Manager's To Do

Merchandising, Operations and Marketing To-Dos for Managers in December

Check off these action items as you go through the busiest month of the year.

Published

6 months ago

November 20, 2022

INSTORE Staff Instore November 2022 Issue

Dec. 4-10

MERCHANDISING The new “it” color from Pantone is typically announced in early December. Be sure to set up a case highlighting colored gemstone jewelry in whatever hue it is or come up with a custom promotion offering to play on it. (Savvy jewelry collectors love to be at the forefront of fashion.)

OPERATIONS When holidays are at their most hectic, a bathroom can offer a welcome refuge. Get your restroom in the holiday mood with a few extra touches, such as a portable lamp with a colored shade, holiday towels and a scented candle.

INVENTORY Watch your reports like a hawk. Start taking small markdowns on slower selling items to help clear case space for bestselling items during the last two weeks of the holiday season.

Dec. 11-17

MANAGEMENT Two weeks to go until Christmas. Do a 10- or 15-minute huddle each morning to go over the previous day’s results, today’s goals, and what’s coming up (marketing, special financing, etc.).

MARKETING Start posting photos of your two bestselling jewelry pieces on Facebook each day. Post the first when you open and the other around 3 p.m. Ask each of your employees to post at least one photo a day to your store’s Instagram account (and don’t forget the hashtags!). Watch for feedback and keep the conversation going.

SOCIAL MEDIA Unveil a “12 Gems of Christmas” campaign on your social media channels: one gemstone a day. Be sure the chosen gem gets prominent display and that someone on staff is wearing a nice example of the gem of the day. (See our October lead for additional ideas on selling colored gemstones.)

Dec. 18-24

IN-STORE Double-check every piece and pane of case glass to see that it is sparkling. Don’t let smudges sow seeds of doubt in your customers’ minds.

MARKETING Last week before Christmas — resend your “Holiday Gift Guide” email with helpful shopping ideas.

MARKETING Plot a paid Facebook campaign to run from Dec. 25: “Was your gift the wrong size? We have an express service so your stunning new jewelry will be ready to be worn on New Year’s Eve.”

SALESFLOOR Customer waiting for a purchase to be gift-wrapped? Make their wait pay off. Use any available staff members to clean the customer’s other jewelry while they wait.

Dec. 25-31

INVENTORY Figure out which inventory failed to live up to expectations and needs to go. It’s post-Christmas sales time — certain customers have been waiting all year for this. Don’t let them leave without a slow seller.

PLANNING Have a meeting to discuss how the holidays went and what could have been done better. Discuss broad targets for the 2023 season.

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