Fall In Love With Your Business Again

Happy Valentine's Day! Valentine's Day is always one of our favorite holidays because we love seeing the public display of flowers, hearts, chocolate, and sweet cards. Most importantly, Valentine's Day is a time where we can show appreciation to family, grandparents, partners, and spouses. However, Valentine's Day can also be a way for people to not show love to just others, but also to other businesses! Giving time and money to other businesses is a way to support the people, and it would be much appreciated on Valentines Day. Though it is important to celebrate this day with other people, it can also be a reminder to celebrate this holiday with your business; fall in love with your business again! Too many times businesses open, excited and exhilarated, but then the honey-moon phase is over, and you’re reminded that running a business is not all that fun. Being a small-business owner is not all Hershey kisses and roses (our personal favorites). Read below to see how you can fall in love with your business again!

• Join networking groups: Joining networking groups is a great way to find motivation and business! Find a local business network near you that has a high-energy environment, and you’ll be guaranteed to pick up on the contagious energy. Most networking groups meet once a week, and this is a great opportunity to meet new business partners or get referrals. Socializing with business owners like yourself is a great way to revive the love and energy you once had for your business!

• Plan ahead for the future: Not only do you need to work for your business, you need plan ahead! It may seem banal and uninspiring, but planning ahead can give you a vision for the future, and motivation to improve the current state your business is in. Planning ahead allows you to see the bigger picture, a create a map to guide you to the place you want your business to be. Each week, set some time to fully focus on the future of your business, and the steps you can take to get there. 

• Work smarter, not harder: Taking time to drudge through the parts of the business that aren’t fun can dreary and dull. Whenever you do the paperwork, the taxes, the referrals, and and more, make sure to work productively and to not waste time. Examine the way you manage your work, employees, meetings, services and see if you are productively scheduling to make the most of your time. Research the new technology inventions or brainstorm new work tactics to make better workflow and improve your business.

• Remember why you started: When the future of your business does not look bright, remember why you opened it in the first place. What sparked the passion behind it? What motivated you to open it? Even if your dreams with your business do not look achievable, put in the effort to remember the positive moments that you’ve had. A way to do this is make a list of things you're grateful for that your business has brought you. Whether its meeting new people, gaining new clients, or going to new places, your business has always brought you something valuable. Don’t lose hope in your business. Even if the honeymoon phase is over, put in effort and patience to keep your love alive. 

Here at Newton Peach Marketing, we want to help you love your business more than ever before! With having us manage your website, google listings, and social media accounts, your love for your business will grow when you see the major improvements we can do. We strive on growing personal relationships with owners to help them reach a better love for their company. With several custom options available, we want you to fall back in love this Valentines Day with your company. Newton Peach is proud to help your business grow, and make you fall back in love with your dream.

Happy Halloween for EVERYbody: Three Ways to Make Halloween More Inclusive This Season

Halloween is just a couple of weeks away. Kids (and adults) are picking out the perfect costume and preparing for lots of fun, and PLENTY of candy. While some families will still be participating in traditional trick-or-treating in nearby neighborhoods, other families here in Polk County might not yet feel comfortable going out in droves to take part. What's more, there are children and adults in our community who have never been able to participate in a traditional way (even before the pandemic) due to limiting factors like varying physical abilities, food allergies, or difficulty going out at the traditional time on Halloween. Perhaps more than ever before, we could all use the fun and magic that comes with a holiday, and making sure everyone in our community can participate matters to us! Here are three ways you can make Halloween more inclusive this year, both for your family and for those around you:

• Offer allergy-friendly treats. Having a separate bucket of stickers or small trinkets and toys is a great way to provide an alternative option for kids who have allergies or are too young to enjoy typical candies and sweets. Often, allergy-friendly treats are differentiated with a teal bucket, but if you don't have one, just put a label out (or tell people yourself if you're present!) so parents will know how to help their child choose best.

• Make your setup accessible for everyone. If trick-or-treaters must make it up your driveway, over uneven pavers, up stairs, etc. to get to the treats on Halloween, it doesn't make it easy for ghosts or goblins who might be limited by walking difficulty or being wheelchair bound. If you set up a candy station at the end of your driveway or walkway, you make sure ALL spooky visitors can get to the goods, which they (and their families!) will appreciate.

• Consider BOOing your neighbors! If you know there are families in your neighborhood who can't trick or treat in the traditional way because of health risks or work schedules, you could bring a big smile to their face by BOOing them...in the nicest way possible of course! Pack up a basket with fun Halloween treats, a spooky craft, and/or some fun activities like bubbles or sidewalk chalk, and leave it on their doorstep with a note letting them know they had a ghostly visitor to bring a little holiday fun. Anonymous or not, you can feel good knowing you spread some happiness!

Newton Peach Marketing believes in community and caring for your neighbor. That’s why we stand for small businesses and want to see them succeed! Our marketing strategies are targeted toward local brands with a wide variety of services priced affordably, and customized packages to fit only your individual needs as a business owner. Call to schedule a consultation and find out how we can help you grow!

