Weekly Dates and To-Dos: March 2-8 (Week 9 of 52)

WEEK 9

8 weeks passed | 44 weeks remain

It may be quiet in your store right now. Don’t mistake the quiet for a problem — this is a great week to reset. Get this month’s birthstones — aquamarine and bloodstone — into your cases. Prep your bridal displays. The World Baseball Classic opens Thursday, Holi lights up midweek, and clocks spring forward Sunday — the season is turning whether your sales floor knows it or not. On a sad note: three of this week’s celebrity birthdays belong to stars we recently lost. Life is short. Sell the good stuff.

Mar 2 – Monday

Today’s Quote: “The trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never score.” — Bill Copeland, American poet and writer

MERCHANDISING: Review each showcase like a coach at spring training. If a case isn’t producing, sell it down and reinvest in stronger lines. A reset now keeps the floor fresh for bridal season. Here’s a rotating case-cleaning system suggested by David Geller.

THING TO STOP DOING THIS WEEK: Stop saying “yes” to everything. Try this: rate each opportunity on a scale of 1 to 10 — but you’re not allowed to pick “7.” Everything is either a 1-to-6 or an 8-to-10. Accept the 8s, 9s, and 10s. Decline the rest. You’ll be amazed at how much clearer your priorities become.

WEEKLY SPIFF: This week’s spiff is called “Secret Item” — everybody has a secret item to sell and nobody knows what it is. You’ve just gotta sell a lot of everything to find out.Read more.

30-DAY VIDEO CHALLENGE: Launch the 30-Day Video Challenge today. First assignment: a 15-second intro — name, role, one thing you love about jewelry. No retakes. Get the full 30-day schedule here.

FEATURED DATE: It’s Dr. Seuss Day and Read Across America Day. “Oh, the places you’ll go!” — and a few of those places should be your jewelry store. If you work with local schools or have younger customers with kids, this is a great day for a playful social media post. Pair a quote with a product shot: “Today you are you, that is truer than true” next to a one-of-a-kind custom piece. Small-e event — takes five minutes, costs nothing.

MORE DATES: Dr. Seuss Day, Read Across America Day, National Old Stuff Day (perfect for estate jewelry!), World Tennis Day, National Banana Cream Pie Day, National Egg McMuffin Day

Mar 3 – Tuesday

Today’s Quote: “I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” — Pablo Picasso, on challenging oneself creatively

BIRTHSTONE: March’s birthstone is aquamarine — from the Latin for “water of the sea.” Legend holds it was the treasure of mermaids, given as gifts by Neptune himself. Ancient sailors carried it as a talisman against storms; Romans carved frogs into the stone believing it could turn enemies into friends; medieval Europeans wore it as an antidote to poison. It’s also the gem for 19th wedding anniversaries, which gives you a second selling angle beyond birthdays. Don’t overlook March’s alternative birthstone, bloodstone — a dark green jasper flecked with red spots. Medieval Christians called it the “martyr’s stone,” believing it formed when drops of Christ’s blood fell on jasper at the foot of the cross. Make sure both stones are visible in your cases this month with signage that says “March Birthstone.”

SALES MEETING: Tuesday sales meetings are a rhythm worth building. This week’s focus: asking questions to close sales. Here’s your outline for the meeting.

STRATEGY: Give your website a “spring cleaning.” If bridal jewelry, repairs, or hours take more than 10 seconds to find, streamline navigation before Mother’s Day traffic spikes. Pull up your site on your phone right now — is it easy to navigate with your thumb? That’s how most customers will find you.

MARKETING: First Communion season starts in mid-April. If you carry small crucifixes, religious medals, patron saints, and chains, start highlighting them on your website and window cases now. Early planning beats last-minute scrambling.

MORE DATES: Lantern Festival, World Wildlife Day, National Anthem Day,

Mar 4 – Wednesday

Today’s Quote: “In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.” — Thomas Jefferson

MANAGEMENT: Once a month, call an “Evolution Session” for staff. Ask everyone to come with two answers to the question: “How can we improve?” Commit to trying one idea the next month. This framework ensures those great ideas that pop into people’s heads are captured and properly considered.

INVENTORY: Run a report on your fast sellers from January and February that now show zero on hand. Reorder those items — or something in a similar category and price point. The easiest sales to make are the ones you’ve already proven work.

FEATURED DATE: National Grammar Day (held on “March fourth” — because it’s both a date and an imperative). Re-read your website, your email templates, and your signage. Bad grammar is like toilet paper stuck to your shoe — people notice and make judgments. If grammar isn’t your strength, turn on spell-check and have someone proofread before anything goes out.

