Trade Deadline

The NHL trade deadline passed on Monday.  My team, the Oilers, made a last minute deal that sent a 29 year old defenseman to another team for a 29 year old defenseman.  Those of you unfamiliar with hockey might find that a bid absurd.  The reason that trade made sense is that Edmonton was seeking a stay-at-home defensive player and the other team had recently traded away one of their more aggressively offensive D-men. 

What if independent retail jewellers were like the NHL.  What if out staff were so highly specialized that we could say to a guy in Ontario, “hey, I’ve got a 29 year old sales clerk who’s strong on diamond sales but weak in administration.  I’m looking for a mature salesperson with all-around product knowledge including high-end watches, who can be an assistant manager.  I’m willing to throw-in a George-Brown trained bench jeweller who can do basic watch repairs.  Are you interested in a trade?”

Why doesn’t this happen?  Well, I guess the NHL is a big business with each team a franchise within.  We all tend to be in business for ourselves and develop our own talent.  If you’ve ever heard of such a trade being made in our industry, let me know.  I’d be eager to hear about it.

Meanwhile, we notice that NHL franchises focus a lot on developing teams that require very specific, diverse and complimentary talents.  It takes a lot of fine-tuning to assemble an effective play-off contender.  So does your store.  One of the best retail teams I worked for included a charismatic male manager who many of our female clients just loved, an older motherly salesperson who had young couples eating out of her hand, and a well-rounded salesperson who eagerly performed many tedious administrative chores.  The rest of the staff, just seemed to find their niches, and we all helped others as the situation required (including cleaning-up and locking showcases behind our motherly sales lady.)

Take note of the talents you have around you.  If you’re hiring, craft your help-wanted ad to attract the type of person you need to round-out your team.  If that doesn’t work, maybe try making a trade or two and let me know how it goes.

Things that are bought

Jewellery which people can come-in and ask for by name and/or model number and purchase are things that are bought.  If the popularity, the branding or the marketing are that effective, and you’re not the one driving that demand, those products are eventually going to end-up discounted, sold on the internet, over-distributed or all three. 

I hear the complaints.  You invest thousands or tens-of-thousands of dollars into a branded program only to find that people are coming to you to find-out what your price is on a given model.  They’ve already decided to buy that item independently of everything you’ve done to develop your business.  The brand has usurped your best intentions and ultimately your business.

Flash-back to the last sentence in the opening paragraph.  I said, “(if) you’re not the one driving the demand…”.  Here’s the thing.  If you choose to carry branded product, be the one to drive the demand.  Make it part of your store’s marketing.  Don’t let the brand take-over, because if the brand ever closes-down or walks down the street, so go your customers.

The Secret of Selling More

Psssst …. Wanna know a secret?  The secret to selling more is … wait for it … selling more. I read a recent article by Seth Godin about things that are bought and things that are sold.  I believe that most jewellers have both items in the same store.

When I briefly worked for Peoples, the $99 diamond heart pendant was always something that people came in and bought.  I didn’t have to be particularly clever to close that sale.  It was my job to sell them something else more precious.  Silver charm-beads are bought.  Gold charm-beads are sold.  Entry-level engagement rings are bought, premium designer engagement rings are sold.

Now consider this plot twist:  Internet retailers by necessity have to sell things that are bought, because it’s 10-times harder to sell something without personal contact.  More next time…

Painted Cows

After landing at the Calgary International Airport, I drove past a painted cow.  It was a life-sized cow like dozens of others that were put on display around Calgary.  I don’t know the specifics of the art organization or the charity, but I do know that a challenge was issued for people to paint and decorate the identical blank cows in unique ways.  Every one turned-out to have a distinct theme, different color scheme and promoted some cause or sponsor.  I saw the silhouette of a cow.  Then I saw bright prime colors.  I never got close enough to investigate the theme or the sponsor as I hurried away from the airport.

So it goes with jewellery stores.  A person walking down the street or mall looks upon your store and recognizes through the silhouette that you are a vendor of jewellery.  But then they begin to recognize the differences between you and other jewellers.  They see colors, displays, counter-cards, and people dressed in a certain way.  If they like what they initially see, they may actually look at your product.

From the superficial trappings that mark you as a jewellery store to the colors, textures, lighting, dress-code and millwork that begin to whet their appetite, you set the stage for customer expectations.  Those expectations will mentally be compared to your presentation of the product.  If the expectations are met, then there is a clear path to making a sale.  If they expect one thing and you demonstrate another, they will be distracted by the incongruity.

The movie preview promises an action-packed suspense thriller.  The movie actually takes-on a more subtle story line and a relaxed pace.  It may be a great movie but because you were expecting something else, you feel like the producers tricked you into buying a ticket.

I think Ben Moss has done one of the best jobs of creating an accurate silhouette with their bright stores and colorful murals.  They don’t have dark-stained hardwood millwork and curved glass cabinets.  I’m sure they could afford such luxurious settings, but it would send the wrong message.  Keep this in mind if you are planning on remodeling. 

Until then, make sure that you take advantage of dress-codes, service and sales presentations.  Don’t try to be ultra-funky and modern if you have classic, conservative jewellery to show.  If you boast the finest products and a rich history, your repair service had better be top-notch too.  Don’t try to be overly formal if you’ve brought-in a bunch of clearance merchandise to supplement your half-off sale. 

Think of your customer experience as the paint on that cow.  What colors and shapes are required to artistically reflect the experience that awaits them inside?

Time for some “potty-talk.”

My wife’s cousin hires young people to work on loading docks.  One of his hiring questions is, “have you ever cleaned a toilet.”  An unusual question, but the point is, a mature person will do what needs doing.  Your mom does not follow you around erasing your messes.  They just accumulate.  Eeewwww.

When I started in retail jewellery in 1987 at Forest of Jewels in Heritage Mall Edmonton, I had no idea that it would be the beginning of my life’s passion.  I think Guy Forest was just happy to have another male to talk to.  Despite what some strains of modern psychology say, there are distinct differences between men and women.  Men stand, ladies sit.  It wasn’t long before one of the ladies I worked with firmly suggested that I wipe the rim of the toilet bowl after using.  I didn’t think I was that messy, but I made a habit of making sure the toilet was clean and shiny after use.  Also, after drying my hands with paper-towel, I use it to wipe around the sink.  Two simple things that ensured that nobody ever had to cleanup my disgusting mess.

Whenever I use a washroom where the same care is not taken, I realize that someone in that workplace has never stepped-up and made the “firm suggestion” that everyone have a hand in keeping a tidy and sanitary workplace.  So, here it is.  Even if you can’t see your sprinkles fellas, they’re there and you need to wipe them up.  Use the toilet brush when necessary.  Toothpaste and soap don’t spontaneously evaporate.  It takes a rinse and maybe even a wipe to erase evidence of your trip to the loo.

If you don’t think it’s important enough, consider the client that needs to use your washroom.  What kind of impression are you making on them if it’s worse than a truck-stop rest room.

There.  Now it’s been said.  Everyone enjoy a nice clean workplace.  Then when it’s your turn to clean and disinfect the washroom and lunchroom, it won’t ruin your entire day.