Events & AwardsMay 22, 2026
Instore Buys JA New York ShowThe deal closed this week, which means Instore will produce the JA NY show slated to take place this fall.
IndependentsOct 30, 2017
11 Quick Tips for Motivating Your Employees This Season
Industry experts and leaders share ways to inspire and drive team members to make sales and stay focused during the busy holiday season.
New York--The holiday season isn’t far off, which means it’s almost time for the most important sales period of the year for many retailers.
But big shopping and big spending can also mean long hours, potential burnout and distractions for store employees.
To help, Kate Peterson, president and CEO of Performance Concepts; Jeff Corey, owner of Day’s Jewelers; and Brian Madson, adviser with The Edge Retail Academy, shared some tips with National Jeweler to help store owners and managers keep their staff motivated and focused during the holiday hours.
1. Incentivize. Though it might not be the primary motivator for all sales staff, money is an important incentive to maximize individual sales, Corey said. Day’s has an incentive program that offers a monetary reward to sales associates who achieve monthly sales goals, as well as an enhanced incentive offered to the team members who exceed their sales goal by 10 percent.
Madson also encouraged sales contests throughout the month to reward employees for selling special inventory items, with rewards like movie tickets and gift cards.
2. Better with age. Corey said they also offer additional monetary incentives to associates who sell aged merchandise to help move product.
3. Dole out praise. “Recognition for a job well done can be an exceptionally powerful motivator,” Corey said.
At Day’s, they continuously recognize employees who have made an important sale via the company intranet, private Facebook page and the printed newsletter mailed to each employee’s home monthly. These posting include a photo of the employee along with an image of the item he or she sold.
4. Include the team. Day’s makes it a part of the company culture to involve sales staff in all decisions affecting them, including product selection, display, sales strategy and more.
“Being part of the planning process, knowing that their thoughts and opinions are valued, inspires them to be the best they can be,” Corey said.
5. Train, train, train. It’s important for the store to provide the necessary practice and education for its team. Day’s is “aggressively” offering a number of training opportunities for sales staff in an effort to give them the tools they need to be the best at their jobs.
6. Get ahead on the schedule. Have a marketing plan in place for events and outreach well ahead of time, with key dates on the calendars,
so everyone is on the same page. Create to-do lists for events and assign items to team members so roles are clear, and schedule social media posts ahead of time.
7. Have a concrete list. Print out a list of the wish list inventory and contact customers to create holiday sales opportunities, Madson said. Clean up the wish lists as you go, removing dated items and/or adding new items.
8. Plan the work calendar ahead of time. This will allow for plenty of time to assess payroll demands, according to Madson. Increase the staff level to accommodate busy times and lunches and breaks. Make sure your top salespeople are always available to sell first. Also, Madson suggested, order lunch on your busiest days for your team as a morale booster.
9. Review. Throughout the holiday season, actively review strategies on how to sell to different customer types, product knowledge so the team is well versed on the features and benefits, and turnover strategies, with role playing included at team meetings to make the most of every opportunity.
10. Think outside the “carrot-and-stick” box. Peterson said that experience has taught her that retail business owners have the greatest success when they work to inspire their employees as a means of keeping them at the top of their games.
Do this by aligning employee values and interests with your own: Make the effort to understand each employee’s personal goals and objectives and learn what they need in terms of tools, training, coaching and mentoring to achieve them. Deliver for them by being present and leading by example every day.
11. Be consistent. Peterson added that keeping employees focused on both company goals and their own also requires some consistency. Keep priorities front-of-mind and avoid flipping randomly from one idea to the next to allow people the chance to follow through.
7. Have a concrete list. Print out a list of the wish list inventory and contact customers to create holiday sales opportunities, Madson said. Clean up the wish lists as you go, removing dated items and/or adding new items.
8. Plan the work calendar ahead of time. This will allow for plenty of time to assess payroll demands, according to Madson. Increase the staff level to accommodate busy times and lunches and breaks. Make sure your top salespeople are always available to sell first. Also, Madson suggested, order lunch on your busiest days for your team as a morale booster.
9. Review. Throughout the holiday season, actively review strategies on how to sell to different customer types, product knowledge so the team is well versed on the features and benefits, and turnover strategies, with role playing included at team meetings to make the most of every opportunity.
10. Think outside the “carrot-and-stick” box. Peterson said that experience has taught her that retail business owners have the greatest success when they work to inspire their employees as a means of keeping them at the top of their games.
Do this by aligning employee values and interests with your own: Make the effort to understand each employee’s personal goals and objectives and learn what they need in terms of tools, training, coaching and mentoring to achieve them. Deliver for them by being present and leading by example every day.
11. Be consistent. Peterson added that keeping employees focused on both company goals and their own also requires some consistency. Keep priorities front-of-mind and avoid flipping randomly from one idea to the next to allow people the chance to follow through.
More on Independents
The Latest
FinancialsMay 22, 2026
Richemont’s Jewelry Brands Lead the Charge in Q4The company’s jewelry sales were up in Q4 and the fiscal year, with Richemont raising prices in part because of the cost of gold.
