Start Your Year Right with These Manager’s To-Do Tips for January

Dec. 31-Jan. 6

SALEs Embrace the new way of selling, says David Cornell of Cornell’s Jewelers (Rochester, NY). “We have to abandon the old-school models of the four Cs and the buzzwords that our industry has used for a long time and learn to ask open-ended questions. It’s important to get an understanding of what the customer wants by just sitting down and talking with them, building rapport.”

OPERATIONS Start a new routine: A weekly email to all employees to keep everyone in the loop on what is happening in the store, within the industry, and being motivated.

Jimmy Degroot

Video: Why You Should Be Turning Over the Sale More Often

Jimmy Degroot

Video: Fix the ‘Glitches’ in Your Jewelry Business

Jimmy Degroot

Video: Everyone in Your Jewelry Store Can Get Along. Here’s How.

Jan. 7-13

STRATEGY Take a moment to go into your calendar and block off several hour-long chunks of time each week through Mar. 31. Use this time to work on strategy, reading, mentoring members of your staff, or following up on long-term opportunities that often get pushed off in the hustle of a typical day.

SHOP Raise your repair prices to reflect changing metals prices, inflation, and the money you’ve probably been leaving on the table. No one will complain. Trust us.

Jan. 14-20

SALES Give thought to a spiff plan for the year. If you’re a small company, consider useful or important gifts to motivate employee behaviors. Sales trainer Harry Friedman said he once bought a set of tires for an employee who needed them.

STAFF Calculate the dollar value of every customer (it should be the average purchase in your store per year x 20 years). The result should be a heckuva lot of money — and make it clear how important clienteling is, says sales trainer Shane Decker. Post it for all your employees to see.

MARKETING Set reminders in your marketing calendar. Plan to send a bouquet of flowers on the birthday or anniversary of every woman who has spent over $2,000 with you in the last two years.

Jan. 21-27

FINANCES Set a date to meet with your accountant to go over your balance sheet and your financial goals for the upcoming year. While you’ve got your books out, create a monthly cash-flow projection for the coming year.

TRAINING Valentine’s Day is on the way. Schedule a series of training sessions for your staff on selling bridal and diamonds.

Jan. 28-Feb. 2

CRM Are you a small company that has thousands of contacts in your database but virtually no contact with these people for months or years? This year, plan one communication, at a minimum, every six months — one note, one postcard, one phone call — and contacts will feel they have a relationship with you.

MARKETING In the social media age, you need a selfie booth, a mural wall or backdrop to support “Instagrammable” ring selfies.