By Manny Carballea, COO
Ah, the 90s! What a time it was. Most of us of a certain age can still recall the music, the rise of this thing called the World Wide Web, and so many memorable TV shows that still run in syndication today. If I say, “How you doin’?”, “Picture it: Sicily, 1912.”, “Pivot!” or “Yada. Yada. Yada.”’ and you don’t know the reference, well, then, maybe we can’t be friends.
But the 90s also had its fair share of memorable TV infomercials. Who doesn’t remember watching late night TV and thinking whether they wanted to cook a chicken rotisserie style or on a certain boxing legend’s grill? But there is one tag line, or perhaps one of the few, that still sticks with me today every time I see someone trying to do the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. And whether you’re talking about fad diets or marketing strategy, my response would be the same: stop the insanity!
Why? Because, colloquially speaking, doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result is insane. But then why do we do it? Is it because it’s effortless? Is it because the same thing feels familiar? Is it because we think it’s the right way? Is it because we think it’s the only way? Is it because we’re lazy? Too busy? Or is it because we don’t want to have to ask for help?
It could be one or all of those reasons. But as we know deep within ourselves, in order to impact the outcome, to actually yield a different result, i.e., to be better, we need to try new methods. We need to think of new strategies. And we must drop our fear of the unknown.
That’s where a helping hand can show you that perhaps there are more options. That perhaps there are multiple options that can be leveraged at the same time. That perhaps a slightly different direction is what is needed to change the course of your journey.
And the thing is: it’s not easy. Sometimes it’s not easy to admit to yourself that perhaps, just because we’ve always done it this way, perhaps it’s time to change things. I’ve come to learn that, in all we do, there is a season. Personally, that’s been a hard lesson. I’m not one to let go that easily, but if I’ve learned anything over the last few years, it’s that sometimes we have to let go and adopt new ideas, new points of view, and new outlooks. Why? Because life is changing all around us. Don’t get me wrong. Wisdom is wisdom, regardless of what decade or what century we’re talking about. But in our search for wisdom there must be an openness to change. Otherwise, we can never truly find the knowledge that withstands time.
Ok, getting a bit too philosophical here, but stay with me. In today’s world, in today’s jewelry industry, we need to keep up with the times. That’s not saying: just be trendy, it also means, don’t ignore the trends. “Keeping up” means having a positive outlook that understands the changing points of view as well as being open and willing to try new methods. But how does one do that well without the experience?
That’s where a person or a team can help. Having that experience of knowing customer POVs, knowing what methods or strategies have worked in similar situations, and knowing what technologies can help is part of instituting that change that can position you to move in the right direction. And “right” can mean different things for a jeweler. Are we talking about greater brand recognition? Are we talking about more foot traffic in a store? Are we talking about vastly more impressions? Are we talking about overall increased sales revenues? Are we talking about increasing sales in a targeted jewelry segment within your store?
Now these successes or wins don’t happen overnight. They take some time. And sometimes, it takes a comprehensive effort to build momentum that, in due time, turns into a win, or two, or three.
But don’t forget that it does take effort to be honest with yourself and to say to yourself that perhaps a change is needed. That perhaps you need to lean on the experts. We at Fruchtman are here to help. Because most times it’s very difficult to do it alone.
So as you look at another day, ask yourself: what could I do differently? Who can help me see what I don’t know? Who can help me understand what is my next step? Because doing the same thing again and again and expecting a different result is just, well, insanity.
And remember, if you don’t stop the insanity, it may just mean, no soup for you.
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