Oct. 29-Nov. 4
STRATEGY Before it gets crazy busy, run over end-of-season plans with an eye not just to maximizing sales but also to ensuring your margins and cash flow are protected.
MARKETING Do you give customers a goodie bag with a purchase? Branded pens, spray bottles, microfiber cloths (custom printed, of course!) and lens cleaner aren’t original, but they are much appreciated. And everyone is in the mood to give — and receive — this time of year.
Nov. 5-11
ONLINE Mobile devices are expected to drive about 70% of all Christmas-related retail traffic this year. Test your website and any apps to ensure the customer experience on tablets and phones is working as well as on desktops. It often doesn’t.
STAFF The fourth quarter is exhausting and it’s common for retail and service workers to burn out. To help her team, Dr. Mary Murphy of Primary Eyecare and Eyewear in St. Louis, MO, ensures the holiday spirit is alive at her practice. “Starting the week after Thanksgiving, we have lunch treated once a week, choose our Secret Santas, and the countdown begins for our Christmas dinner and gift exchange, where we spoil each other rotten.” Could you do something similar? (Learn even more about Dr. Murphy and her practice on page 45.)
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Nov. 12-18
MANAGEMENT Don’t you wish you could remember every little lesson you learned during last year’s holiday season? This year, keep a log. Over the coming weeks, jot down thoughts, track numbers, screenshot reports to record what worked well and what didn’t for events, promos, products, window displays and social media posts, as well as operational aspects such as team attitudes and shift adjustments.
PERSONAL Splurge on a new work outfit. Looking fabulous and feeling sharp sets a mood for the holidays that both customers and staff will feed off.
Nov. 19-25
GOODWILL Black Friday marks the start of the holiday shopping season. Play Santa and sneak a little gift into every bag.
Nov. 26-Dec. 2
MANAGEMENT Institute a closing ritual that will keep you sane over the next few weeks. Try to end each workday the same way. Straighten up your desk. Back up your computer. Make a list of what you need to do tomorrow.
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