Feb. 30-Mar. 5
SALES Does your after-hours phone message simply state, “Sorry, we’re closed”? That’s what sales trainer Jeffrey Gitomer calls “D’oh” service. If so, re-record it to direct customers to your website or even another number they can contact you on.
MARKETING Send birthday cards to top customers so they arrive one week before their birthdays. “Wanted to be the first to wish you a happy birthday.” This way, your card stands out and won’t get lost in all the birthday wishes that people get on their special day.
Mar. 6-12
MOTIVATION Cultivate happiness: Good feelings boost your immune system and reduce stress. Yes, we’re making a case for a company March Madness pool: The NCAA basketball tournament starts on March 13.
MARKETING Identify your VIP customers. These are the people who bring their bowling teams in on referral. Make sure your employees know who they are and when they’re coming in. Adjust your personal schedule to ensure they get extra personal attention, says industry consultant Bob Levoy.
Mar. 13-19
STORE Get in touch with your electric utility. Many offer free energy audits, giving you more ideas on how to cut down on your electrical consumption. Some water utilities do the same.
OPERATIONS Do you have guidelines for handling complaints? If not, get busy. As much as possible, empower staff to make decisions.
Mar. 20-26
MARKETING Make contact with other small businesses in your area to see if they’re interested in some reciprocal social media action.
PERSONAL Adjust your will to appoint a “digital executor.” You don’t want to be paying automatic eBay fees or sending out Facebook friend requests long after your dead. Authorize the person to access your log-in information and spell out what you want done with each account, whether it’s providing access to loved ones or business partners or deleting it.