Celebrating Safely: 4 Tips to Show You Care This Valentine's Day

With just a little over a week left until Valentine's Day, many of us are busy making preparations for showing the ones we love just how much we care. It's no secret though that this year's holiday looks different than years past. No crowded restaurants, no big parties, no surprise cruises or last-minute vacations and no large-scale community events will be making their way onto the calendar. However, the reason for the day still rings true, and it's a good reminder that love isn't something you buy, but rather, something you show...and you can show it in SO many ways.

Here are some fun ways you can celebrate (safely) with the ones you care about most this holiday, whether it's your sweetheart, your kids, or someone else that's special in your life:

• Do a "ding-dong and dash" surprise! This could be dropping off dinner, a homemade valentine card, a special dessert, or a bouquet of roses, but the idea is to ring the doorbell, and run away quickly after leaving the surprise at the recipient's front door. This is a fun way to show your love to an aging parent or loved one stuck at home, or to surprise someone who is currently in quarantine and can't celebrate the way they usually would.

• Classic candy and cards...with a twist! While we all remember exchanging homemade valentine's and treats with our classmates, teachers, or coworkers in years past, this year the tradition might need a little tweaking. Instead of homemade goodies that could seem risky to some people, opt for store-bought candies or treats that are safely and individually wrapped. Put plenty of extra effort into your homemade card to give it the unique and special element that the treat will be missing this holiday!

• Make early reservations, or enjoy a candlelight dinner at home. Restaurant reservations will fill more quickly than usual this year since most dining spaces are operating at limited capacity. Reserve your table as soon as possible, or make plans for a romantic dinner with candles for your sweetie at home. A simple setup on your own patio makes it feel more special than eating at the kitchen table, and if you add in takeout from their favorite place and a decadent dessert, they're sure to be just as happy as they would be in a 5-star local eatery!

• Give back! Showing love to others is one of the best ways you can celebrate the holiday of love. Many community charities are in need right now, and donating to a local food pantry or shelter, or volunteering your time and energy (if you feel safe to do so) is a wonderful way to love those around you and bring yourself tons of joy in the process.

Newton Peach Marketing believes that every holiday has the potential to be just as special as the last, even if the traditions look a little different this year. Over the last 12 months, we’ve all learned a lot about resilience, creativity, and certainly about love. Time away from friends and family members have reminded us that love should be celebrated always, not just one one holiday each year. How will you show the ones in your life how much you care? We hope the tips and tricks above make the 14th just a little bit more special this year, and will bring some joy to you and to those around you. Happy Valentine’s Day!

365 Days of Christmas: Keep The Holiday Spirit Alive All Year Long

Christmas is a magical time of year, and no one can deny that there seems to be a certain bit of "cheer" in the air during this season. Whether it's the twinkling lights and upbeat carols, or anticipation of what's to come on Christmas Day, something makes us happier, more positive, and kinder at this time of year. This holiday season, Newton Peach Marketing is taking time to focus on just what makes this time of year so special, and how we can extend out the spirit of Christmas all year long. 

So, what does make the holidays so wonderful? 

First, we take time to focus on what actually matters. This time of year is when we step back from the hustle and bustle of work and monotony and look for opportunities to spend time with the ones we love. Making memories becomes the theme of the season and we carve out moments to bake the cookies that would ordinarily stay in the cabinet to avoid the mess, to stop for that warm cup of hot chocolate with our significant other and actually spend time cozied up in the coffee shop instead of running through the drive-thru, or to chat with our neighbor by the mailbox instead of rushing back into the house. By being willing to make time for people and memories, and not just rushing through our day-to-day, the spirit of Christmas tends to feel warmer and we feel more connected to each other. That's something we can certainly take to heart and spread out throughout the year. 

Christmas is when we focus on contentment as well. Yes, it's easy for us (especially our kids and young people) to focus on that Christmas list, whether it's going to "Santa" or to mom and dad, but overall this is the season when we focus on what we have instead of what we want. We recognize that others are less fortunate, we make charity and giving a goal, and we express thankfulness for our many blessings. Why though, do we quickly forget this when the Christmas trimmings are put away and life returns to “normal.” Practicing a spirit of contentment and gratefulness all year long is a wonderful way to extend the cheer of the holidays and to help charitable organizations function at their best all year, instead of hitting a high during the month of December and struggling during months afterward. 

Finally, Christmas is when we tend to go the extra mile. Graciously smiling at the person who cut in line at the grocery store instead of scowling and throwing out a negative comment, lending a hand to the young mom struggling with a stroller and her bags while opening a door, or "paying it forward" by picking up the tab of the person behind us in line are all ways we show "Christmas spirit" during the holidays, but sadly, by using the excuse of a holiday as our motivation, we lose out on the joy that would come from putting out this type of kindness 365 days a year. 

Wouldn't the world be a better place if we all sought to make Christmas last all year long? Let's remember what makes this season special long after the cookies are eaten and the presents have been forgotten, and do our best to make our homes and our communities reflect the spirit of the holidays every day. Our goal this year as we work with the business owners of Polk County is to offer kindness and joy in every presentation, every meeting, and each interaction with clients and customers. We can't wait to see how this impacts the city of Winter Haven and beyond. Join Newton Peach Marketing in the challenge to make this the best year yet!