With Halloween decorations and costumes already available in stores – actually they were at the beginning of September in some places – it’s time to think about how the holidays will effect your the businesses you virtually assist for. Not just in terms of making sure you have a stock of what your clients need during the year but what supplies they may need as the holidays approach.

• If you are a VA for a store owner, think about ways to make this holiday season even more successful than last by looking over any inventory sheets or notations about last season. What went well and what didn’t? What was a big seller and what wasn’t?  Then when you’re client asks for your input on how to make this season even better, you’ll have it figured out well ahead of time.
• If you know your client likes to send out cards 2 weeks before a holiday, make sure you have cards, envelopes and labels now. Also make sure you have ink and postage stashed away for this sometimes nerve wracking task as lists get bigger.
• Update any existing mailing list to include any new clients – check the calendar year’s invoices for names to add to the list.

There may be additional ways you can help your boss through the season, tasks will vary depending on the industry you’re in and religious customs of clients so get in gear now to make this holiday season run as smoothly as possible for you clients.