MORE DATES: National Hug a G.I. Day, National Pound Cake Day, Marching Music Day

Mar 5 – Thursday

Today’s Quote: “And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good.”​ — John Steinbeck, “East of Eden”

SALES: The counter where you do battery changes and watch repairs is likely one of your store’s most heavily trafficked areas. Put some promotional material there — a list of bench services you offer, or some lower-priced merchandise ($200–$500) to encourage impulse buying. That customer waiting for a battery is a captive audience.

CUSTOMER SERVICE: Set up a phone charging station near the front of the store with cables for Android and Apple devices. Customers will appreciate the convenience, and you’ve given them a reason to linger and browse.

LOOKING AHEAD: Easter is exactly one month away (April 5). This week is the time to start planning, not the week before. Could you sponsor a school egg hunt? Donate a prize basket? Hand out chocolate eggs with your logo? Community involvement is subtle promotion — and it works.

MORE DATES: Purim (begins at sundown), National Cheese Doodle Day, National Absinthe Day, National Day of Unplugging begins at sundown, National Dress in Blue Day (sapphires, blue topaz, lapis make a natural display tie-in)

Mar 6 – Friday

Today’s Quote: “Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get.” — Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald’s

FEATURED DATE: Employee Appreciation Day (first Friday in March). Buy your team lunch. Write personal notes to each team member. Give them an early out if the afternoon is slow. Your staff is the reason customers come back. “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” (Maya Angelou)

WEEKLY SPIFF: If you don’t launch your weekly spiff on Monday, you’ll probably launch it on Friday. This week’s spiff is “Secret Item”. Read more.

SECURITY: March is the most common month for robberies (JSA data). Review your emergency plan today: entry protocols, camera positioning, panic buttons, and emergency contacts. Make sure every employee knows the drill. Test your alarm system. Check that fire exits are clear and working.

MARKETING: Brush off the cobwebs in your old marketing files. Revisit successful promotions from the past and reconsider ideas that might deserve a second look. It doesn’t always have to be new. Sometimes the best campaign is the one that already worked, freshened up.

MORE DATES: National Oreo Cookie Day, National Frozen Food Day, National Dentist’s Day, National Day of Unplugging continues (ends at sundown Saturday)

Mar 7 – Saturday

Today’s Quote: “Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.” — Stoic philosopher Epictetus

DISPLAY: Swap out silk floral arrangements for fresh flowers. It’s nearly spring and you’re a modern jeweler. A $20 bouquet in the showroom signals “alive” and “current” — silk flowers signal the opposite.

INVENTORY: April is the biggest month for men’s wedding bands. This weekend, take a hard look at your selection. Is it deep enough? Is it displayed prominently? Redisplay and expand your assortment so the section looks ready for the rush.

STAFF: Remind employees to leave their phones on silent (or at their workstations) when on the sales floor. If you need a system, start a distraction jar — every phone check on the floor is a dollar. End of the week: pizza. Fewer glances at screens, more engagement with customers.

LOOKING AHEAD — DST REMINDER: Clocks spring forward after you go to sleep tonight. Remind your staff. Remind your customers on social media. And remember — you lose an hour of sleep but gain an hour of evening daylight. Use it.

MORE DATES: Alexander Graham Bell Day, National Be Heard Day

Mar 8 – Sunday

Today’s Quote: “I read once that the true mark of a pro — at anything — is that he understands, loves, and is good at even the drudgery of his profession.” — Mathematician Paul Halmos

FEATURED DATE: International Women’s Day. Women’s History Month is already underway, but today deserves its own moment. Highlight female designers, team members and customers. A “Women Who Inspire Us” social media post featuring your staff costs nothing and resonates. If you want to go further, donate a percentage of today’s sales to a local women’s cause.

FEATURED DATE: Daylight Saving Time begins — clocks sprang forward at 2 a.m. Your customers are groggy and looking for a pick-me-up. A social media post: “Lost an hour? Treat yourself to something that makes every minute sparkle.” Cute? Sure. But it’s a reason to post, and that’s the point.

SELF-CARE: Have you been working non-stop since the end-of-year holidays? You’re overdue to recharge. Book yourself a long weekend somewhere. Even penciling it in on the calendar changes your outlook.

TECH: Set a reminder to restart your smartphone once a week. Your phone will be faster, work better, and be more secure. Most people never do this — be the exception.

MORE DATES: Girl Scout Week begins today (March 8–14), National Retro Video Game Day (share your favorite old-school game on social!), National Napping Day (day after DST — you’ll need it), National Proofreading Day