March 31st – April 6th
operation Just like at home, spring is also the time to organize your business. Create a schedule to tackle everything: inventory, EHS, financial records, and that dust ball under the curtain.
finance When completing your taxes, don't forget to account for items lost due to theft, loss, or damage. These may be tax deductible.
April 7th to 13th
marketing Remove cobwebs from old marketing files. This is a great time to look back at past successful promotions and revisit ideas that are worth revisiting. It doesn't necessarily have to be new.
marketing Spring has arrived, along with allergy season. Sniffing aside, it's the perfect time to up your daily contact lens subscription. Offer it as an add-on or as a core part of another marketing drive. (Also talk to your suppliers; they often offer rebates mid-year.)
strategy Find a category of your business that you want to improve, such as children's glasses or low vision services, and create an action plan to make it happen.
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April 14th to 20th
marketing The transition from spring to summer means trunk shows at many vision companies. Morgan DiMaggio, office manager at Taylor Eye Care in Carmi, Illinois, suggests combining eye care with sunshine this year. “They tend to perform better.” See also the feature on page 48.
management Although an annual strategic review may be a regular part of your business procedures, it may be helpful to shorten the review cycle. Probably every Friday he does some kind of quick review where he looks at his revenue and expenses, new email subscribers, and other his KPIs.
finance Interest rates remain high. If you're at the mercy of variable interest rates, do your research and schedule a time to meet with your banker to discuss your options. They may be able to adjust the terms or suggest other ways to ease the burden.
April 21st to 27th
operation If business is traditionally slow during the middle months of the year, consider switching to a “summer schedule” such as closing every Saturday. It's all part of working smart.
management Buy the latest tourist guidebook for your hometown or region. You can find out what's happening in your town by playing tourist once a year.
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