We’re halfway done with the 30 Day Challenge for Retailers! Have you found any of the activities particularly useful? If so, please post a comment on the Specialty Shop Retailing page on Facebook. And feel free to add some ideas of your own!

Here are seven suggestions for the next week.  You can do them in order, or mix them up.  And if you’ve missed some of the first 14 days, those blog posts are available at www.specialtyshopretailing.com.

1. Take a good look at your customer restroom (and employee restroom, if you have one).  Is there anything you can do to make it more pleasant? 

2. Ask to join the private Facebook page for WhizBang! Retailers.  Even if you haven’t done Bob Negen’s WhizBang! training, you’ll find lots of valuable sharing of information among the almost 5,000 shopkeepers in this group.

3. Buy some individually wrapped healthy snacks to have on hand for yourself, and your employees.

4. Send a personal note to a fellow retailer you admire, or someone who has served as a mentor to you.

5. Set up a display calendar with ideas for the next 6 months.  Ask your staff for their input.

6. Organize your office supplies, making a list of anything that needs restocking. If you have a junk drawer (stores have them too!), dump it out and get rid of the things you’ll never miss.

7. Fill a page with the answer to the question “Why did I start my business?”  Put it in an envelope and plan to read it again in one year.

Today’s inspirational quote is from print and broadcast journalist Germany Kent: “Everyday presents a new opportunity to grow and press forward to your success. Stay the course believing that where you are right now doesn’t matter, as long as you are moving in the right direction.”

Happy Retailing,

Carol “Orange” Schroeder