Just one week until Valentine's Day! Are you feeling the love yet?

• Tumult, rancor and uncertainty abound in the day's news.
• Big storms are pounding large areas.
• The pandemic is lingering.

What better time to send a love note to your customers? 

That's right. A Valentine. Just a Valentine. No strings attached! Show your love!

You've gotten through the Holiday season, likely enjoyed some vacation time, and perhaps even have your own financial statements in hand. 

For many retailers, 2021 proved to be a very profitable year. Congratulations!

In fact, go here to check out the pre-tax profit trends for the past two years for the median performers in 50+ retail segments. To borrow a phrase,  everybody (almost) is above average!

Heads up. You can take a grim situation and turn it into an advantage. 

Universally, there is a shortage of "good employees." While many will use that as an excuse, it can be a great opportunity for those who seize it.

That's why we paid particular attention to this commentary by Ty West in The Playbook*.

• "Businesses across a range of industries are struggling with both recruitment and retention, yet surveys and experts continue to show many are unwilling to change their strategies to improve their ability to compete."

And therein lies the opportunity.

You've no doubt seen the headlines. "Retail sales slumped in December." 

Sounds pretty grim, doesn't it? Did all those foreboding warnings of supply chain issues, inventory shortages, etcetera actually come true?

• Keep in mind that the folks trumpeting those slumping sales results are comparing each month's retail sales to the previous month. Sure enough, on that basis it is true that retail sales in December were almost 2% less than they were in November.
   
• However, if you examine the same numbers the way that retailers do– that is, comparing to the same month the prior year – we see a very different story.

See the forest, not just the trees

Now that we've put a wrap on 2021, and before we really dive into 2022, it's time to catch your breath and reflect on where we are after 2021. 

Perhaps like us you believe that fundamental and enduring changes have occurred; no one can operate on "auto-pilot" anymore. All of us have to learn new processes, and form new habits. What's it called? Oh yes; "embracing change." Lots of it. 

That's why it is a very opportune time, particularly for owners, to have a very active Q&A session with themselves. 

Keeping Perspective

Is there a more difficult everyday challenge?

As owners of businesses, we've got all of the issues of the times right on our plates. Think about it:

• Every family has ups and downs. In fact, every person does.
• And it seems that all of our constituencies – family, friends, neighbors, customers, employees, landlords, lenders, vendors – look to us for answers, for leadership. "Well, after all, you are the owner!"
• Meanwhile, the covid turbulence has magnified the fact that there's really no how-to manual for dealing with a wily once-in-a-century pandemic.

Is there a more difficult every day challenge than maintaining perspective? We don't think so.

As we get ready for the New Year, and the post-Holiday season slowdown settles in, here's a positive way for retailers to re-energize and re-focus their entire organization, whether one store or even a hundred. 

We learned this from one of our clients with nearly 50 stores widely scattered over 6 states. Each day, without fail, they would take time for what they called the "Corporate Cheer." 

You will see how it can be a fun addition to any retail business, no matter the size.

The definition of a good coach is “That person who makes you do the things you don’t want to do, to become the person you want to be.”

Given that, we would suggest that the pandemic proved to be a great coach for many retailers. So much so, "Coach P" really deserves being recognized as the Coach of the Year!

Think about it. The pandemic forced retailers to do things they had long evaded or delayed (remember “technology laggards?”)