marketingPlace A Value on It
If you give away a service for free — watch batteries, cleanings or anything else — be sure to let customers know what it’s actually worth. “Because once informed, customers can appreciate the free gift, which engenders greater loyalty and referrals,” says marketing coach Jim Ackerman of Ascend Marketing. He notes that these services take time, as well as the cost of equipment and material. “You’re providing a legitimate value that customers will not appreciate, unless you inform them of the value you’re providing.”
FINANCESThe 10% You Don’t Notice
A bit of old-time financial advice from Christina Baribault-Ortiz, owner of Baribault Jewelers, in Glastonbury, CT: “Every week, we put 10 percent of profits into a separate account, no matter what. We later get to decide what to do with this money in a clear way, and we don’t feel it.” It’s the deciding what to do with it in a clear way that is key, and it so rarely happens with our day-to-day uses of money.
MANAGEMENTShake Up Your Meetings
Want better, more productive meetings? You gotta mix it up, says Steven Rogelberg, a professor of organizational science at UNC Charlotte and author of The Surprising Science Of Meetings. “If you’re always sitting, try standing, try having a walking meeting, try brainstorming in silence — all of these techniques can lead to better outcomes,” he tells the Pinkcast YouTube series on productivity. Anything will work better than following the same routine where everyone sits in the same chairs in the same room at the same time … and comes up with the same stale ideas.
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ONLINEConsistency Pays Off
Most jewelers appreciate how important it is to get accurate business information online, but many don’t realize that being consistent is crucial. “Google is a stickler for details,” says Hayley Sonntag, a marketing specialist at Podium. Make sure your business name, address and phone number exactly match everywhere you can be found online, including your Google listing. This includes such details as whether you spell out or abbreviate the word “street”. “When Google sees those key elements match on listings, it will add credibility with not only Google, but also with potential customers and will improve your Google ranking,” she says.
MAINTENANCESow Some Seeds
Spring is on the way. For Ellie Thompson, owner of Ellie Thompson + Co. in Chicago, that means she’ll soon be heading outside to tend the small garden in front of her jewelry store. “I’ve met lots of people from the neighborhood, and they see that I’m actively doing something that makes the street look nice.” Don’t have a garden? Make a point of getting outside to clean the windows at the busiest time of the day for street traffic.
SELF-IMPROVEMENTYou Should Stop Saying Should
The word “should” implies reluctance and guilt. Start saying “want” instead, recommends Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of The How Of Happiness. The positive language will help you clarify and prioritize what you really want to be doing at the moment — and it can help you see healthy business behaviors you’re not psyched about in a motivating way.
