Oct 30-Nov 4
OPERATIONS Fine-tune exam schedules. HSA and FSA spending brings in revenue this time of year; you want doctors in for extra hours or squeezing in more patients.
MARKETING Did we mention promoting flex benefits? Call a meeting and get systematic about getting your message out. Reinforce it in calls, social media and correspondence.
OPERATIONS This month the clocks go back; it’s a reminder to back up critical data. Losing it can wipe out a small business. This week you still have time to back up your systems.
Nov 6-11
INVENTORY Investigate vendor spiffs. Suppliers want their lines to succeed; take advantage of their incentives.
TRAINING The holiday sales season is coming; monitor individual performance this month. Teach at every opportunity.
MARKETING Clean up your direct-mail marketing lists. Cut the “least valuable” 10 percent and e-mail them instead.
Nov 13-18
STOCK Make up a list of last-minute stocking stuffers and impulse buys — sunglass cords, repair kits, cleaning cloths and cute readers are all great options.
SALES Create employee awards for the holidays – Top Seller, Most Items Sold, Biggest Single Sale – to reward as many salespeople as possible. Ask vendors to provide prizes.
MARKETING Offer free eyewear to people who work with the public if they agree to be styled by you. “We put them in cutting edge shapes and colors that stand out. They give testimonials when people ask where they got the awesome glasses,” says Dr. Scott Keating, owner, Vision Trends, Dover, OH.
Nov 20-25
STORE Thanksgiving is Nov. 23. Hold a decorating party one night after work, or on a Monday (if you’re closed that day). Play music, order pizzas, have fun! Red and green are the simplest way to say “Christmas,” but if they clash with your store, go an alternate route: blue and white?
ONLINE In the Internet Age, holiday-season shopping begins as consumers start visiting retailers’ sites. Update yours with seasonal elements; feature gift ideas including one special every few days.
MARKETING Four weeks to Christmas. Increase e-mail campaigns to twice a week, scheduling them on Thursdays or Fridays to stimulate purchases on the weekend.
Nov 27-Dec 2
MARKETING Nov. 28 is Cyber Monday. Even if you don’t offer e-commerce, you should still post a big special on your site and alert customers via e-mail and social.
MARKETING Keep posting your event schedule on your social media outlets – mailed invites can go astray.
DISPLAY Get your hot sellers front and center. Holiday shoppers want “sure things” more than an experience.
This article originally appeared in the October 2017 edition of INVISION.