MajorsOct 23, 2026
PGI USA Set to Close at Year’s EndThe closure is part of a global restructuring that also includes PGI winding down its operations in Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.
IndependentsJan 09, 2017
Marketing Minute: Stop Leaving Money on the Table
In 2017, jewelers need to figure out better, more productive ways to market their stores, columnist Jim Ackerman writes.
Jim Ackerman is a retail jewelry marketing expert who has spoken to jewelry retailers at JA New York, JCK, The Smart Jewelry Show and others. He can be reached at 800-584-7585, ext. 3 or by email at mail@ascendmarketing.com.
Forgive me a New Year’s boast, but several of our clients had incredible years in 2016.
This is something we at Ascend Marketing take pride in, and some credit for, because in each case we assisted them with the marketing that resulted in substantial--sometimes even dramatic--sales, revenue and profit increases.
But the real credit goes to the forward-thinking jewelers who came to a critical realization about their businesses and their roles within their businesses.
Kyle Bullock of Bullock’s Jewelry in Roswell, New Mexico, may have said it best: “Expected to be down 20 percent this year because of the oil issues in our area. Decided to get proactive and put our minds to work halfway through the year--we are beating last year's number! Special thanks to Jim Ackerman and Ascend Marketing for starting our season with a turnkey promo that has been the most profitable and successful promotion we’ve ever had to date!”
Not a bad claim from a 90-year-old store and a fourth-generation jeweler. Love it!
But the key sentence in that quote is NOT the accolade for me or our turnkey program. It’s in Kyle’s second sentence, “Decided to get proactive and put our minds to work.”
Kyle, Bonnie Harris Frey, Hadley Perry Pacheco and a host of others made a decision. They looked at their markets, the economy, the trends and their marketing and decided they were no longer content to just let things continue as they were; that there had to be better, more productive ways to do things. And most importantly, they acted on their decisions.
In each case, these independent jewelry store owners shifted their attitudes and their roles within the business. They began to realize that their primary responsibility to their enterprise is to bring people through the doors, and therefore their primary role within the business needed to shift to CMO or chief marketing officer.
They also realized that the old Yellow Pages/newspaper world of yesterday is gone, but the over-digitized marketing world of today has not yet been mastered. And in that realization they concluded they must move to a direct response approach to marketing, advertising and sales, which is testable, traceable, measurable and improvable.
Their actions toward that end made all the difference, as each experienced marketing initiatives and events that generated tens of thousands more for their stores than they had previously experienced.
Just a few quick examples ...
Harris Jewelers’ Bonnie Frey took a
different approach to an estate sale and generated $61,000 on a mailing to a list of just 312 people in one weekend. It generated nearly a 12 percent response at an expense of just $1,100.
Hadly Pacheco of Perry’s at Southpark does a customer appreciation event each Christmas. By changing her marketing to a direct response initiative sales went up by more than $198,000 this year over last (almost triple) with no increase in marketing costs.
And Bullock’s private sale to just 150 customers consisted of a two-page sales letter in a hand-addressed envelope with a live stamp. The $300 marketing investment generated upwards of $70,000 in one week, nearly $50,000 of which was profit.
Now, here is the question and the challenge for you.
How much money have you left on the table in the last five or 10 years because you have not made the same decisions that these jewelers and dozens of others of our clients have, to become a better marketer? How much did you leave on the table in 2016 alone?
Finally, will you continue to market as you have in the past, both in the attention you give to marketing and in the way you execute your marketing? And therefore, how many tens of thousands of dollars--or perhaps more--are you willing to leave on the table in 2017?
If you haven’t changed your attitude and approach to marketing, isn’t it time for you to do so?
Marketing speaker Jim Ackerman has addressed jewelry retailers at JA New York, JCK, The Smart Jewelry Show and others. Ackerman is providing National Jeweler readers with a $397 Marketing Fitness Check-up, for just $97 until January 31. Send an email request with your name and phone number to mail@ascendmarketing.com.
Hadly Pacheco of Perry’s at Southpark does a customer appreciation event each Christmas. By changing her marketing to a direct response initiative sales went up by more than $198,000 this year over last (almost triple) with no increase in marketing costs.
And Bullock’s private sale to just 150 customers consisted of a two-page sales letter in a hand-addressed envelope with a live stamp. The $300 marketing investment generated upwards of $70,000 in one week, nearly $50,000 of which was profit.
Now, here is the question and the challenge for you.
How much money have you left on the table in the last five or 10 years because you have not made the same decisions that these jewelers and dozens of others of our clients have, to become a better marketer? How much did you leave on the table in 2016 alone?
