Nov. 27-Dec. 3
PAYROLL If you hand out holiday bonuses, consider giving them in the first week of December. Your staff will very, very much appreciate the additional holiday cash.
MANAGEMENT Don’t you wish you could remember every little lesson you learned during last year’s holiday season? This year, keep a log, be it a notebook or a Google Doc. Over the coming weeks, jot down thoughts, track numbers, screenshot reports to record what worked well and what didn’t for events, promotions, products, window displays (if applicable), and social media posts, as well as operational aspects such as team attitudes and shift adjustments.
Dec. 4-10
MARKETING Keep posting your end-of-year event schedule on your social media – email and mailed invites can go astray.
MANAGEMENT You can’t praise too much – dole it out liberally. It’s the No. 1 way to guide your employees’ work patterns and keep morale elevated at this busy time of year. “Loved the way you handled that car wrap complaint,” for example.
Dec. 11-17
management Two weeks until Christmas. Do a 10- or 15-minute huddle each morning to go over the previous day’s results, today’s goals, and what’s coming up (marketing, special financing, etc.).
marketing Start posting photos of your two best installs on Facebook each day. Post the first when you open and the other around 3 p.m. Ask each of your employees to post at least one picture a day to your shop’s Instagram account (and don’t forget the hashtags). Watch for feedback and keep the conversation going.
Dec. 18-24
management Institute a weekly email to keep employees in the loop about what’s happening in your shop and in the industry. Sign them up for Big Picture bulletins at bigpicturemag.com/bulletins. Our newsletter includes useful updates, articles, and tips to boost productivity.
Dec. 25-31
HOLIDAY SPIRIT Exemplify the spirit of the holiday season by making shots of coffee available for the UPS, FedEx, and other courier service workers who are going flat out in support of your operation.
FINANCES The new year is a good time to refresh your commitment to watching costs like a hawk. Check all recurring expenses from services. If you haven’t used it in the past three months, cancel. You can always rejoin if necessary.