Dec. 3-9
STAFF Schedule your staff party now; if you haven’t already. “It might not be till January but get it scheduled. You all need something fun to look forward to,” as the busy season gathers momentum, notes Kristina Jordan, owner of The Eye Site in Mishawaka, IN.
Dec. 10-16
MARKETING Present a new gift idea every day online. On Instagram post photos of daily best-sellers, on Facebook, keep running that reminder: “Time flies, your benefits end soon.”
Dec. 17-23
MARKETING If your holiday-season marketing needs a late boost consider a micro-influencer (10K to 100K followers) to help get the word out in your local market. They work fast (posting almost as soon as they get your product in their hands) and can target a niche audience.
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Dec. 24-30
REWARDS Shout Hallelujah because after the 25th, ’tis the season to rest, relax and enjoy with family and friends the fruits of our labor. Enjoy the break. You’ve earned it.
Dec. 31-Jan. 6
FINANCES It’s a new year — time to set some personal financial goals. If you don’t have much of a nest egg yet, start now, but accept there are no shortcuts. As the old driving-instructor advice goes: If you leave late, you’re going to get there late.
Jan. 7-13
PLANNING Success depends on trying things that fail. In 2024, make “heroic failure” your No. 1 goal. Fail trying new things, not old ones.
Jan. 14-20
FINANCIAL Plan your 2024 charity budget, which can save you time (and guilt) later. Let staff vote on how to allocate all or some of it within the community.
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Jan. 21-27
STRATEGY Review how your advertising performed and create a plan for 2024. Is it time to try a new channel, tweak your core message or target a new demographic? Be sure to include at least one experiment through the year.
Jan. 28-Feb. 3
STAFF If you don’t have a performance management system in place — everything from weekly and monthly goal-setting to semiannual performance review to coaching and counseling to exit interviews — get one set up ASAP, urges management consultant Kate Peterson. “Don’t go another year assuming people know what you expect while they wonder how they’re doing.”