Oct. 5-11
WEBSITE Instagram awards less traffic to low engagement accounts. If you have a ton of inactive followers, you are being penalized. Start cleaning up your follower list. Go to your profile, tap “followers” and manually remove the inactive accounts. “Then spend time engaging with your community, responding to their comments and putting the social back in social media,” says marketing expert Andrea Hill.
EVENTS Set aside two evenings for a private client sale in late October. Which new pieces are likely to excite your best customers?
MARKETING What’s your wish list strategy this year? Do you have a non-buying ladies night planned? A flier? Are you on top of your POS wish list functionality to track expressions of interest and follow-up? If not, get busy.
Oct. 12-18
CUSTOMER RELATIONS Master “trick packaging” — gift wrapping that makes the recipient think they’re getting something else. It’s a great way to build relationships and excitement with gift buyers.
FINANCIALS Meet with your accountant to discuss tax strategy. This could be particularly important this year if you have losses you can carry forward.
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Oct. 19-25
SALES Your sales associates should have a story for every piece of jewelry in your store. Start testing them with different items in your morning meetings.
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MANAGEMENT Go to the most upscale shopping area in your community and go store to store to see what they’re doing. As late consultant Kate Peterson liked to say: “If you steal one idea it’s plagiarism; if you steal a whole bunch, it’s research.”
EMAIL Your weekly email bulletins should now be encouraging early shopping while also promoting popular gift products and categories. Boost the prominence of customer service information and include event cut-off dates on custom work.
Oct. 26-Nov. 1
OPERATIONS It’s difficult, if not impossible, for team members to bring their “A” game if they are feeling poorly or physically uncomfortable. Work with employees and managers to make sure everybody has the materials and equipment they need to do their best work this holiday season.
MERCHANDISE Steam and/or ultrasonic clean entire inventory and props. Larry Johnson recommends using Simple Green cleaner (diluted 50/50 with water) to lightly clean all leatherette displays. “Don’t rub too hard or you’ll remove the fabric topcoating,” says the author of The Complete Guide to Effective Jewelry Display.
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