1. Hold sales meetings on closing, adding on and creating a sense of urgency.
2. Each day before you open, have a 10-minute meeting about what’s going on that day. It’s important everyone be on the same page.
3. Have a one-month December add-on contest. The three categories are: 1. the salesperson who writes the most tickets with add-ons; 2. the largest add-on on a single ticket; 3. the most add-ons on one ticket. (Beads don’t count!)
4. Improve team-selling and T.O.’s to increase closing ratios. Your closing ratio should already rise by 50 percent during the holidays because nobody is “just looking,” but team-selling will help you close even more sales.
5. Greet every client within the first five seconds. If every salesperson is with a client and you’re closest to the door, say, “Someone will be with you soon. Please wait.” Don’t say, “I’ll be with you soon,” because now you’re rushing the client you’re with.
6. Set daily, weekly and monthly goals. Have two goals for each: A realistic goal and a stretch goal. This will provide motivation and help benchmark your progress.
7. Hire someone to come in every morning to clean the store from top to bottom. Hire someone to come in and wrap purchases so that your salespeople have more time with clients.
8. Have salespeople write out thank-you cards every night before they go home. Don’t mail them until Jan. 15, but this way they can write it down while it’s fresh in their memories.
9. Maintain sales floor awareness. Know who’s waiting on whom. Be there for an assist. Get apple cider, coffee, cookies or cinnamon rolls in every client’s hand. The homier the store feels, tastes and smells, the longer the client stays.
10. Have fun. If you get the client to laugh, your closing ratio goes up 50 percent. People want to have fun when they are spending.
11. Hold a sales contest like Pass the 20. Whoever has the largest sale at the end of the day takes home the $20. Put spiffs of 20 percent on old inventory for the month of December.
12. If your store dress code is casual during the rest of the year, change it for the holidays. The better you are dressed, the better your closing ratio will be, especially if the client has never been in the store. Look professional.
13. Be early every day. The more you get done before you open, the more floor time you have to sell and wait on clients.
14. Have an awesome attitude! If you’re having a bad day and your attitude sucks, stay home! Your attitude affects the entire staff.
15. Don’t be a headhunter and wait only on clients who come in to spend money. Be a team player.
Remember: The definition of salesmanship is your professional ability to create the desire to get your client to want the product. Ask questions, build the relationship, and earn trust. You have clients who come in only at Christmas time. Be their jeweler. Close the sale.