Celebrate Cat Lovers Month, Dress Up Your Pet Day and More Holidays in December and January

DECEMBER

1 To mark CAT LOVERS MONTH, ask customers how they say “I love you” to their kitties. According to Jackson Galaxy, many felines get the message when delivered by a slow blink, but we think they’d also feel the love with a new catnip toy or a visit from their favorite sitter. Offer a special on such products and services to those who answer your question on social media, with a prize for the cutest photo or video.

9 Feel like you’ve misplaced your love for the holiday season? On OFFICIAL LOST AND FOUND DAY, start the morning with a random act of kindness. “The results, and the smiles, will amaze you,” says sales trainer Jeffrey Gitomer, explaining that buoyed by the good vibes, you’re bound to focus on why things can happen, not why they may not. And all that newfound positivity will likely rub off on your harried staff as well.

11 FOURTEEN DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS. Time to up the sales promotions. Just for Paws in St. Charles, IL, holds a “Stocking Stuffer Extravaganza” each year, a day on which each customer gets a free stocking and 25% off anything they can squeeze into it. This also helps to clear out stock before year-end inventory.

19 On GET TO KNOW YOUR CUSTOMER DAY, give your sales associates an allowance to take customers out for premium coffees. Their goal should be to become a little better acquainted with them, learn about their relationship with their pets, what new services they may be looking for, what things they prefer to order online (and how you might compete with that convenience) — but not to sell them anything in the moment.

22 On KEEP PETS SAFE IN WINTER DAY, create graphics with cold-weather tips for your social media, email marketing and website. Pair with winter gear, paw balms and ice melt. Follow the lead of Rebecca Martino of Stately Pet Supply in Clarks Summit, PA, who orders ice melt through a local landscaping company to get the best possible wholesale price.

31 Farewell 2022. NEW YEAR’S EVE means resolutions and Scottish traditions. So while you’re singing Auld Lang Syne and waiting for a dark-haired stranger to arrive with a lump of coal for the fireplace, whiskey for additional warmth or other signs of good fortune, think of the new behaviors to put into place in 2023: No more holding onto slow-moving merchandise, buying without the support of data, or skipping the PETS+ Brain Squad surveys.

JANUARY

1 “When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?” “What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say, Piglet?” “I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet. After all we’ve been through the last three years, make this a great day and 2023 a great year.

14 On DRESS UP YOUR PET DAY, invite customers to try on the newest pet fashions and walk a runway in your store. A simple runner rug will do, and be sure to take plenty of pics for social media. For those with multiple pets, you could even create “Who Wore It Best?” posts! Not feeling quite that ambitious? Or have a service-based business? Ask customers to share photos of their dressed-up pets on your accounts.

19 It’s NATIONAL POPCORN DAY. Pick up a countertop popcorn machine so you can treat people and pets alike. Serve up freshly popped, buttery goodness to your human customers, and have on hand the Himalayan-style “popcorn” for the pups.

24 NATIONAL COMPLIMENT DAY — Shouldn’t this be every day? Alex Ferguson, the gruff former coach of probably the world’s most famous soccer club, Manchester United, said that all his players wanted to hear were two words, “Well done.” We’d add that if you want to see the behavior repeated, it helps to specify exactly what it was about your employee’s action that prompted your praise.

PETS+ Staff

Since launching in 2017, PETS+ has won more than 20 major international journalism awards for its publication and website. Contact PETS+ editors at editor@petsplusmag.com.