MARKETINGGown Display
Here’s a great way to frame a new collection of wedding rings, whether for your website, Facebook page or a Pinterest board — in the corset of a bridal gown. Tip courtesy of Morgan Bartel of Collins Diamonds in Liberal, KS. Photo courtesy of (mattnnat) photographers (www.mattnet.com).
Men in Tiaras
Jewelers of America’s Tiara Program has long been one of its most popular among its retail members, allowing them not only to show off their community spirit but their creativity as well. Usually donated for use during homecoming or the big school prom, Williams Jewelers in Alliance, NE, provided the tiaras as the grand prize for a fundraiser for the local fire department. The twist was that the centerpiece “Beauty Pageant” was contested by 12 very masculine men. The event raised a lot of money and some enduring PR for Williams Jewelers, says owner Bradley Williams. JA members receive two free tiaras annually with their membership.
Name That Department
Need help finding inspiration for a name for that new line or new store section? Crowdsource! That’s effectively what Floyd & Green Jewelers of Aiken, SC, did with a contest on their Facebook page to solicit ideas for their new bridal department. Among the suggestions were “The Love Nest,” “Nup-jewels,” and “Bride and Joy.” The store, however, decided on “With This Ring” and gave a $250 gift card to the customer who suggested it.
SALES FLOORShush!
Use half as many words and they’ll hit twice as hard, goes the old advertising saw. It applies to sales as well, Roy Williams writes in his Monday Morning Memo. “Selling is a transfer of confidence. The seller must transfer his or her confidence in the product to the buyer. When you babble, you don’t sound confident … You’re not talking these people into buying from you, you’re talking them out of it,” he writes, adding that a recent client doubled his close ratio simply by lowering his word count.
Smile Enforcer
Got a very important but demanding customer waiting for you out on the sales floor? Before venturing out, place a pen or pencil horizontally between your teeth, and bite. Doing this essentially forces you to smile. The muscles around your mouth and eyes contract, your brain gets the message that you’re relaxed, and sure enough your mood improves and you feel warm and ready to engage with other humans. Social psychologists call this facial feedback.
The Right Staff
As you consider your staffing needs for the holiday season, keep in mind these words of wisdom from Zach Buss, owner of Riddle’s Jewelry, in Cheynne, WY: “Never be understaffed. Customers come to you for a reason. Don’t make them wait!”
MANAGEMENTCash Protection
If you have what accountants refer to as a “special income event” and the IRS rules allow you to wait until April 15 to pay taxes on it, go buy a Certificate of Deposit that matures on April 10 advises Greg Crabtree, a CPA and author of Simple Numbers, Straight Talk, Big Profits. This not only gives you time to think how to best use the cash, but prevents you from touching that money for any reason until you’ve paid the correct tax on it.
Go Easy on Yourself
Self-esteem has long been considered the key of individual success. But in many people, the quality of self-compassion, or a willingness to look at your own shortcomings with understanding, may be more important. With a realistic sense of your abilities and actions, you can figure out what needs to be done differently next time. “Being perfect doesn’t lead to success, but being able to avoid the same mistake twice does,” says psychologist Heidi Grant Halvorson, author of Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals.
Retail Details
Each September, Tom Duma, owner of Thom Duma Fine Jewelers in Warren, OH, heads off to another market to shop fellow jewelers in his Plexus performance group. “After walking around stores in different markets you can have that same ‘eye’ for your own store. Retail is detail! If we take care of the little things, it helps us take care of the big details as well,” he says.