May 31-June 6
CLIENTELING Platforms like Bonjoro (bonjoro.com) allow you to send personal, tailored video emails to hundreds of customers. Simply say you’re checking in and hope they are safe. Customers are going to remember the nice little things you do at times like this.
E-COMMERCE Optimize your social media channels for online sales. In your Facebook Ad Manager account, upload all of your products to an online catalog. Then link them to your Instagram account. That way, shoppers can click on a product shown on Instagram and quickly be converted to your website to buy the item. You can also enable purchases directly via Facebook, advises Cody Giles from The Smithee Group.
FINANCES Update all of your information with the Jewelers Board of Trade. Suppliers will be more likely to extend credit to retailers who share the full story of their business rather than those that seem to have an aura of mystery. In particular, the JBT has asked its members to include when special terms and conditions are offered. Reports can be sent to kmorgan@jewelersboard.com.
Jun. 7-13
MARKETING Begin Father’s Day (June 21) specials on your website. Wait a day and send your Dad’s Day promotional e-mail.
MARKETING Do a mail-out to remind customers about your backroom services in summer. Check that you have the supplies you need to support such a service, including specialty tissue to protect sterling from tarnishing and gold/platinum from scratching, plastic bags to retard tarnishing from air contact, flannels for outer protection; adhesive-style plastic for immobilization for shipping, and white gloves for staff when they take in items.
SALES FLOOR You should start to see wives and daughters coming in this week. Don’t forget to ask the women browsing your watch and cufflink collections if they’d like to see a little something special for themselves as well.
Jun. 14-20
STORE With summer here, this is the perfect time to do a sensory audit of your store. Take big lungfuls of air and consider it. Does it smell clean? If not, get the carpet cleaners in, have the bathroom scrubbed and the AC serviced.
MARKETING Have you thought about the story you tell your customers and employees about your store? A good story goes a long way toward making people feel they’re part of something special. Build your own company mythology.
Jun. 21-27
DISPLAYS Dad’s Day is done; the hot season is on the way. Add some “summer” colors in jewelry to your product mix, both in your cases and on your website.
TELEMARKETING It’s been six months since Christmas. Ask holiday-season customers to bring in their jewelry for a free checkup.
ADVERTISING How about cross-marketing with a restaurant that would be popular with your customer base (Japanese? Thai? Italian?) and that also accepts take-out orders (just about everyone now). Inquire about attaching fliers to those bento boxes.