HERE’S SOMETHING MOST of our readers don’t know: INSTORE has sister magazines covering pet stores, eye care, signage and more. It’s an eclectic mix, but the common thread is the same one that runs through everything we do — helping independent owners run better businesses. And the thing is, the advice of these varied entrepreneurs is often surprisingly applicable to jewelry retail. You’d just never find it unless you had a sudden urge to comparison-shop cat food or ophthalmic sunglasses. We started sharing some of the idea, tips and memorable thoughts last month. Here’s some more:
From the World of Signs
Find Your “North Star” KPI
Stop chasing every metric and find the one that actually moves the needle. Matt Brasel of Indigo Signs in Brasel, ND, focuses on identifying a “North Star KPI” — the single activity that inevitably leads to bookings, orders, and revenue. For a sign shop, it might be site surveys; for a jeweler, it might be custom consultations. Once you identify that specific trigger event, obsess over it. When that one activity happens consistently, the rest of the revenue cycle tends to take care of itself, he tells Signs of the Times.
From the World of Pet Care
Run “Cool Head” Drills
Don’t let the first time your staff encounters a “Karen” be during a real shift. Run a 10-minute drill where one team member plays an angry customer and another practices calm posture and a slow, steady voice. As the sources note, it is “better to sweat in practice than freeze in battle.” Training your team to handle conflict before it happens ensures they stay professional when the stakes are high. (Petsmag.com)
From the World of Vision
Stop Being Your Own Bottleneck
Many owners insist on hearing every single sales pitch from vendors personally, which creates a massive logjam in operations. Instead, let your team take the initial demos and pitches. Have them gather the data and present a summary to you for the final decision. As Dr. Brianna Rhue of West Broward Eyecare in FL writes in INVISION: “Leadership isn’t about doing it all… Stop being the bottleneck in your own business”. Empowering your staff to vet opportunities saves your energy for high-level strategy.
Parting Words:
“”If you chase two squirrels, you will catch none.” — Steve Lowe, Valley Signs, Clayville, NY
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