The first thing you may want to do is to take a break and relax because you just made it out alive from all the holiday orders. But you do not want to take too long of a breather. Keep the momentum going because Valentines Day is just around the corner! And for most, this is a lot like Christmas.
I am going to list you all a couple of things that I do to start my business year out right. These things are important to keep the spirit alive. January is a drag for most retail shops but it will pick back up in February.
1) Reflect on what you have learned in 2016.
What was the most memorable experience that you have learned and went through last year? How about mistakes? Will you experience these same mistakes this year? How can you avoid them? What have your customers been saying? Any complaints? What would you do differently for 2016?
2) Build up your inventory.
Now that Christmas has come and gone your inventory may look a little low. This is good! But you need to get your shop built back up. This may look like a lot of money to spend but if you stocked up as you went in December then it shouldn't be much of a problem.
3) Create new products.
New year! New you! Time to start updating your product listings for your shop. What have you been wanting to create lately for your shop? Now is the time to do so! Also, what about your product pictures? Do you need to update them?
3) Organize your workspace.
If you're like me, you like a clean work space. Now, I am not crazy OCD about everything but I like to keep things tidy and clean (at least to the eye). January is an important month to start fresh and possibly reorganize some (or a lot) of your studio area. This may come to a shock at first but you will get use to the new area. Purchase some cute boxes or crates for organizing. Think about what frustrates you about your studio area and change it.
4) Get ready for Valentines Day!
It's coming!!! I love this time of year. Lots of gift giving just like Christmas! I will most likely be stamping a lot of hearts on dog tags and spoons ;-). What can you spice up in your shop to make it more v-day like? How about your banner? Product photos? Products that are valentines day themed? Put them up now if so.
5) Tax Receipts.
I won't linger on this subject. Just get all of your receipts from 2016 organized. Do this ASAP. Trust me.
6) Goals.
Place your goals for 2017. Have you met your goals you placed in 2014? How can you make 2015 even better?
I hope this helps out at least a couple of you. A lot of people see January as a break month but that's just not the case at all. There is a lot of things you need to prep for the new year. You will be glad you did.
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