Independents
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Jewelers host events, avoid talk of economy
By Michelle Graff
December 12, 2008
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| Events, like this watch fair, held Oct. 24-25 at Wixon Jewelers in Bloomington, Minn., are one way to draw in customers this year. |
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Carmel, Ind.--At Moyer Fine Jewelers, the calendar will be fuller than usual this holiday season, with a trade-up-your-diamond soiree, silver trunk shows featuring David Yurman and John Hardy, and various other selling events aimed at packing customers in.
Normally, the store hosts just two to three "mainstay" events in anticipation of the holiday rush, but this year, owner Dan Moyer is hosting more at a time when consumers in Carmel, Ind., a bedroom community near Indianapolis, feel hard hit by the stock market.
"We know we're going to have to talk to more people to make the same kind of sales," he says. "Business isn't off that much, but it's off."
His attitude mirrored that of other independents, who told National Jeweler that
instead of succumbing to what analysts predict will be a less-than-merry holiday shopping season, they will concentrate on creating an upbeat store atmosphere and hosting special events for customers. (A NationalJeweler online poll revealed that 19 percent of jewelers planned to hold more events this year, while 52 percent were holding fewer and 27 percent planned to hold the same number of events.)
At Moyer's store, his key sales tactic this holiday season is to create a positive atmosphere and avoid any talk of the economy.
"One of our themes [is] when you walk through the front door at Moyer, you're walking into happy town," he says.
Moyer says staffers will try to sell customers all that they can, even if those clients have less money to spend. And, as has always been the case, the store will be willing to make some concessions on price for longtime customers.
"Happy town" is also a theme resonating at Wixon Jewelers in Bloomington, Minn., where owner Hope Wixon worries that stock market declines could lead to a drop-off in big sales. But she's not passing that concern along to customers and neither are her sales associates.
"They're not allowed to discuss the economy or bring up people's 401(k)s," Wixon says. "Once people start talking about it...it just passes through the whole store."
If the Dow Jones index or the state of someone's individual retirement account somehow sneaks its way into the discussion, sales associates have been instructed to change the subject or give customers another perspective. For example, they might tell customers that if they aren't retiring soon, there is no need to worry about their 401(k)s.
Wixon says she will also use the effective tips she has learned from Ex-sell-ence sales academy's well-known jewelry sales guru Shane Decker. One favorite: "wowing" customers with merchandise as they are getting their rings sized or watch batteries changed.
"We've picked up a lot of business from just showing, and it is mandatory," she says.
At events, 'it's the emotion'
At The Diamond Shop in Lewiston, Idaho, Mike Haines is coming off of the biggest year in sales in the store's 82-year history and is maintaining a "very optimistic" outlook for the future.
He agrees that business is going to be a little down this year, noting that his sales figures were already off 3 percent in October. But he's not throwing in the towel on Christmas.
"I'm not saying the economy hasn't affected foot traffic, but that doesn't mean you can't go about your daily operations and create sales," he says.
Haines says that his store targeted women looking for diamond upgrades, as well as those ready for an engagement ring, earlier this fall at a very successful "Celebrating Romance" loose diamond event, which emphasized the romance the stones hold for generations.
"It was a good promotion for us," Haines says. "It's the emotion, you know."
Cognizant that consumers may be wary this year, he is imploring his staff to do an excellent job of greeting customers and creating a positive atmosphere this season.
"I do not want to hear the gloom-and-doom talk," Haines says. "I do not want people talking about the stock market or politics. I want them talking about birthdays or anniversaries."
The same kind of cheerfulness will be cultivated at Wick and Greene Jewelers in Asheville, N.C., where owner Michael Greene has begun role-playing exercises with his staff, training them on how to handle customers who bring up the economy or personal financial woes.
"We talk about how you talk about the positive things and keep people on a positive mindset," Greene says. "It's not as dire as many people would have us believe."
Greene, who advocates the new American Gem Society sales training program, says the management team always emphasizes the importance of add-on sales to the store's staff, with this mantra: "The best customer you have is the one who is buying something right in front of you."
The store also utilizes wish lists, completed at the time of any purchase and sent via e-mail or through a phone call, to a person of the purchaser's choosing. Greene says wish lists almost always yield sales.
"Does it work with everybody?" he says. "No, it works nine out of 10 times. It works exceedingly well. Wish lists are very important."
Sale-ebrate good times
Here are some tips for making sales in what could be a difficult holiday season:
- Accentuate the positive. If one customer is happy and buying jewelry, it can create positive energy that permeates throughout the store.
- Keep the dialogue light. Talk to sales associates about how to handle situations in which customers bring up hot-button topics, such as the economy.
- Incorporate events. Special events are a great way to get people into the store, even those who weren't planning on buying jewelry this holiday season.
- Emphasize the add-on. Once customers are in, make sure that you sell them all you can.
- Foster relationships. Keep in touch with regular clients by sending out holiday cards, or birthday/anniversary reminders.
Editor's note: This story first appeared in the December 2008 print edition of National Jeweler.
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More Independents
Paso Robles, Calif.--Eleven percent of Jewelry Consumer Opinion Council (JCOC) panel members plan to purchase fine jewelry or watches as a gift this holiday season, with 82 percent of this group believing they are either somewhat or extremely likely to do so, according to the JCOC's Pre Holiday study. Read More
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