WEEK 8
7 weeks passed | 45 weeks remain
Feb 23 – Monday
Today’s Quote: “You drown not by falling into a river, but by staying submerged in it.” — Novelist Paulo Coelho, on fixing mistakes quickly
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS: Dakota Fanning (1994, “War of the Worlds”), Emily Blunt (1983, “A Quiet Place”), Aziz Ansari (1983, “Parks and Recreation”), Josh Gad (1981, voice of Olaf in “Frozen”, happy 45th!), Kristin Davis (1965, “Sex and the City”), Patricia Richardson (1951, “Home Improvement”, happy 75th!)
STORE DESIGN: Valentine’s Day is well in the rear-view mirror. The heart-shaped everything is packed away. Now take an honest look around your store: Does it look tired? If your showroom is five years old or older, your decor might look a little dated or shabby. The good news: You don’t need to gut the place. A coat of paint works wonders. So does new carpet. A photo wall showing actual customers (not stock photos of models pretending to be in love). “Look for areas that can make a big impact for a relatively small investment,” GRID3’s late, great Ruth Mellergaard always liked to say.
PERSONAL: If you want your business to stay healthy, you’ve got to keep yourself healthy first. Says Ellen Hertz of Max’s (St. Louis Park, MN): “I block out certain days and times on my calendar to support my workout schedule. If I put it on my calendar, I’m more likely to make it happen.”
WEEKLY SPIFF: Darts. Your staff earns throws by hitting sales goals. You set up a board with prizes. Everyone acts like it’s the Olympics. Start today. Throw Friday. Read more.
FEATURED DATE: National Hospitality Workers Appreciation Day — jewelry stores are in the hospitality business, too. Take a moment to recognize your team for the way they greet, serve, and care for customers. A quick team huddle with coffee and a sincere “thank you” costs nothing and sets the tone for the week.
MORE DATES: International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day (treat the shop dog!), National Play Tennis Day
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Feb 24 – Tuesday
Today’s Quote: “Ask for things. Ask for things that feel unreasonable, to make sure your intuitions about what’s reasonable are accurate. Of course, try not to be a jerk in the process.” — Professional poker player Cate Hall, on aiming higher
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS: Daniel Kaluuya (1989, “Get Out”), Floyd Mayweather Jr. (1977, boxing), Billy Zane (1966, “Titanic”, happy 60th!), Edward James Olmos (1947, “Stand and Deliver”), Barry Bostwick (1945, “Rocky Horror Picture Show”)
MARKETING: Tax refund season is coming. Create a display of jewelry options in the $100 to $500 range and promote it to attract those tax rebate dollars that start pouring in from March through May. This price range is the sweet spot for “fine fashion jewelry” — and it’s where many first-time buyers enter.
SOCIAL MEDIA: Film one story-driven video today. Pick a recent custom job or repair, tell the client’s story, and show the before-and-after. Post it with a short caption. These perform better than almost any other content — real stories beat stock photos every time.
EDUCATION: This is a good time to broaden your business and gemological skills. Check out what courses GIA and JA are offering this spring. Can you send your bench jeweler somewhere to sharpen their skills? A better-trained team is a more confident team — and confidence sells.
DATA SECURITY: Do a manual backup of all your customer and financial records and store it offsite. Your system should be doing this automatically — it’s always good to check — but in case of a catastrophe, a recent backup is the difference between rebuilding and starting over.
SALES MEETING: This week’s topic: “The 9 Absolutes” — the non-negotiable rules that separate good stores from great ones. Read more.
MORE DATES: National Tortilla Chip Day, National Trading Card Day, World Bartender Day (they’re outstanding connectors if you can make them your customers!)
Feb 25 – Wednesday
Today’s Quote: “The quality of any creative endeavor tends to approach the level of taste of whoever is in charge.” — Technology blogger John Gruber
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS: Rashida Jones (1976, “Parks and Recreation”, happy 50th!), Chelsea Handler (1975, comedian), Sean Astin (1971, “Lord of the Rings”, happy 55th!), Téa Leoni (1966, “Madam Secretary”, happy 60th!), Carrot Top (1965, comedian)
STRATEGY: Embark on a competitive review. Visit your competitors’ stores and websites, subscribe to their newsletters, and assign someone on staff to clip or screenshot every one of their ads — not just other jewelers but any retailer competing for the same wallet. Create a scrapbook. You’ll spot gaps to exploit and ideas to borrow.
MANAGEMENT: Track your unintended signals. Spend one hour today watching how your staff treats customers. Bad habits usually mirror the boss’s — if you rush greetings, they’ll rush greetings. If you linger and listen, they will too.
FEATURED DATE: World Spay Day (last Tuesday of February). Partner with a local animal shelter for a charitable tie-in. Donate a percentage of today’s sales to the shelter, or set out a collection jar at the counter. Pet lovers are loyal — to their furry friends and to the businesses that support them.
MORE DATES: National Clam Chowder Day, National Chocolate-Covered Nut Day, Quiet Day
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Feb 26 – Thursday
Today’s Quote: “The questions you ask yourself will largely determine the answers you get. ‘Why am I not successful?’ — you’ll get answers that berate you. ‘How can I succeed here?’ — you’ll get answers that push you.” — Executive performance coach Julie Gurner
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS: Erykah Badu (1971, singer, happy 55th!), Michael Bolton (1953, singer), Mitch Ryder (1945, “Devil with a Blue Dress On”), Johnny Cash (1932, “Man in Black” — born on this day)
FEATURED DATE: It’s Tell A Fairy Tale Day! What’s your store’s story? Every jewelry store has one — the founder who started with a single showcase, the family that’s been here for three generations, the custom piece that changed everything. Write it down, polish it up, and share it on social media or in an email to customers today. People don’t buy from logos. They buy from stories.
