Write a Back-to-School Blog, Get Your Sunglass Displays in Shape, and More Summer To-Dos

June 1-7

MARKETING Begin posting Father’s Day (June 15) specials on your website. Promote stylish readers or gift certificates for progressive lenses and performance eyewear for golf, boating, hunting, etc.

June 8-14

OPERATIONS If things slow down over summer why not shake things up? Take every other Saturday off in June and July but work additional Mondays (or whatever your usual day off is) in August.

TAX Tax filing requirements are a major headache for small business owners. Stay on top of your obligations by signing up for the IRS’s tax calendar available by visiting invisionmag.com/052501. Unlike the agency, it’s user friendly.

June 15-21

SALES A question to ask every parent who comes in the door at this time of year: “What is your child wearing for sun protection this summer?”

MANAGEMENT Creating a risk management plan involves more than getting affordable rates for insurance premiums. In the long run, avoiding potential claims, from customers, or even staff, is the single biggest step you can take to keep your risks — and costs — down. Looking for a good place to start? Try this list from the Small Business Administration: invisionmag.com/052502.

OPERATIONS Walk through your business and look for ‘broken windows’ … those little projects and fixits such as painting, cleaning, and general facelift items that make for good summer projects.

June 22-28

MARKETING Do you have a good “origin story” to tell customers and staff? A good tale goes a long way toward making people feel they’re part of something special. Build your company mythology.

ONLINE Review your website. Compare and contrast it with your competitors’ sites. Then compare and contrast with national chains and online optical retailers. And finally compare and contrast it to non-optometric/non-optical websites you admire. How can you get to where you want to be? Can you make those changes, or do you need to hire a professional? Your website is often the first impression you make on potential customers. Make it a powerful one.

MANAGEMENT Write a letter to someone you admire. Somewhere down the track, it could result in a valuable new relationship. Or it might just be a way of making a person who inspires you feel good. Either way, you win.