As a small business owner, this time of the year can be a crazy one. Sales, and the holiday rush, start right after Halloween and sometimes reach into the New Year as well. Seasonal shopping is great for your business, but it doesn’t help much if you aren’t prepared for it.

That’s where taking out a small business loan for the seasonal rush during the holidays comes in. In this list, we will discover the top reasons that you should take out a small business loan this holiday to get you through the season.

1. Hiring Seasonal Help

Using a small business loan to hire seasonal help not only makes good financial sense, but good common sense as well. Think about it this way, if a customer comes into your business to shop for Christmas, they are going to expect to be able to get in and out with very little hassle.

If you don’t have enough help to get them out the door quickly, they may drop what they are about to buy and head to another store where the service is faster. During the holiday rush, you need everything from extra sales associates to gift wrappers and even more customer service representatives to take care of it all.

2. To Pay for Any Overtime You Might Need

Most small businesses are open for longer hours during the holiday season, meaning that you have to have employees to cover those hours. Many times, those hours will run your employees into overtime, and you have to have a way to pay for it. It’s important to note at this point, that overtime hours pay out more than regular hours. A small business loan can help you afford that overtime, when otherwise you might have to close at your normal closing time.

3. To Purchase Extra Inventory

If your small business is a retail business, then you are probably going to need extra inventory to get you through the holiday season. The last thing you want is to run out of the most popular toy of the season or eggnog or anything holiday related for that matter.

Purchasing inventory can be one of the biggest expenses there is for a small business owner and it is possible that you won’t have the working capital to accomplish your goal. That is where a small business loan comes in. You get the inventory you need and can pay it back during the next year.

4. To Pay for Increased Marketing

The holidays are the perfect time to let your customers know how much their business and continued loyalty means to you. It’s a great time to send out Christmas cards or even little gifts to your clients. This not only lets them know that you appreciate their business, it also gives your marketing a boost.

A happy customer will show their friends the card you sent or the little gift, and soon you will have more customers off of that one customer bragging about you. If you can’t work the extra marketing into your businesses budget, then a small business loan could help you make that Christmas wish a reality.

5. To Give Holiday Bonuses

Giving out holiday bonuses is a tested, tried and true, time honoured tradition with many companies and you don’t want to be any different. Show your employees you care about and appreciate them with a holiday bonus. If you can’t afford to give out bonuses, a small business loan could help, and make your employees Christmas as well.