Live in the masses and sell to the classes

Dear Small Business Fairy,

Why do I hate December sales pressure?  It is such a short month.

I get up and enjoy my work-- there is enough creative stuff going on with writing and working with great artists to make me happy.

But holiday sales seem to bring out the best of times and the worst of times. 

I get no orders while big stores are shipping everything free.

And then I get a lot of orders ten days before Christmas and even one or two people who want me to overnight Good Nature's art. 

The other part of December that is odd-- it is a short month.  Most of my sales online are over by December 18th. 

Is this normal to think this way?

signed,

Holly Daize

Dear Small Business Dudess,

Perfectly normal to feel that way.  Amazon, Wal Mart and the Dollar Store have you in their sites and they are going to take you down.

But that isn't a bad thing. Why? A lesson can be learned while you are waiting for the television crews to come and find your home made free range spicy ketchup product. 

A friend of mine put it this way:  You can sell to the classes and live in the masses, or sell to the masses and live in the classes.

Good luck.  I think most small businesses have the same gut check you do.  You have great company!