WEEK 3
2 weeks passed | 50 weeks remain
Jan 19 – Monday
SERVICES: Stock up on appraisal forms — January and February see a spike for valuations of December purchases. Consider updating your forms.
MANAGEMENT: Write a note of praise to one or two team members this week. Not simply “good job” — say WHY. Keep a list so you hit everyone over the next few weeks.
FEDERAL HOLIDAY: Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Celebrate the iconic leader of America’s civil rights movement.
FEATURED DATE: The third Monday of January is known as Blue Monday. It is supposedly when we’re at our most miserable — resolutions abandoned, back at work, fearing it’s turning into just another year. Fight this annual nadir with a Blues Bash featuring your sapphires and blue jewelry. (Or turn it into Brew Monday and invite people to your store bar for a few micro-brews.)
MORE DATES: Brew Monday, National Popcorn Day, World Quark Day, World Religion Day, World Snow Day, Good Memory Day, Tenderness Toward Existence Day, Tin Can Day.
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Jan 20 – Tuesday
FINANCES: Set a date to meet with your accountant about your balance sheet and financial goals. Create a monthly cash-flow projection.
DISPLAY: Start decorating for Valentine’s Day — scatter cupids in cases, touches of red and pink. Aim for fun, not schlocky.
MORE DATES: Take a Walk Outdoors Day, National Cheese Lover’s Day, Penguin Awareness Day, National DJ Day, National Coffee Break Day, Camcorder Day, International Day of Acceptance.
Jan 21 – Wednesday
MANAGEMENT: Start a “bad weather projects” list for slow days. Add to it through the year.
MARKETING: Segregate contacts into A, B, and C tiers based on importance. A-listers get quarterly meetings, frequent notes, and proactive attention.
FEATURED DATE: It’s National Hugging Day, and you’re encouraged to hug anyone who will accept one. If you’d rather not come into physical contact with another human (or if it’s problematic), think of “hugs” the way retailing legend Jack Mitchell does: as personal touches that impress your customers and business partners. Go on, squeeze!
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FEATURED DATE: For a change of pace, we also like International Sweatpants Day. Staff wears sweats, snaps selfies, posts them. Customers wearing sweats get 10% off. Shows customers your store’s the comfy, no-pressure kind.
MORE DATES: Squirrel Appreciation Day, National Granola Bar Day, National Cheesy Socks Day, National Hug Your Puppy Day, International Sweatpants Day, International Playdate Day, Grandma Day, One-Liners Day, Own Your Own Home Day, Thank Your Mentor Day.
Jan 22 – Thursday
STRATEGY: Keep an ongoing record of promotions this year — note what you did and how well it worked to improve future decisions.
OPERATIONS: Have a locksmith clean and lubricate door locks, safe mechanisms, and showcase locks.
MORE DATES: National Hot Sauce Day, Answer Your Cat’s Questions Day, National Blonde Brownie Day, National Polka Dot Day, Celebration of Life Day, Come in From the Cold Day, Library Shelfie Day, National Grandpa Day.
Jan 23 – Friday
MANAGEMENT: Lay out a calendar of vacation blackout dates (events, holidays, all-hands days). Give staff ample time to plan personal vacations.
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INVENTORY: Contact suppliers about distressed post-holiday merchandise.
FEATURED DATE: Make National Pie Day memorable by bringing in a half-dozen classic varieties for a taste test. (Customers are welcome to participate as well.) Then have everyone post their favorite pie purveyors and pie flavors on social media.
FEATURED DATE: On National Handwriting Day, surprise your top 50 customers with a handwritten note just to say thanks. In today’s keyboard-driven world, a well-penned note feels like an archeological find — personal, rare, and memorable. Bonus: neat cursive is a skill every jeweler should have anyway.
MORE DATES: National Handwriting Day (John Hancock’s Birthday), International Sticky Toffee Pudding Day, National Rhubarb Pie Day, Clashing Clothes Day, Measure Your Feet Day, Snowplow Mailbox Hockey Day.
Jan 24 – Saturday
TRAINING: Train sales associates on polishing jewelry in front of customers — before and after presenting pieces.
MARKETING: Start asking new clients if they were referred. Word of mouth is still the most important customer generator.
FEATURED DATE: On National Compliment Day, go beyond generic praise—be specific and cast a wide net. Email a reporter whose article helped, thank a vendor for their training, tell a new staffer you liked how they handled a turnover. Precise praise modifies behavior better than anything, and it’s free.
FEATURED DATE: Today is Gold Discovery Day, which marks the anniversary of the 1848 Sutter’s Mill discovery that launched the California Gold Rush — and, not coincidentally, it’s also Talk Like a Grizzled Prospector Day. Post a Reel of your best “There’s gold in them thar hills!” and show off your gold inventory while you’re at it.
MORE DATES: National Peanut Butter Day, Global Belly Laugh Day, Gold Discovery Anniversary (1848), Macintosh Computer Day, Beer Can Appreciation Day, Change a Pet’s Life Day, International Day of Education, “Just Do It” Day, Talk Like A Grizzled Prospector Day.
Jan 25 – Sunday
PLANNING: Write your 5-year exit strategy tonight. Include target sale price and exact steps to make business worth it.
STRATEGY: Make a “stop doing” list. Protect time and money by killing pet projects that don’t fit.
FEATURED DATE: On Opposite Day, consider contrarian business approaches — sometimes going against the grain yields surprising results. (Here’s a great INSTORE article that offers some contrarian ideas.)
MORE DATES: National Opposite Day, National Irish Coffee Day, Burns Night (Scottish), National Fish Taco Day, National Seed Swap Day, A Room Of One’s Own Day, Local Quilt Shop Day, National IV Nurse Day, Fluoride Day, Observe The Weather Day.
