Dec. 5-11
SPECIAL ORDERS Make sure all team members are aware of cut-off dates for special orders. Stick to them even if it means turning down a sale — better that than to miss providing an expected present.
FINANCES Spend one afternoon organizing your office. Ensure all invoices for the year are filed or scanned. If you can get invoices caught up, closed out and received into your POS system, your bookkeeper and accountant will be ready to roll Jan. 1. Cleaning up also will give you a sense of control in a hectic time.
Dec. 12-18
INVENTORY Watch your reports like a hawk. Start taking small markdowns on slowerselling seasonal items. And stay on top of your vendors. Timely delivery is critical right now.
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MOTIVATION Starting to lag for lack of energy? Look up old Nike ads on YouTube. You’ll soon be setting the alarm for 5:30 a.m. and making your way to the store long before most of your customers have stirred. Search for: “Nike Wake Up Call.”
Dec. 19-25
HOLIDAY SPIRIT Exemplify the spirit of the holiday season by making shots of coffee available for the UPS, FEDEX and other couriers who are going all out in support of your business.
PERSONAL CARE The excitement of the holidays can make it difficult to fall asleep despite how tired you are. Dr. W. Christopher Winter of the Martha Jefferson Hospital Sleep Medicine Center suggests you spray lavender oil on your pillow. You will go out faster, sleep deeper and wake up fresher, he told Men’s Health.
Dec. 26-Jan. 1
MANAGEMENT New Year’s Eve: A question to ask yourself as you prepare to close your doors on 2021: Was the less-than-successful approach I took to a long-running issue/challenge/problem this year the same one that I used in 2020? If so, time for a new approach.
Jan. 2-8
STRATEGY It’s strategy-setting time. Start by working out what your 2021 hourly rate was — how much your business paid you for your labors. You’ll likely find that you’re charging far less for your time than you should be. This exercise also will suggest a road map to follow for the coming year by identifying low-profit products and services and those that pay the best. Exit out of the former and focus on the latter.
SALES Clearance begins. Everything that didn’t pull its weight in 2021 should go.
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Jan. 9-15
STAFF Holiday pressure likely exposed the odd flaw in staff skills and behaviors. Have those difficult conversations now so you can have positive relationships going forward.
MANAGEMENT One small adjustment can make a huge difference. With staff, identify and incorporate a simple change in every department to improve your services, be it a customer service enhancement, advertising change or just marshaling in a new technology.
Jan. 16-22
TRAINING If your employees aren’t already certified in first aid training and canine and feline health, bring in an instructor or sign them up for online classes. It’s reassuring for clients to know your groomers, pet sitters, walkers or other staff can do a basic evaluation in case of an emergency. And it’s a point of differentiation for your business.
MARKETING Take some high-quality pictures of your business, inside and out. These will be useful for publicity purposes, when meeting vendors at your next trade show, or even to enter your store in PETS+ “America’s Coolest.” Stay tuned for info about our 2022 contest.
Jan. 23-29
ONLINE Include a photo of your storefront on your website, along with text-based directions. It makes it easier for shoppers to find your store and gives people confidence about crossing the threshold.