Tip Sheet: July 2004

Published

20 years ago

July 1, 2004

Instore presents ideas for better business

[componentheading]CONNECTIVITY REVOLUTION[/componentheading]

Want to get the maximum benefit from the connectivity revolution? Centralize your company’s data (sales stats, order status, customer contact information and data, etc.) on a private network. When you or your staff log in from home, you’re taken directly to a personalized home page with easy access to all data. This will allow all of you maximum productivity … wherever you are.

Source: Tom Peters, Re-Imagine!

[componentheading]GET OUT YOUR PARTY HAT[/componentheading]

Connecting your female customers to each other connects them to your brand. How can you encourage this? Host parties. Ask people to exchange telephone numbers. Have them share their email addresses … or log into an online forum on a given night each week. Let them make friends, not with you, but with each other. (Sure, they can make friends iwth you, too.) There you go, instant connection.

Source: Faith Popcorn, EVE-olution

[componentheading]GET EVERYONE IN THE MIX[/componentheading]

Do you have a bench jeweler and/or gemologist on your staff? Why not schedule them to go out on the sales floor once every week or two to sell? The benefits go both ways: additional skills and personal development for them, greater flexibility with scheduling for you. (And believe us, you’ll need every bit of it when those summer vacations come around. Not to mention the big Christmas rush.)

Source: Instore

[componentheading]WATCH WHICH MAIL YOU GET AT HOME[/componentheading]

Are you having Instore — or gasp, any other industry publication — sent to your home? Don’t do it. You’re identifying yourself as a member of the jewelry industry, and making yourself a target for a potential robbery. Instead, have all jewelry mag subscriptions and other business-related mail sent to your place of business.

Source: Jewelers Mutual

[span class=note]This story is from the July 2004 edition of INSTORE[/span]

This Third-Generation Jeweler Was Ready for Retirement. He Called Wilkerson

Retirement is never easy, especially when it means the end to a business that was founded in 1884. But for Laura and Sam Sipe, it was time to put their own needs first. They decided to close J.C. Sipe Jewelers, one of Indianapolis’ most trusted names in fine jewelry, and call Wilkerson. “Laura and I decided the conditions were right,” says Sam. Wilkerson handled every detail in their going-out-of-business sale, from marketing to manning the sales floor. “The main goal was to sell our existing inventory that’s all paid for and turn that into cash for our retirement,” says Sam. “It’s been very, very productive.” Would they recommend Wilkerson to other jewelers who want to enjoy their golden years? Absolutely! “Call Wilkerson,” says Laura. “They can help you achieve your goals so you’ll be able to move into retirement comfortably.”