The holiday season is in full swing. That means the next few weeks will be full of delicious food, festive cheer, and an abundance of family time. While catching up with long-lost family members involves a lot of small talk, one thing that should always be brought up in your conversations is your business.

Act on the four tips below and watch as your family helps you grow your business into 2023 (and beyond).

Tip #1: Remind your family members of what you do

Sure, you haven’t actually spoken to your second cousin Amy since last Thanksgiving, but you keep up with her on social media. While seeing how she’s spending her weekends is important, do you know what she’s doing during the work week? There’s a good chance that you don’t know what she does for a living, and guess what? She probably doesn’t know what you do either.

This is a huge missed opportunity. Knowing what your family members do for a living (and vice-versa) is incredibly important to the success of everyone involved.

When your cousin knows that you work in real estate, she will be that much more likely to keep an ear out for anyone looking to buy or sell—just as you would be likely to refer anyone to her who has a need for her business.

Plus, this puts you in a position where you can go to one another when you need that same service. Speaking of which…

Tip #2: Seek out and lend a helping hand

Whether you’re a real estate agent, a financial advisor, an insurance agent, or other solopreneur, working for yourself is a lot of hard work. In fact, it can be so overwhelming at times that it can make you question your occupation.

When you’re feeling discouraged or stressed, having the ability to turn to your family members can be extremely beneficial. If your second cousin Amy has secret graphic design skills, reach out to her to see if she would lend you her skills. If your aunt is a freelance copywriter, talk with her about writing your blog. Not only will this help take the pressure off of you, but you can also get the “family and friends discount” on typically expensive services.

The same tactic works in reverse. If your business expertise can help a family member or one of their friends, don’t hesitate to offer your help.

Tip #3: Make it easy for people to refer you

Ah, referrals. We all want them, but oftentimes they’re hard to come by. When your family knows that you rely heavily on repeat and referral business, you have a better chance to capture new business.

Don’t hesitate to provide your family members with your marketing materials (business cards, postcards, or a promotional copy of your personally branded magazine), so when they come across someone who is in need of a real estate agent, they’ll know who to refer.

Another great thing you can do is write a social media post. Create a post on your Facebook business page talking about the unique value that you provide. Then, send private messages to your family asking them to share that post on their own Facebook pages. When you do this, you make it that much easier for them to help you get the word out.

Tip #4: Use the principle of reciprocity

The principle of reciprocity is simple: when you do something nice for someone, they’re more inclined to do something nice in return. This means that if you were to promote cousin Amy’s graphic design business, she will do the same for you. There’s no shame in letting your family members know that you’re more than willing to promote their services for the same in return. In fact, it sends the message that you’re in this together—invested in helping each other reach your respective goals.

This holiday season, make the most out of spending time with your family by discussing your career—it’s a win-win for all of your family members. And leave a lasting impression: make a delicious holiday recipe from American Lifestyle, Start Healthy, Good to Be Home, or Business in Action and bring it with you to your next holiday gathering.