(Note: I know it's already December 6th.  For some of you it might seem like too little too late.  But the advice is good and I didn't want to wait 11 months before sharing it.) 

Today's sermon from Pastor Dr. James Hegedus at the First Presbyterian Church of Jackson was about "Doing December Differently."  Would it surprise you to learn that pastors take the same approach to December as retailers?

As Pastor Jim put it, "I turned the page on the calendar and sucked all the oxygen out of the room."

Yes, big, deep sighs as we brace ourselves for the onslaught of the busy season.

Pastor Jim went on to talk about how he is preparing his way for the Lord differently this year.  As retailers we need to think about how we prepare, too.  Here are three things I encourage you to do differently this December.

Bobbi Ogle has her hands full. She's getting used to a new location, figuring out a new clientele, building her Facebook presence and looking for new sources. Welcome to retail, right?

Ogle owns Interior Motives, an interior design business in Nevada, Mo., a city  of about 13,000 located between Kansas City, Kansas, and Joplin, Mo.  In February, she moved her studio and store from a historic area to a building she bought on the square downtown.

The increased visibility has meant a new clientele, one that seeks gifts. In response, Ogle has added more cash-and-carry items. While shoppers might find a design showroom intimidating, they aren't shy about browsing in a retail store, she said.

For New Yorker's, Fashion Week is a holiday. Whether you work in fashion or not, you can't help but be swept up in bustle of models, shows, beautiful apparel and celebrities.
When most think of fashion labels, we think of large, international corporations, but actually most fashion designers and labels in New York are independent retailers trying to make their business' profitable like any other independent retailer.

Over the past week, I've been working with a local retail client on a Retail ReDesign. We've completely redefined their brand image, and are expressing it through our choices for environment, display, and logo design. It's all about using what they have to maximize their visual impact and their bottom line: for the most part, we haven't spent anything more than a few bucks on a can of paint!

I'd love to bring attention to Cinda Baxter's 3/50 Project which encourages consumers to look to spending $50 a month at 3 different local stores.  As business owners, we know how important it is that consumers support our local shops which helps keep money in the community- whether it is through wages, taxes, or even charity support.  This is the very lifeline which keeps you in businesses as a store owner.

Twenty plus years ago I was an exchange student to Belgium.  I met my (host) cousin Francois in my first host family.  She was a travel agent in Brussels and little did she or I know that in our future we would both own specialty boutiques.  Well, she was just here for a week of inspiration, reflection and U.S. shopping.  Obviously we spend many hours talking about business - comparing notes, ideas and strategies - when we're together.