FEATURED DATE: National Pink Shirt Day (Anti-Bullying Day). Have staff wear pink. Post about it on social media with a message about kindness. It’s a feel-good moment that shows your store’s values — and pink gemstones (morganite, pink sapphire, rose quartz) make a natural tie-in for a display.
SALES TRAINING: Learn how to create “repair moments.” Are you simply handing repaired items to customers, or are you PRESENTING them — perhaps in a beautiful box, freshly polished, with an accessory or care tip? The handoff is a sales opportunity hiding in plain sight.
STAFF: Do you have clear guidelines for handling complaints? If not, get busy. As much as possible, empower your team to make decisions without you. A customer who waits for a manager to approve a $30 fix feels unimportant. A customer who gets an instant resolution feels valued.
MORE DATES: National Pistachio Day, Carpe Diem Day, Letter to an Elder Day
Feb 27 – Friday
Today’s Quote: “I never sat on the bench and said, ‘Well, I learned a lot today.'” — Football coach and former two-sport pro athlete Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders, on competing
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS: Josh Groban (1981, singer, happy 45th!), Kate Mara (1983, “House of Cards”), Chelsea Clinton (1980, author/advocate), Joanne Woodward (1930, “The Three Faces of Eve”), Adam Baldwin (1962, “Firefly”)
FEATURED DATE: It’s Retro Day! Pull out your estate and vintage jewelry and give them a showcase of their own. Vintage is huge right now — from Art Deco rings to mid-century brooches — and a “Retro Day” display gives older inventory a fresh reason to sell. Snap photos for social media with a throwback filter.
FEATURED DATE: Elizabeth Taylor was born on this day in 1932. She amassed one of the most famous jewelry collections in history — including the 33-carat Krupp Diamond and the La Peregrina pearl. Share a post about her legendary love of jewelry. If you’ve got any statement pieces in the case, today’s the day to spotlight them.
LEADERSHIP: Make one decision you’ve been avoiding. Even if it’s imperfect, movement beats paralysis. That personnel issue, that vendor you should drop, that policy you keep meaning to change — pick one and act on it today. You’ll feel lighter by 5 p.m.
SALES MEETING: Still need to cover “The 9 Absolutes”? Today’s the day. Read more.
MORE DATES: National Strawberry Day, National Kahlúa Day, International Polar Bear Day, No Brainer Day
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Feb 28 – Saturday
Today’s Quote: “Be pleasant until ten o’clock in the morning, and the rest of the day will take care of itself.” — Writer/publisher Elbert Hubbard, on setting a tone for each day
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS: Ali Larter (1976, “Heroes”, happy 50th!), Jason Aldean (1977, country singer), John Turturro (1957, “The Big Lebowski”), Bernadette Peters (1948, Broadway legend), Luka Dončić (1999, basketball), Mario Andretti (1940, racing legend), Cindy Wilson (1957, B-52’s)
FEATURED DATE: It’s Open That Bottle Night (last Saturday of February)! This holiday was created to encourage people to finally uncork that special bottle they’ve been saving. After-hours staff wine night? You’ve earned it. Valentine’s season is behind you and buying season is ahead. Celebrate the pause.
INVENTORY: Get an independent appraisal of your inventory. Your old stock is often not as valuable as you think, but it’s good to know where you stand. Some consultants will do it for free as part of their trial service. At the very least, you’ll have a realistic number for your balance sheet and insurance.
CREATIVITY: Borrow from another field. Assign a staffer to study how restaurants speed up table turns or how salons build loyalty programs — then report back one idea your store could adapt. The best innovations in jewelry retail often come from outside jewelry retail.
MORE DATES: Rare Disease Day, National Tooth Fairy Day (feature children’s jewelry!), Floral Design Day, National Pancake Day (IHOP — free pancakes! Tell your staff), National Science Day
Mar 1 – Sunday
Today’s Quote: “You have to break a barrier every day. Fashion, to me, is born and dies every day.” — Fashion designer Gianni Versace
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS: Justin Bieber (1994, singer), Kesha (1987, singer), Lupita Nyong’o (1983, “Black Panther”), Javier Bardem (1969, “No Country for Old Men”), Ron Howard (1954, director “Apollo 13”), Roger Daltrey (1944, The Who), Timothy Daly (1956, “Wings”, happy 70th!)
FEATURED DATE: It’s National Wedding Planning Day! If there was ever a day to push bridal, this is it. Post your best engagement ring shots on social media with a “Planning the big day? Start here” caption. Make sure your bridal section is front and center — and don’t forget attendant gifts.
FEATURED DATE: National Craft Month begins today — a celebration of the kinds of handmade skills jewelers have possessed and applied for centuries. Plan an event or social media series that highlights the skills of your bench team: stone setting, engraving, fabrication, wax carving. Customers are fascinated by the craft. Show it off.
MARKETING: Study April’s birthstone — diamond — and the best ways to work price and value perceptions. Begin planning a diamond event for April. Short of ideas? Try a diamond re-styling event — one recently brought in $35,000 for a Brain Squad member over a two-day period.
SECURITY: According to JSA data, March is the most common month for robberies. No one wants to think about the unpleasant, but prepare a plan of action so all employees know the drill. Review entry protocols, camera positioning, and emergency contacts this week.
MORE DATES: National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day, National Pig Day, Peace Corps Day
