Sales Strategy
Jimmy DeGroot’s Holiday ‘Retail Relief’ Playbook | September 25, 2025 (0 comments)
Appleton, WI--If you’re already feeling the fourth-quarter jitters, you’re not alone. On the Slow Growth Business Podcast, Kyle Bullock and I tackled “retail relief” for jewelers—and spoiler alert—it isn’t a chair massage and a pizza party. Relief comes from culture, clarity and courage.
First, culture. If you really want the truth about your store’s vibe, ask the newest hire. Veterans (and even managers) often tell you what you want to hear; fresh eyes tell you what you need to hear. If a newcomer says, “I don’t feel welcomed,” “I don’t know where I fit,” or they’re already asking about pay and path—those are culture flags. You can’t med-spa your way out of that. Treat your people as “customer zero.” When they feel valued and supported, the customer feels it too.
Second, simplify the job. Most sales teams are doing ten things and doing none of them with excellence. During the holidays, your salespeople should do two things exceptionally well: 1) show and sell jewelry, and 2) have meaningful conversations. Everything else—batteries, tagging, clerical—gets pushed to the margins or delayed. Owners, that applies to you too. Your one thing: love and support the team. Be the runner, the wrapper, the “What do you need?” person. Turn over sales when you can and remove friction so they can sell.
Third, eliminate the anchors. We’ve all carried categories or services that look busy on paper but sink profit in practice. Do the math. We’ve seen lines grow from $300,000 to $500,000 in sales while quietly losing $200K in time and labor. Classic example: time-eating watchband work that steals selling hours and sanity. If it doesn’t drive profit or a memorable client experience, cut it—especially now.
Finally, give your new folks a tight, winnable plan:
- Memorize the fast sellers (items that sold within 180 days and were reordered) and exactly where they live in the cases.
- Put those fast sellers on customers—early and often. “Can I show you something amazing before you go?”
- Start conversations, don’t force transactions. Even a “No” guides you to a better “Yes.”
- Use the magic phrase: “I don’t know, but I will find out.” Batch your questions; get answers once.
The north star is simple: Reduce complexity, elevate culture, and focus the team on the two actions that actually move the needle. Do that, and you won’t just survive December—you’ll create the kind of calm, confident store that sells more and smiles more. That’s real retail relief.
James (Jimmy) DeGroot is a professional jewelry sales and operations trainer from the jeweler’s side of the counter. Having been in management and the jewelry business for over 20 years, Jimmy offers weekly training to jewelers nationwide via the Train Retail website. Jimmy and his partner Kyle Bullock help jewelry stores grow their profits and their people to fulfill their greater purpose! We do it through one-on-one business coaching, sales training, and leadership development. Contact Jimmy at jimmy@trainretail.com or call 920-492-1191.