CollectionsMay 22, 2026
Leigh Maxwell Celebrates 5 Years at Couture With ‘Bauble’ CollectionThe “Bauble” capsule collection of colorful one-of-a-kinds includes our Piece of the Week, the “Bauble” earrings, featuring rose zircon.
Brought to you by
All Eyes on Gold Prices. Alternatives to Look For. And What to BEWARE of in VegasAs gold prices rise, today’s retailers are looking for alternatives at prices that will appeal to wider audiences.
MajorsMay 22, 2026
Stuller’s New Packaging, Display Catalog Is Out The updated catalog has a newly dedicated section for gift wrapping.
Weekly QuizMay 21, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
PodcastsMay 21, 2026
Episode 5: Sotheby’s Frank Everett Puts the Auction Market in PerspectiveEverett covers colored stones’ surging popularity, the mellow return of the “Mellon Blue,” and his “The Devil Wears Prada” doppelgänger.
Events & AwardsMay 21, 2026
JA Announces Nina Pugliese Memorial ScholarshipThe new award, created in partnership with Henne Jewelers, honors the late designer’s legacy through supporting jewelry education.
Brought to you by
How Modern Training Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage for Jewelry RetailersWith the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.
SourcingMay 21, 2026
Botswana, Angola Join WFDBThe addition of the diamond-producing countries as nation affiliated members broadens the federation’s global representation, WFDB said.
CrimeMay 20, 2026
NYPD Warns of Jewelry Swap Scams Targeting SeniorsThe NYPD is warning elderly New Yorkers to keep their jewelry hidden when walking outside to avoid being a target.
Events & AwardsMay 20, 2026
Here Is Couture’s 2026 Education Lineup The sessions will run from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31, with one being a live taping of an episode of Couture’s podcast.
Lab-GrownMay 20, 2026
Savannah Friedkin Jewelry Names New CEOFormer Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry executive Morgan P. Richardson is joining the lab-grown diamond jewelry brand.
WatchesMay 19, 2026
Here’s the AP x Swatch Pocket Watch That Caused PandemoniumThe $400 pocket watch is a blend of Audemars Piguet’s iconic eight-sided Royal Oak and Swatch’s unserious Pop watches from the ‘80s.
CollectionsMay 19, 2026
Chris Ploof’s New Collection Makes an Ancient Metal ModernWith gold prices on the rise, the “Modern Electrum” collection uses an alternative, non-tarnishing metal alloy composed of gold and silver.
IndependentsMay 19, 2026
Ellen and Michael Fruchtman Retire, Sell Marketing Agency Fruchtman Marketing has new owners, Erin Moyer-Carballea and Manuel Carballea, and will relocate to Miami.
ColumnistsMay 19, 2026
Peter Smith: The (Mostly) Immutable Sales TruthsIn a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Smith lists 10 time-tested principles about sales that still ring true.
ColumnistsMay 18, 2026
Edahn Golan: What a K-Shaped Economy Means for Fine JewelryIn a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Golan spells out how the growing economic divide in the U.S. is reshaping the market.
CollectionsMay 18, 2026
Foundrae’s New Collection Taps Into JoyThe “Limitless Expansion of Joy and Hope” collection evokes summer through colored gemstones and motifs of butterflies and florals.
CollectionsMay 18, 2026
Hancocks London Acquires Historic ‘Inchiquin’ EmeraldThe jewel, circa 1890, is from the late Victorian era and was owned by descendants of the last high king of Ireland.
Events & AwardsMay 18, 2026
Here Are the 2026 JCK Industry Fund Grant Recipients This is what the nine recipients plan to do with the funds.
AuctionsMay 15, 2026
American Collector Ponies Up Almost $17K for John Wayne’s RingThe Western star’s 14-karat gold signet ring sold for six times its low estimate following a bidding war at U.K. auction house Elmwood’s.
Events & AwardsMay 15, 2026
JA, MJSA To Sponsor Roundtable at TJSThe discussion, "Rebuilding the Jewelry Workforce," will take place on Saturday, May 16, in Troy, Michigan.
SourcingMay 15, 2026
State of Diamonds: The Way Forward for Natural DiamondsThe jewelry industry is reassessing its positioning as Gen Z reshapes the retail landscape and lab grown continues to gain market share.
AuctionsMay 14, 2026
White Diamonds Lead Sotheby’s Auction, Blue Diamond Does Not SellA matching pair of 18.38-carat, D-color diamonds from Botswana’s Jwaneng mine sold for $3.3 million, the top lot of the jewelry auction.
Supplier BulletinMay 14, 2026
A Diamond Is Forever Continues Desert Diamonds – Bridal ReinvigoratedSponsored by A Diamond Is Forever
SourcingMay 14, 2026
State of Colored Stones: The Spirit of Young American Gemstone CuttersThe next generation of lapidarists are entrepreneurial, engaged online, and see the craft as a means for artistic expression.
AuctionsMay 14, 2026
‘Ocean Dream’ Makes Waves at Christie’s, Fetching $17MIt was the second auction appearance for the fancy vivid blue-green diamond, which sold for $7.8 million at Christie’s Geneva 12 years ago.
