Decemberitis Prep, Snow Promotions and More Tips for December

18 It’s hard to believe that when the movie YOU’VE GOT MAIL was released on this date in 1998, people actually looked forward to opening their inbox. Today, the average office worker receives 125 emails per day, most of which are poorly written or even useless. To bring back that rom-com joy, set strict times for inbox maintenance (it’s not the first thing you have to do in the morning), experiment with email scanning services, and learn best practices (bold text is way better than all caps to emphasize something).

01 Let your staff know that you’re aware of DECEMBERITIS — that this month is king when it comes to phony absences as employees juggle work, shopping, holiday tasks and family obligations. Have staff sign off on schedules well in advance.

21 Tempt your customers to take a bet with your own snow promotion: a percentage point discount for every inch that falls in the week before Christmas.

31 NEW YEAR’S EVE means “Auld Lang Syne,” well-deserved toasts to your hard work this year and resolutions for 2019. Think big (Best Year Evah!) and think small (eat more fish oil, floss daily, join INSTORE’S Brain Squad). It’s going to be a terrific year.