It seems no matter how tough the economy gets, hard-core shoppers agree on one thing:

Participating in Black Friday is a must.

And so the mobs of consumers get up early the day after Thanksgiving and rush to get their retail therapy.

You’d be crazy, as a small business person, not to give in to the madness!

With their wallets ready, this is the one day that guarantees shoppers actively searching for great deals, money in hand.

Just one piece of advice: be safe.

Customers get a little crazy, and the frantic “I gotta have it!” mentality has gotten people hurt year after year.

If you’ve got a frenzied group outside your door, hire extra security to maintain the masses.

You wouldn’t want something as small as a petty fight to get in the way of big, big sales.

It’s an interesting phrase, if you ponder it long enough.

Today is about “giving thanks.” And that’s what we do.

But what does that mean? It’s more than just “being” thankful. It’s giving something.

The gift of thanks. And if you think about it, being thanked is a gift.

It feels good to have someone give you a “thank you,” as small a sentiment as it is.

This holiday, don’t forget to give thanks to you customers.

Send a little card or an email just to thank them for their business throughout the year. Give them the gift of being recognized and remembered.

A little “thanks” goes a long way…

Small businesses may not have a lot of the things big businesses have.

But their one superior strength is something that will draw and keep customers.

It’s your best asset: Customer service.

You reach customers on a personal level, something big businesses can’t claim.

If there is one area to continually work to perfect, this is it. Let your customer service slide, and you really have no leg to stand on.

A recent article in Business Week states that “independents need to leverage their biggest advantage over the chains.”

This is very true. In this dwindling market, you’ve got to do everything you can, starting with “maximiz[ing] the one-on-one personal relationships that [you] have with customers,” said Daniel Butler, vice-president for retail operations at the National Retail Federation.

Use your people skills to bring customers in. Stick to your promises to keep them coming back.

You work for yourself. It’s the best job you’ve ever had.

Your home office is a tranquil place filled with all the things you love.

But let’s not forget the most important parts of those statements…WORK…JOB…and OFFICE!

It’s still very real!

In order to maintain a successful home business, you’ve got to make a separation.

There’s your home. And then there’s your business. Let the two mesh too closely and you’ll find yourself disorganized, distracted and unable to complete the daily tasks required of you.

Here are some tips on how to conduct business at home:

Get a door and use it. Closing the door, and thus closing yourself off from background noise will help concentration.

Make a schedule and stick to it. Don’t get in the habit of taking 3 hour lunches or starting your day late. Operate as if you are at an outside office and be ON TIME!

Get dressed. Seriously! Remaining in your pajamas all day is a nice change to your usual routine, but don’t do it everyday. Get up, get showered and get dressed. Rejuvinating yourself with this daily ritual will keep your mind fresh.

One of my most-loved Chinese restaurants is not only my favorite for their soft potstickers, moist chicken chow mein and tender BBQ-ed pork, but for one small detail that makes me choose it against all other restaurants.

Chopsticks.

Theirs are the good kind - smooth bamboo sharpened like a pencil point, perfectly cylindrical.

Easy to hold, nice to look at, sturdy and a step up in quality from the cheap square ones that break unevenly when you try to split them!

A tiny detail like this makes all the difference.

And because of it, I spend more money at this restaurant than any other.

All because they choose to pay the extra $5.00 per box (I don’t actually know how much they cost, but you get the point!) to provide their customers with a little extra class!

What steps can you take to make your small business rise to the top?

Believe it or not, it could be something as small as chopsticks!

Is there any such thing?

Is your small business really so small?

After all, it’s your livelihood. It’s your dream, your hard work, effort and sweat. Your creation.

Your small business isn’t so small after all, is it?

For all that depends on your business, suddenly the term “small business” seems anything but accurate.

Because so much is riding on your small business, it deserves the very best.

Equip yourself with the smartest and most up-to-date tools to ensure all the dots are connected.

Scrimping in the wrong areas could seriously cost you. When it comes to software, communication needs, finances and web tools, you need to think BIG!

Today is Election Day and as an employer, you can be a positive role model to all your employees.

One way to do this is by arranging a window of time during the work day to take a field trip over to your local poling center.

Take your employees along.

Close your doors, and go do your civic duty.

Encouraging your employees to vote will show them (as well as your customers) that you are socially responsible.

Many people skip putting in their vote due to their demanding work schedules.

Don’t let this be an excuse!

Make a difference today and make it count.