AS I WRITE this, I’m sitting in a beautiful condominium in Puerto Vallarta, where my wife and I are staying for the month of July. (It’s something we’ve always promised ourselves we would do once our kids had all moved out.) It’s a gorgeous place and I highly recommend it, but one thing that’s struck me is that here, everyone is still wearing medical masks. COVID-19 is still a big problem in Mexico, and they’re taking it very seriously.
Likewise, our coworkers in Bangkok and India are mostly unvaccinated and staying cautious because the “good vaccines” that we take for granted in the U.S. are more limited there.
With that said, I’m grateful that we’re able to return to some sense of normalcy in the U.S. and that many of us will be going back to Las Vegas for Jewelry Week. I can’t wait to see many of you there, although I know that many still can’t or won’t travel.
Many of you know someone who won’t be in Vegas this year because they were taken from us by COVID-19. One of my dearest friends and coworkers, Fran Zimniuch, is among those. It’s hard to imagine doing the JCK Show without Fran; his inappropriate jokes and over-the-top self-criticism always made me smile, and he was always up for a drink “on editorial’s tab.”
If you see me there, please stop me for a fist bump and say hello. I feel truly blessed to work in this special industry with so many extraordinary people.
Trace Shelton
Editor-in-Chief, INSTORE
trace@smartworkmedia.com
Five Smart Tips You’ll Find in This Issue
- Review the past year’s special orders per vendor, and if you spot any emerging hot sellers in the data, order those styles so you have them on hand. (Manager’s To-Do, p. 36)
- Maintain a comfortable temperature in the showroom for clients and adjust your staff dress code as needed. (Ask INSTORE, p. 88)
- Use a “reserved just for you” message in your marketing to reinforce the specialized treatment your clients will receive. (Brainstorm, p. 82)
- Instead of initiating a handshake, opt for a head nod or wait for the client to initiate it themselves. (Sales Signals, p. 83)
- On the flight home from the trade show, pull out the materials and information you gathered and sort it by definite buys, potential buys and “save for later.” (Megan Crabtree, p. 86)