This document discusses email templates, recruiting strategies, hiring practices, and tips for merchandising roles. It provides examples of common email templates for interview requests, rejections, new hire paperwork, welcome letters, scheduling PTMs, leaves of absence. Recruiting ideas mentioned include using current PTMs for referrals, job boards, churches, job fairs. When hiring, the document emphasizes finding candidates who can handle merchandising for large stores like Walmart by being upfront about the job, conducting interviews in large stores, and training in Walmart accounts. Random tips mentioned Sign-Up Genius and UPS tracking app.
2. Topics to be Covered
• 1. Email Templates
• 2. Recruiting Ideas (other than Pontoon, of
course)
• 3. Hiring the RIGHT people
• 4. Random Tips and other useful information
3. Email Templates
• Most common templates:
- 1. Interview Request
- 2. Interview Rejection Letter
- 3. New Hire Paperwork Email (W4, Driver’s
License and SS Card, I9, and Tax Credit)
- 4. Welcome Email (ADP, AGC, ESS information)
- 5. PTM Work With
- 6. Leave of absence
- 7. Walmart Market Manager templates
6. New Hire Paperwork Email
•Carla,
•We need to complete your paperwork to get your started with American Greetings.
•
•· Please print, fill out, and email the attached W4 back to me.
•· Fill out your I9: go to: https://ei9.adp.com/ei9/public/index.html?clientId=AGPAYS I have attached the
instructions on how to complete this.
•· Fill out the tax credit with the link below. You will need to click the continue button under the tax credit.
•https://wotc.adp.com/?amgreetings
•· Please scan and email me a copy of your Driver’s License and SS card.
•Thanks!
•Matthew Moore
•Territory Sales Manager
•Territory 1830
•Matthew.moore@amgreetings.com
•Cell: (984) 289-2718
•<image001.png>
8. PTM Work With
• Hello everyone,
• I hope you are having a wonderful week! If you are receiving this message, I would like to work with you next week. Please see
tentative schedule below.
• Even if you do not have a call scheduled for the store I am visiting, please come anyways.
• These are the dates and times I will be in your area, please make arrangements to be at the store on the requested time. Only
actual previous conflicts will be subject to a change in time/date.
• I look forward to seeing you!
• Monday 8th
• Cynthia Ercoloni
• 10:30AM – Walmart Hendersonville
• Carol White
• 2:00PM – Target
• Tuesday 9th
• (Interviews in the AM)
• Betty Rector
• 1:30 – Target
• Wednesday 10th
• Thursday 11th
10. Walmart Marking Manager Into
• Greetings,
• I am writing you today to introduce myself as your Area Supervisor for your Market_____. I have had
the pleasure of meeting and working with your store managers, ____,______,_____ and look forward to
meeting with you in the near future.
•
• Increasing American Greetings presence in all of your stores has driven successful year-over-year sales
growth in the card, gift wrap, and party business,
• We want to keep the momentum going, so I’d like to meet in person so we can build a strong
partnership and work together to drive sales in one of the highest margin categories in your store. At
this meeting, I can provide the following information:
• A detailed review of your market with store level sales data
• Information on current and upcoming programs
• An overview of upcoming Seasonal business strategies
• Solutions for any opportunity areas we find
• I’d also like to get your thoughts on how we’re doing and what we can do to serve you even better.
•
• I will call your Marketing Assistant or drop by store ___ to schedule an appointment to go over these
important topics with you and ensure we give you 100% service excellence to drive retail
• Productivity.
•
• Look forward to meeting with you,
11. Marketing Manager Intro 2• Greetings,
•
• I wanted to take this time to introduce myself, ________, the Area Supervisor for American Greetings
who covers your market ___. Did you know that selling three greeting cards equals the same
operating income as $177 worth of groceries!
• I help ensure your stores are kept fully stocked and looking their best at all times for the occasions your
customers are celebrating. I’ve attached an overview of this sales data for your market, which reflects
the ___ store that is primarily serviced by American Greetings. The other ____of your stores are
primarily serviced by Hallmark and only AG sales are reflected on this report..
•
• I welcome the opportunity to meet in person so we can build a strong partnership and work together to
drive sales in one of the highest margin categories in your store. At this meeting, I can provide the
following information:
• A detailed review of your market with store level sales data
• Information on current and upcoming programs
• An overview of upcoming Seasonal business strategies
• Solutions for any opportunity areas we find
• I’d also like to get your thoughts on how we’re doing and what we can do to serve you even better.
