Nov. 2-8
MARKETING The period from the first week of November up to the Wednesday before Black Friday is the perfect time to invite customers to bring in family heirlooms for a free cleaning and inspection by your master jeweler. At the very least, you’ll boost store traffic, add a bunch of repair work and maybe some new mountings as older customers start to think about handing down their valued jewelry to younger members of the family at this time of year.
STAFF Humans are cyclical creatures, not robots. Plan workflows to keep staff fresh, healthy and motivated over the holiday period. That can include hiring extra help if needed, incorporating down time, and devising sales games, as well as springing for some occasional treats.
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Nov. 9-15
STORE LAYOUT Do a quick test of your store’s circulation. Look out for pathway dead-ends and store fixtures that are too tall to allow shoppers to look across and take in your offerings. Fixtures that restrict visibility through the space kill the “spirit” of a store and the impulse to buy.
MARKETING Send gift certificates to the top 5-10 percent of your customers from the past few years. Include a handwritten personal note.
INVENTORY Make a list of jewelry items that need a “companion” — diamond stud earrings with a tennis bracelet, cocktail ring with pendant. Prepare for add-on success.
Nov. 16-22
MERCHANDISING Begin to narrow your assortments to focus on your best items now. Your best sellers in October and November are most likely to be the key items that will drive your business in December.
STAFF Do a refresher with temps on handling the phone, customer flow management and gift wrapping — don’t wing it with that latter one.
RETURNS Extend your normal return policy for holiday purchases, so early shoppers don’t need to worry about buying a gift that can’t be exchanged.
SALES Find “guilt-easing” gift ideas to go with gift cards or certificates. For bigger certificate amounts, have a “real” gift — like Belgian chocolates or a bottle of wine — close at hand that you can bundle in free.
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Nov. 23-29
MANAGEMENT Start a store tradition to let people know the holiday season is here. It could be a special bowtie like the one Jeff Vierk of Vierk’s Fine Jewelry in Lafayette, IN, dons each year to let his staff know this is no normal time.
OPERATIONS Starting today, hold a short staff meeting every morning, keeping everyone informed on progress. Single out a separate item each day and discuss the best way to present it. Keep the meetings short and make sure they end on an upbeat note.
