and in your wallet. So take the hybrid approach: bring together all the key elements that drive success - and you too will have a business that is simple, fun and profitable..   About the Author: Joan Nowak is a Small Business Profit Builder, seasoned Business Coach, and creator of the Hybrid Coaching System for small businesses. For additional resources and ideas to grow your small business, visit http://www.HybridBizAdvisors.com  While you are there, join her mailing list to get her monthly eNewsletter and receive a free copy of her eBook, Mastering the 7 Elements of Business Success. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6739806
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