•
• Lastly, I’d like to share a short video from the Las Vegas market exemplifying the strong partnership
American Greetings can have in your stores:
http://corp2.imgag.com/FSO/Walmart_Market_Managers.wmv
• I will call your Marketing Assistant, _____, within the next week to schedule a specific time so we can
meet in person and continue our collaboration well into the future.
•
• Sincerely,
•
12. Marketing Manager Meeting Request
• From: Select DM/TSM
• To: Walmart Market Manager
• BCC: Select RVP
• Subject: Early Christmas Planning Meeting
• Dear ,
•
• Hello from American Greetings! As you know, the holiday season is rapidly approaching. Christmas is
one of the biggest greeting card holidays. We constantly look for ways to increase our sales over the
prior year, and feel it’s best to begin thinking about Christmas card and gift packaging execution
early.
• Over 80% of shoppers begin holiday shopping well before December. To capture these early sales,
we’re planning to set our top six collectible Christmas ornaments on Celebrations Endcap in select
stores on Monday, Aug. 15. We also have up to 16 feet of cards and gift packaging setting in the
Garden Center on Sept. 26 to complete the holiday destination.
• As we prepare for the upcoming holidays, I welcome the opportunity to briefly sit down with you and
discuss current sales trends and new ideas to execute this holiday season. With the high margin
contribution of greeting card and gift packaging sales, we really want to capitalize on every
opportunity during this busy season.
• If you have a moment to meet and begin strategizing, please let me know a store, date and time that
works well for you. I look forward to a successful holiday season for Walmart and American
Greetings!
•
• Regards,
13. Recruiting Ideas
- 1. Have our PTMs help us recruit. Tell them
about the $25 incentive for referrals
- 2. Job boards, job fairs, local churches (usually
in more rural areas), Chamber of Commerce,
Goodwill Job center, and schools
- 3. Store managers
- 4. Merchandisers for other companies
14. Hiring the RIGHT people
• This can be a challenge.
• Hire every merchandiser with this question in mind: “Can they handle a
Walmart?” If the answer is no, move to the next candidate
- 1. During the interview, be up front about the job
- 2. Always hold interviews in a Target or Walmart when possible
- 3. Attempt to hold the interviews in a store that is above standard
- 4. Schedule in time during the interview to walk the department
- 5. Ask a memorization question. Example: Recite the LOVE clean sweep
method and have them recite back what each letter means
- 6. Always train merchandisers in Walmart accounts, even if the Req is for
smaller stores
- 7. If you believe a person will work out, hire them anyways. Train them in
a Walmart and tell them at first they will be support until stores open up
- 8. Always ask how many hours they are looking for
15. Random Tips
• Sign-Up Genius
http://www.signupgenius.com/
Uses: PTM reviews, revisions, etc.
• UPS Tracking App
Hinweis der Redaktion
Adding the comment on meeting even if the store does not have a call will tell the merchandiser it is ok to meet if they are worried about this.
***This can be found within the FM documents inside the Walmart chain room
This is an example of a meeting request before the Christmas Holiday season
Referrals from already good merchandisers usually end up being the best recruiting method. You already know what kind of merchandiser they are, and most likely they will explain the job and its duties before you even sit down for the interview. In other words, they usually already know what to expect.
These are outside the box recruiting methods. Spreading the word. If you know a lot of merchandisers are in a church group, give them our recruiting cards to hand out.
Store managers often provide great candidates. They would never refer someone who they do not think will be able to handle a retail job. Plus, they usually know someone looking already.
Asking other merchandisers you find in stores is always a good idea. They already know the merchandising job fairly well and are familiar with the scheduling/working without a supervisor everyday.
Be up front: Always let the person know of the heavy lifting involved, always ask about availability during holiday times, always ask about the day after a major holiday. A good question to ask for holiday availability is: “Describe your typical week during Christmas.”
This will give the merchandiser the impression of how much cards are in our larger accounts. If they seem overwhelmed by the sheer size, they probably won’t make a good fit.
This gives a good example of what a store SHOULD look like. If they see a department that is below standard, they will automatically think that is acceptable
This goes back to #2, by showing the larger departments, we can get a good idea of how they will deal with it. A good idea is to have an everyday box there and ask them to lift the box onto a cart and to put out one of the cards (of course explain briefly about the cabinets and numbers so they are not lost).
If they cannot recite back at least 90% of the LOVE method, they probably will not retain information well throughout the training process.
This will lead to the very useful secondary merchandiser asset. If everyone you hire can handle a Walmart, then come seasonal time you will have many people to call on for backup. This also works for store coverage if a WM PTM quits.
The people who want to work often work out the best in the long run.
This is not a full time gig. If they respond with “looking for full time,” or “whatever you can give me,” then chances are this is not for them.
