Mar. 3-9
HUMAN RESOURCES It’s time for your twice-yearly employee reviews. Set up a professional development plan for each employee — and for yourself. Ask what they feel they need to learn or even what they would just like to learn, then challenge them to come up with a plan to achieve it. Give them a week to get it done and then work out the details.
ONLINE With the economy cooling, you should be looking to increase your online engagement with current customers. The rationale? When pocketbooks tighten, out of touch means out of mind, and customers will feel the tug of more affordable options.
INVENTORY Get ready for the bridal months. Refine and segment your database so you can send out targeted birthday and anniversary reminders.
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Mar. 10-16
MARKETING Invite your customers to an “Appraisal Clinic” at your store along with a reminder that their insurance company will typically pay the
OLDEST (meaning “lowest”) appraisal price, so they should “update now to protect your investments!”
MARKETING Trust is crucial to any jeweler’s position in his market. What actions can you take this year to increase the (accurate) perception that ethics and honesty are at the core of your operation? Sometimes there is not a full appreciation of just how honest most small jewelers are.
CLIENTELING Do you live in a city that has a restaurant where it’s almost impossible to get a reservation? Impress your customers by booking a table (better yet, a prime table at the prime time of the night). You can do it far in advance. Then give the reservations to a customer who purchases a big piece from you.
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Mar. 17-23
INVENTORY As you start considering the state of your inventory ahead of buying season, look for areas you can get lean. Give thought to an inventory reduction sale to get ready for Vegas.
MARKETING Hold a Prom Dress Party. Encourage girls to bring their dresses into the store to try on jewelry with the dress. Identify pieces to excite them at prices that will entice a sale (that means jewelry with a big look for less money). Thin, lightweight metals and colored gemstone jewelry will be your best bet.
OPERATIONS If choosing an outfit for work takes an inordinate amount of time every morning, assemble a “capsule wardrobe”: a limited collection of clothing items that complement each other and can be mixed and matched effortlessly.
Mar. 24-30
MANAGEMENT Take an inventory of your tech use and evaluate each item for its usefulness, working on the assumption that if something can’t justify itself, it’s out. Exit the social networks you barely use and get rid of the apps that, when you think about it, have no benefit.