Genuine Concern

I liked what I heard.  It was an ad for a glass company; talking about how dangerous it is to drive around with a cracked windshield.  They made the issue so darn critical that they didn’t care which shop you went to, for safety’s sake just get down there and have it looked at!  Chances are, if they are the ones telling you about the impending doom about to befall you for having a cracked windshield, you’ll patronize them.  After all they were the only ones who cared enough to spend the money on these benevolent public service announcements.

In what way could you use this paradigm in your jewellery marketing?  You could warn people about white gold discoloring when serviced (if you have a good solution to rhodium-plating troubles.)  You could warn diamond shoppers against inferior diamond certificates or non-certificated diamonds (if you are the one in town who has certified diamonds that will stand-up to any scrutiny.)  You might cause concern over diamond security from inferior retipping techniques (if your goldsmith avoids solder-tips and has a proven track record of precise and secure repairs.)

You see how this works?  Put your clients on alert to something that you have the best solution for.  Warning: if you make a big deal out of it and don’t truly have the top capabilities, you’re shining a light on your own inadequacies.  This only works if the problem is scary and your solution is genuine.

One Good Turn...

Your goldsmith thought they were doing you a favor when they gave the diamond an eighth of a turn while tightening the claws so that the girdle engraving was made visible.  The turn also revealed a previously hidden feather that extends to the girdle.  Your client might think that the stone has been switched or that the goldsmith damaged their precious diamond.  They might even be able to feel the natural on the girdle with their fingernail.

To quote Dennis Hopper’s character Howard Payne from the movie Speed, “Pop quiz, hotshot … What do you do?”

Well, first you could ask the goldsmith to restore the diamond to its’ previous orientation.  The only problem with that is the goldsmith might be averse to putting pressure on a feather lest they cause a fracture.  You could hope that the client will never notice.  If you decide to tell the client about it, do you call them right away, or do you wait to tell them in person when they pick-up their ring?  How do you explain this in a way that will satisfy them?

C2A (call to action) – Read this posting at your next staff meeting or while you’re setting up the store.  Discuss any such situations in the past and how they were handled.  Decide what is the best course of action if this were to happen in the future.  It’s not a common occurrence, but it does crop-up from time to time and being prepared will empower all staff to choose the best course of action.

Additional points to ponder:

- Is there a certification with plotting to refer back to?

- Do all clients look closely at their chosen feature diamond through a microscope before it’s bought?  Does that help?

- Can you confidently explain the difference between a fracture and a natural?

- How much might you condemn a diamond you’re trying to sell by disclosing that there may be inclusions hidden by the setting?

- Are there any steps you can take during repair intakes to minimize the risk?

Have fun with this topic.  It’s extremely tricky.

Sometimes it’s the notes you don’t play…

I love the media.  They can sensationalize anything with a spin.  But the truly sublime reporter can allow his readers the pleasure of drawing their own juicy, scandalous conclusions.

The recent incident involving the wife of a Manitoba senator being charged with airplane disturbance is such a case.  Apparently she “had uttered threats against her husband and also threatened to take down the plane.”  In one part of the article the reporter stated that she was 23 years old, and in a separate paragraph indicated that the senator is 69 years of age.  Nowhere did he say that “the spoiled young gold-digging trophy-bride is beginning the process of taking her businessman-philanthropist-senator to the cleaners after less than a year of marriage.”  He left that for his readers to fill-in the blanks. 

I actually hope my scandalous conclusion is wrong and they live happily ever after, but there’s a marketing lesson to be learned.  You don’t have to spell EVERTHING out for EVERYONE when you present a marketing message. 

- A simple photo of a man crammed into a doghouse with his arm outstretched offering a piece of jewellery may be all you need.  It says “guys occasionally screw-up and have a hard time expressing our regret, so buy her a piece of jewellery, and you’ll get your butt out of the doghouse.”

 - An amazing diamond ring with the caption, “this is her 400hp-zero-to-60-in-3.8-second dream come true” says “if you want to get your sports car that she doesn’t understand, maybe you should get her that diamond that you don’t understand; then everyone will be happy.”

Sometimes it’s the notes you don’t play that add color to a song.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2012/08/24/sk-senator-wife-charged.html

Well Done, Ladies!

I had the pleasure of witnessing some very good teamwork today.  A client was entering the store, and the manager says to her ace salesperson, “go show them the three solitaires and try to keep it to those three.”  The ace salesperson says, “do you want me to get involved, or just hover?”  The manager replies, “no, just let them compare the three designs.  I think they’re ready to make a decision…”

What I was impressed with was the quick and effective communication.  The manager knew the clients and had worked with them previously.  In her opinion the sale was best handled with the clients being given room to narrow their decision before the ace came-in to close the deal.  When a team is operating on all cylinders, it doesn’t matter who closes the sale as long as the client gets what they want before leaving your store.

I hope you all talk to each other.  I hope you have communicated so much that you’ve developed your own vernacular when it comes to handling clients.  I hope you recognize when the store’s best interest is served by involving someone else in the sale.  It’s called a “turnover;” not the kind that contains fruit, but is indeed fruitful for building your business.

Show Up

<Sidebar> The headline for this post is a double-entendre.  For those who know that I’ve spent the past couple of weeks at jewellery shows, they might read “show up” and assume it relates to increased sales at the recent Western Canadian Jewellery Expo.  I don’t mind if some people read the headline and believe that everything my team and I touch turns to gold. In actuality our sales were down about 9%, primarily reflective of two retailers who placed large orders last year not in attendance this year.

What I mean by “show up” this morning is to never forget the power of your presence.  You can blog, tweet, post, advertise, email, phone and text all you want, but some people will only come to trust you when you’re standing right in front of them.  In person.

My lovely and talented wife, Jana attended a Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting yesterday with Christy Clark.  For all you see and hear about someone in a high profile position such as premier of B.C., Jana never developed any sort of meaningful impression about our provincial potentate … until yesterday.  Stories from Clark’s past as “youngest child,” “mother” and “caregiver for ailing mother” made her a relatable character.  Her effective handling of questions on tough issues earned Jana’s respect.  Her commitment to put herself in front of a group of businesswomen in little-old Nanaimo was much appreciated.

As a business owner, store manager or someone who is entrusted with highly valuable purchases, you have high standing in your community.  Show-up.  Share your life.  Answer tough questions with integrity.  Speaking at a networking event, chairing a meeting or emceeing a function is stressful for most people including myself.  Doing so can be a sacrifice of time and mental energy.  Do it anyway.  People honor sacrifice.