Mar 30-Apr 5
INVENTORY If you haven’t already, unpack the copies (or download the photos) of orders placed at Global Pet Expo and start prepping for their delivery. “April and May are all about receiving the products we ordered,” says Amy Schiek of Lucky Dogs in Skaneateles, NY. “This involves some remerchandising on the sales floor and marking down slow movers.”
Apr 6-12
COMMUNITY First quarter is a wrap! As part of her purge-and-clean efforts this time of year, Roxane Cann of The Dapper Hound in Mount Airy, NC, pulls products not moving for donation. “We have a local non-profit called Pawsome Solutions. It’s an organization formed to give spay/neuter vouchers to county residents,” she says. “Our ‘dead’ stock goes into its thrift shop. We, of course, are able to write those items off on our taxes.” Find such an org in your area or spread the donations across multiple groups.
Apr 13-19
FINANCES While taxes are front of mind, sign up for the e-News for Small Businesses bulletin from the IRS. It includes tax information designed for small-business owners, such as important upcoming tax dates; updates to tax information, tools, and resources; tax compliance reminders and tips, and news releases and special announcements. Go to irs.gov.
MAINTENANCE Are you responsible for property upkeep? If your business is in an area that gets icy winter weather, inspect sidewalks and driveways to identify any new cracks or other damage that may cause customers to trip. Repair as needed.
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Apr 20-26
EVENTS Festival and market season will be here before you know it. Adina Silberstein of Queenie’s Pets in Philadelphia, PA, completes these tasks this time of year: “We inventory all of our event fixtures, create planograms for the different sizes of allocated space, and look at photos of events from the year prior to remind ourselves of what worked and what didn’t.” Amber Sutfin of Pet Wants South Hills in Pittsburgh, PA, adds, “I make sure I have the staff to cover” the events. Don’t pop up yet around town? Get inspired by the setup, above of Julz Animal Houz in Marysville, WA. How could pet parents not be attracted to such a brightly colored tent?
Apr 27-May 3
SELF-CARE Is summer your busy season? Then plan downtime early in this quarter like Elaina Stanley of Three Happy Hounds in Fernley, NV. She says, “I take a week off from the store to disconnect and recharge. I usually stay home and use the time in my yard planting my flower pots and garden beds. It’s a must for me because after work during the summer, it’s my favorite place to relax and have some time to reflect on life, love and the pursuit of happiness.”
May 4-10
PROMOTIONS ‘Tis the season. Julie Johannes of Happy Hounds Pet Supply in Bigfork, MT, says, “We usually showcase our grooming line at this time, including flea and tick natural products. It is a great time to educate those who are new to seasonal shedding as well as to caution customers about the pesky bugs. It is also good to inform customers about seasonal allergies and recommend some good immune boosting supplements.”
May 11-17
TEAM-BUILDING Set up a “Jar of Awesome” in the back room to help you and your team remember small wins. The process is simple enough: Encourage everyone to write a quick note as soon as something positive happens in your store, then drop the slip of paper into a jar. Once a week or month, read through them with your team to give everyone a motivational boost.
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May 18-24
MANAGEMENT Annual strategic reviews are likely part of your standard operating procedures, but it can be helpful to have shorter cycles of review. Every Friday do a short review of a particular KPI.
May 25-31
INTERNET If you’ve been using your current router for three or more years, you may want to upgrade, especially if you notice your internet speeds becoming a choke point. Some ISPs will offer upgrades as part of your plan but typically not the latest models. For best in terms of speed, reach and security, buy your own equipment. Ensure it supports the latest standards (such as DOCSIS 4.0 for cable Internet and Wi-Fi-6E).
