doing goodLove the Old
Think Valentine’s Day and most people think of young lovers but this year, why not follow the example of D’Ambrosio Eye Care in Lancaster, MA and show some love to the elderly. The clinic visits local nursing homes on Valentine’s Day to deliver flowers and conversation to residents, and even teach them new activities such as how to make lollipops. “Not only is (such cause marketing) a viable way to get noticed in a positive way by your community and patients it is a way to use your professional skills to better life for other people. Something your staff and patients can really stand behind, says owner Dr. Francis D’Ambrosio Jr.
client serviceLEARN HOW CLIENTS DRESS
When greeting a customer looking for new eyewear, always be sure to include the question, “How do you dress for your day?” “Often people come in to see us on their day off and it gives me a better idea what their fashion style is, as well as the colors they usually wear,” says Paula Hornbeck, of Eye Candy & Eye Candy Kids, in Delafield, WI.
STORE DESIGN
CREATE GREAT WINDOWS
Want a window display that’s edgy, eye-catching and clearly declares your independence? Invite some local artists to display their work in a window case. Teri Focht, owner of Eyes All Over in St Paul, MN did that to great effect. “We are a full service optical, but more importantly we are members of this community. You don’t see that at a chain.”
financesSAVE $1,400 in 52 WEEKS
Want to easily save nearly $1,400? Take Lifehacker.com’s 52 Week Money Challenge. Start by putting $1.00 in a jar, then add a dollar to the deposit amount each week. So in week three you’ll be putting in $3.00 and by week 17, $17. Of course by the end of the year, the amount will be $52 but by then you’ll have built it up so much momentum the sacrifice should be easy. Final result: $1,378 in cash to pay a credit card bill or buy a new edger.
motivationWRITE MORE STUFF DOWN
Keeping a work diary of your successes and mistakes can help you professionally, but psychologist Teresa Amabile argues in her book The Progress Principle that the benefits go much deeper. A work diary can help you plan for the future, get necessary distance from emotional issues at work, and perhaps most importantly, help you keep track of all of those small “wins” that normally would come and go in the course of a day or week and can be used to motivate more success.
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marketingFOOTBALL? WHO NEEDS IT?
If your view of the Super Bowl (Feb. 5) is that the real action takes place at the two-minute warnings, time-outs and half time, then why even wait for Sunday night? YouTube’s AdBlitz home page allows you to see most of the commercials (invmag.us/01171) in the days leading up to the big game. Come Monday, you’ll be able to talk knowledgeably about the best ads without having to put yourself through all the whistles, flags, and “Omahas.”
STAFFSORRY, WE’RE CLOSED
Astrid Chitamun, the owner of European Optical in Laguna, CA, says that the staff that plays together probably works better together as well. So in 2015 she closed the store on a number of days to take her employees to the horse races at Del Mar, to a summer arts fair and other day trips. “It proved to me how much my employees need this sort of bonding and it greatly improves our morale and working together day to day,” she says. “We had 3-4 days’ fewer sales days on the books in 2015, but total revenue is up considerably from the previous year.”
SOCIAL MEDIALIKE VS. SHARE
Looking to drive engagement on your Facebook page? Try a “Like” vs. “Share” poll, which asks your followers to vote for Option A (say Ray-Ban) by clicking on the Like button or for Option B (say Oakley) by clicking Share. “The Like and Share counters on the post act as a built-in vote count to see which side is winning,” notes a post on tech blog wishpond.com. “It also acts as social proof of the number of people participating and pushes others to join in as well.” For instructions on how to execute this poll, see wishpond.com’s instructions here: invmag.us/01172 (Where you’ll find a Walmart example.)
