Tip Sheet: June 2004

Published

20 years ago

June 1, 2004

Instore presents ideas for better business

[componentheading]MAKE AN EYE APPOINTMENT[/componentheading]

Here’s a great place to do a talent search for a new salesperson: your local optician’s office. Opticians deal with many of the same issues that jewelers do: 1.) finding merchandise that flatters the wearer; 2.) keeping up with fashion trends; and 3.) helping customers try on a large variety of items. They’re also comfortable with highly-specialized work that requires ongoing training.

Source: Janice Mack Talcott

[componentheading]USE THE WEB FOR MORE[/componentheading]

Doing television ads? Rip a page out of the American Express playbook and send people to your website to see expanded versions of your commercials. No, they won’t probably won’t be as funny (or as expensive) as the Seinfeld-Superman web movies, but that’s OK. For instance, if you use a happy couple in your TV ads, tell viewers that they should visit your website to see other “happy couple” video testimonials.

Source: Instore

[componentheading]DON’T STRESS THE COMPETITORS[/componentheading]

Great quote for you small, but bold, “Purple Cows” out there from philosopher-poet Mark Twain: “The best swordsman in the world doesn’t need to fear the second-best swordsman in the world. No, the person for him to be afraid of is some ignorant antagonist who has never had a sword in his hand before; he doesn’t do the thing he ought to do. He does the thing he ought not to do, and often it catches the expert out and ends him on the spot.”

Source: Tom Peters, Re-Imagine!

[componentheading]GET IN THE KNOW[/componentheading]

Something got you stumped? Visit our website at Instoremag.com, and go to the editorial section. From the editorial home page, search for any term you want (e.g. “commissions”) and you’ll see a complete list of stories containing the term. We’ve got the past three years of our magazine archived online. It’s a great place to benefit from the accumulated wisdom of Instore’s wide-ranging crew of expert advisors.

Source: Instore

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

You Wouldn’t Cut Your Own Hair. Why Run Your Own Retirement Sale?

After being in business for over a quarter of a century, Wayne Reid, owner of Wayne Jewelers in Wayne, Pennsylvania, decided it was time for a little “me time.” He says, “I’ve reached a point in my life where it’s time to slow down, enjoy a lot of things outside of the jewelry industry. It just seemed to be the right time.” He chose Wilkerson to handle his retirement sale because of their reputation and results. With financial goals exceeded, Reid says he made the right choice selecting Wilkerson to handle the sale. “They made every effort to push our jewelry to the forefront of the showcases,” he says, lauding Wilkerson for their finesse and expertise. Would he recommend them to other jewelers who want to make room for new merchandise, expand their business or like him, decide to call it a day? Absolutely he says, equating trying to do this kind of sale with cutting your own hair. “The results are going to happen but not as well as if you have a professional like Wilkerson do the job for you.”