Editor's Note

Become a Holiday Hercules By Following Our “4 Weeks to Peak Holiday Performance”

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas … at least, for your sake, I hope it is!

Published

6 years ago

September 19, 2018

Trace Shelton Instore October 2018 Issue

Become a Holiday Hercules By Following Our “4 Weeks to Peak Holiday Performance”

IT’S BEGINNING to look a lot like Christmas … at least, for your sake, I hope it is!

Yes, it’s that time of year again: time to start thinking about jolly old elves dressed in red velvet (or more importantly, jolly new jewelry pieces gift-wrapped in a velvet box).

At INSTORE, we’re getting in the spirit by providing you with a big holiday advice story for the first time in several years. In the past, our annual Big Survey ran in our October issue, but we’ve received so many requests for holiday help that we’ve moved the Big Survey to our November issue. For now, in order to help you prepare for this merry season of madness, we’ve assembled a calendar of to-do items for your next four weeks in the areas of store environment, marketing, staffing/training, and inventory/display.

But that’s not all (it never is). Managing editor Eileen McClelland searched high and low for stores that offer a memorable experience appealing to the five senses, and she got so carried away that we couldn’t squeeze it all into two pages — so you’ll find the lion’s share of tips and examples in the online version of the story at instoremag.com. (This is a practice you’ll likely see more and more often from us: running extra content and stories online where we have unlimited space to work with.)

If you think reading INSTORE is a must for holiday prep, make sure you don’t miss all the important stuff appearing only at instoremag.com! Happy holiday planning!

Five Smart Tips You’ll Find Inside This Edition

1. Set up a holiday schedule that puts your best people in position to do what each of them does best. (The Big Story, p. 43)
2. Move your jewelry around to other areas of your store so current clients will notice and think you have new inventory. (The Big Story, p. 45)
3. Serve snacks and drinks on a tray to every customer. (Sensory Experience, p. 52)
4. Add Halloween spirit in the form of nail art, hair clips and maybe some extra makeup. (Ask Instore, p. 79)
5. Survey your best clients on how your store is doing and offer an incentive so they’ll send it back. (Shane Decker, p. 78)

This Third-Generation Jeweler Was Ready for Retirement. He Called Wilkerson

Retirement is never easy, especially when it means the end to a business that was founded in 1884. But for Laura and Sam Sipe, it was time to put their own needs first. They decided to close J.C. Sipe Jewelers, one of Indianapolis’ most trusted names in fine jewelry, and call Wilkerson. “Laura and I decided the conditions were right,” says Sam. Wilkerson handled every detail in their going-out-of-business sale, from marketing to manning the sales floor. “The main goal was to sell our existing inventory that’s all paid for and turn that into cash for our retirement,” says Sam. “It’s been very, very productive.” Would they recommend Wilkerson to other jewelers who want to enjoy their golden years? Absolutely! “Call Wilkerson,” says Laura. “They can help you achieve your goals so you’ll be able to move into retirement comfortably.”