Jan. 1-5
STAFF Choose a learning goal for the year, whether sales or technology or process expertise. Research shows learning new skills helps workers thrive, improving productivity while reducing the risk of burnout.
Jan. 8-12
OPERATIONS David Kaiser of Digitiype Design speaks for many when he says now is a good time to clean house. “The rush of Christmas printing is over, and we clean, toss out and do any major upgrades to equipment on these months,” he says.
Jan. 15-19
TRAINING Use extra time to focus on staff, whether through expanded hiring efforts or new training. “We do employee cross-training so each employee can learn what the front of the house does and vice versa,” says Tami Napolitano of Awesome Graphics.
Jan. 22-26
STRATEGY The holidays may be over, but other celebrations do happen. For Tommy Melendez of Master Graphics NYC, this is a great time for office parties. “Foam board signage orders start making waves … party, welcome, and gala boards are big during these times,” he says.
Jan. 29-Feb. 2
WEATHER Stay warm, like Atchley Graphics, by focusing more on interior installs at this time of year. “We promote a lot to our interior environmental graphics clientele and such so our installers aren’t outside freezing on installs,” says Derek Atchley.
Feb. 5-9
STRATEGY Whenever you get a new client, ask why they chose you over their former graphic provider. You might learn what not to do. Also, follow up (politely) with previous customers who selected other providers.
Feb. 12-16
MARKETING Sharing is caring – and can indirectly boost your bottom line. “We take these months to create fun props for our shop and share our creative edge with our clients,” says Carmen Rad of CR&A Custom. “We post fun projects and share information.”
Feb. 19-23
STRATEGY The election might not be until November, but primary season starts in March. Whether or not this is your usual clientele, perhaps you’re in a position to take advantage of ramped-up demand for political imagery?
Feb. 26-Mar. 1
SALES Do you have “sales scripts?” If not, time to put one down in writing. If so, perhaps it’s due for review.
MONTHLY PROJECT Cultivate the “Three Cs” of Social Media
The start of a new year is always a good time to get back to basics. Try stripping your social media strategy down to the three Cs. The first is content, without which there is no point in using social to drive website traffic in the first place. Set up an editorial calendar to help manage your schedule, then get into the habit of doing a few posts per week. The second “C,” community, speaks to the importance of engaging with your audience. Try to engage and create a two-way dialogue with your followers, and network on other forums and blogs to build connections. The final “C”, commerce – making enough impact to cultivate a sale. Social media is appealing because it’s laid back, so be careful not to be too promotional. Warm up the viewer by attracting them with high-quality content, then engage directly.