Should I start a TikTok channel?
TikTok is fun, hip and seemingly everywhere right now. But that doesn’t mean it will be a great fit for your marketing quiver. Jane Harrell, president of Cause Digital Marketing, says that when her clients ask her about adding a new social media channel, she tells them, yes, it sounds like it may have potential, “but if you don’t know how that specific tactic will fuel your business goals … no, you shouldn’t.
“While I am a huge believer in content marketing (social media, blogging, newsletter building, etc.) as one of the most solid, long-term marketing strategies, it can be especially wasteful. The reason is simple: It’s way harder to know how to budget, which channels to choose, how much time to spend and how to tell whether it’s working. After all, if you run an ad and get no sales, it’s easy not to do it again; but if you have a social media following and are struggling to get sales, it’s not necessarily that easy to pinpoint the issue,” she says.
Harrell advises that you assess the channel carefully and with a sober mind. “Make sure you can draw a straight line from what you’re trying to achieve (get more awareness, build trust, get sales, etc.) to which content marketing channel works best for that. For example, TikTok can be FAB for getting you wide exposure and reaching a younger audience, but it isn’t as great for driving local product sales NOW,” she says.
What are the elements of a good onboarding program?
The best onboarding programs help new employees get quickly up to speed while also inculcating them in your store’s culture and setting a foundation for personal accountability. Do it with a warm, welcoming hand, and your team member soon will be thinking, yes, I’ve found the place I want to work and grow. If you can check off the following, you’ll be giving your hire a great chance of succeeding:
- Help the new employee understand how work is done and provide details of the daily operations.
- Outline the organizational structure and explain where everyone fits in.
- Articulate and reinforce your values, mission, and vision.
- Help the employee get quickly acclimated to their new environment, which will help them feel connected to others.
Be patient and do your best to read their personality. Everyone is different, and a new job can be an overwhelming experience for the first couple of weeks.
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Any fresh ideas to move aged inventory, outside of holding a sale?
If you have inventory that hasn’t moved in 12 months or more despite your best efforts to put it in front of as many people as possible, then you’re going to have to accept the market’s verdict: It doesn’t think it’s worth the price. That makes some sort of price cut inevitable. But there’s still room to show your imagination. Here are three slightly different ideas, from industry veteran John Nicolosi, a GIA accredited jewelry professional:
- Hold online auctions starting at 20 percent above cost (or any starting price low enough to gain customer attention).
- Review old wish lists of customers to see if there’s interest in any of your older pieces — if it’s a year or older, offer a discount on the item.
- Post images of your product to others in the trade that may be doing well in that category. “Every store has a different audience, and you may have something that may be someone else’s treasure,” says Nicolosi.
What’s the best way to force a problem staff member to quit?
We take it you either want to avoid paying severance or to escape the potentially ugly confrontation involved in dismissing someone. Neither is really a good reason for trying to make a staff member’s life so uncomfortable that he leaves on his own. First, work out how much damage this person could cause your business. If the issue is security-related, bite the bullet and walk him to the door. If it’s one of performance, have a stern talk and put him on 90-day probation. This is one area where being upfront is always best. Letting it drag out is a waste of both parties’ time and energy.
