CLIENTELINGA Slice of Good Will
This is a time to show you care about your customers, and few things do that better than pizza, Scott McKain, the CEO of Distinctive Presentations, told the AGS Virtual Conclave. How exactly? He recommends that once a week, you make a list of 10 of your top 50 customers, find out their pizza preferences and send them a pizza. “It’s $10 to say we care about you more than your business,” he says.
PLANNINGBe Ready for the Second Wave
While your store is closed or beginning to reopen, plan your time and activities with the worst possible scenario in the back of your mind: that your business could be closed again in November or December due to a second wave of the coronavirus. “In other words, make sure that all of the things you couldn’t easily do now, such as sell online, you will be prepared to do in the event of another shutdown during the busiest time of the year,” Hearts On Fire CEO Caryl Capeci told the recent Couch Conference. No one wants to imagine the worst, but until there is a vaccine anything can happen, Capeci said, and “being prepared can help your business survive and thrive again.”
SALESKeep a Friendly Distance
The current reticence most people have about getting too close to another body makes selling jewelry extra challenging. Sales trainer Shane Decker suggests moving your sales presentation to a desk or table with some space between you and your client. “A clear glass-top table has the advantage of being easy to clean and looks pristine,” he says.
MARKETINGReasons + Number = Value
When crafting a marketing message at times like this, you should be thinking of how to help clients solve relevant problems, and specifically in terms of “ways,” “keys,” “secrets” or “ideas,” Ford Saeks, CEO of Prime Concepts, told the recent AGS Virtual Conclave. Then pair those words up with a number, as in “Three keys to protecting your jewelry” or “Five reasons now is the time to come into the store.”
MARKETINGRunaway Bride
Budget constraints have suddenly become a much more acute problem for many people wanting to get engaged. That requires you to become more promotional and aggressive to push bridal during this time, says Ellen Fruchtman of Fruchtman Marketing. “Now is the time to push interest-free financing for one to two years and negotiate your rate with your lender. Market other added-value benefits like free wedding bands with the purchase of $xxx or more; free men’s wedding bands; or a gift card of a certain value good toward bridal party purchases.” The travel industry is also hurting now, she notes. “Perhaps there is some amazing offer you can work out with them for honeymoon and future travel.”
PLANNINGPrepare for the Big Push
The quarantine appears likely to create a baby boom in December 2020 and January 2021, according to consultant Kate Peterson of Performance Concepts. “Be prepared with a special, signature push present and don’t assume it needs to be inexpensive,” she says. There will be disposable income at some point for jewelry that commemorates such meaningful occasions.