Jewelers, Take These Three Vows In 2022

By Angie Ash, Executive Vice President The starting gun to the holiday shopping frenzy has blasted and, as retail jewelers, you know the coming weeks are going to be a sprint to Christmas. Once you’ve reached the finish line, nobody will want a very large glass of wine and fuzzy slippers more than you. But, before you’re totally immersed in holiday sales, take some time with your team to take the following vows. 1. I vow not to lose a sale. The first vow on this list is here to remind you that nobody these days comes into a jewelry store just to browse. They are in your store with every intention to buy, so there is no reason you should lose the sale. Find out what brought the customer in, connect with them, and wow them with your customer service beyond the basics. Hopefully, you’ve graduated from simply asking if they would like a bottle of water by now, and have moved on to better impressions. Jump over any obstacles to making the sale. Is the ring they’re after not the right size? Tell them how soon you can have it ready. Is the bracelet they saw on your website not in stock? Find out how soon you can get it. Document sales that are lost despite your best efforts and talk as a team about the importance of prevention in the future. 2. I vow not to take another jeweler’s tagline or marketing campaign as my own. Remember when “Where gets engaged” was the tagline du jour of every retail jeweler under the sun? It’s time to get a little more creative. As jewelry marketers, it’s our job to let YOUR story and differentiation shine. But even if don’t have a marketing agency’s creative mettle at your fingertips, you still have a staff that has the pulse of your store’s personality. Make 2022 the year you decide to harness your team’s input to your best advantage, and have fun with your promotions and campaigns. Stop earmarking the pages of INSTORE when you see an idea you would like to copy. Color outside the lines. Walk to the edge. Be different! 3. I vow to think long and hard before I jump on the next big thing bandwagon. This vow is the most important. Remember to weigh the pros and cons of big decisions you’ll make as a retail jeweler in 2022. One that will be on every jeweler’s mind is likely to be the proliferation of LGDs in the marketplace. What will it mean for your earth mined diamond business, not just in 2022, but well beyond if you decide to market them? Make this a big discussion point with your peers in the business, and your staff. The new year will be here before we know it. You’ve weathered the pandemic, you have your Master’s in Zoom, and you’re ready for the next big adventure. Vow to give 2022 your best shot! Are you ready to take your business to the next level in 2022? Contact suits@fruchtman.com to get started.