Finally, will you continue to market as you have in the past, both in the attention you give to marketing and in the way you execute your marketing? And therefore, how many tens of thousands of dollars--or perhaps more--are you willing to leave on the table in 2017?
If you haven’t changed your attitude and approach to marketing, isn’t it time for you to do so?
Marketing speaker Jim Ackerman has addressed jewelry retailers at JA New York, JCK, The Smart Jewelry Show and others. Ackerman is providing National Jeweler readers with a $397 Marketing Fitness Check-up, for just $97 until January 31. Send an email request with your name and phone number to mail@ascendmarketing.com.
More on Independents
The Latest
SourcingOct 23, 2026
Rachel Chalchinsky’s ‘Survivor Tribute’ RingThe ring, our Piece of the Week, was designed by eight-year breast cancer survivor Rachel Chalchinsky of Color Source Gems.
TechnologyOct 23, 2026
JA Unveils New Website, LogoThe website offers enhanced member benefit access, industry directories, educational resources, a job board, and access to the MJSA Journal.
Brought to you by
A Diamond Is Forever Launches 2026 Holiday Campaign Championing Natural DiamondsA Diamond Is Forever's holiday campaign reimagines natural diamond icons for a new generation celebrating individuality.
FinancialsOct 23, 2026
Kering’s Jewelry Sales Up Double Digits in Q3Boucheron and Pomellato had a strong third quarter, with Kering looking at jewelry as an increasingly important part of its portfolio.
Weekly QuizOct 22, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CrimeOct 22, 2026
Jeweler Shot and Killed in His Suburban Cincinnati Store Tara Sinchuri was the owner of Everest Jewels in Fairfield, Ohio, and a father of three. He was found dead in his store on Tuesday.
MajorsOct 22, 2026
Neiman Marcus Has Gifts for the Jewelry Lover Who Has EverythingBespoke experiences from Buccellati and Verdura are on the retailer’s 2026 “Fantasy Gifts” list.
Brought to you by
Open an Account, Get $50 Off Your First Order. No Code Needed.Built on Relationships. Refined by Craft.
Events & AwardsOct 22, 2026
JIS Fall 2026 Reports Record-Breaking Attendance The number of participants at the fall show was up 12 percent.
CollectionsOct 22, 2026
Billie Eilish, Finneas Co-Design Collection for John HardyThe Academy and Grammy award-winning siblings have collaborated with John Hardy on a new jewelry line inspired by their personal style.
PodcastsOct 21, 2026
Episode 10: This Episode Is Haunted Diana Singer shared the stories of two “cursed” diamonds on this month’s podcast, which was inexplicably riddled with technical issues.
SourcingOct 21, 2026
Venetia Mines Final Carats Ahead of 2-Year ShutdownThe De Beers-owned diamond mine in South Africa is being put on ice as part of a round of previously announced cost-cutting measures.
CollectionsOct 21, 2026
Helzberg, Nordstrom Carrying New Jewelry Collection From Off-WhiteThe collection centers designs with clean geometric lines, chunky sculptural pieces, and recognizable details from the luxury fashion brand.
SourcingOct 21, 2026
Gemfields’ Mixed-Quality Ruby Auction Earns $52MThe miner said it saw particularly strong prices for larger, fine-quality rubies at the sale.
CrimeOct 20, 2026
Security Guard Charged With Murder in Shooting at Texas MallThe guard opened fire on a man who was smashing a jewelry display case at La Gran Plaza in Fort Worth last week, police said.
SourcingOct 20, 2026
The $50M Victoria’s Secret ‘Fantasy Bra’ By The NumbersJacob & Co.'s diamond masterpiece is the most expensive Fantasy Bra ever worn on the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show runway.
CollectionsOct 20, 2026
Mignon Faget’s Collection Chooses Handmade Over AIThe “Atelier” collection was inspired by the tools, rituals, and objects in an artist’s studio as a quiet rebuttal to an automated world.
MajorsOct 19, 2026
The Knot to Acquire Rival Wedding Planning Platform ZolaThe pending acquisition is an “exciting opportunity” for wedding vendors to grow their business, said The Knot Worldwide’s CEO.
SourcingOct 19, 2026
Jewelry Design Competition Show Airs in Thailand"The Secret Gems" features eight Thai jewelry brands paired with a team of young craftspeople who create jewelry together to win challenges.
CollectionsOct 19, 2026
John Hardy Enters the Medallion Chat With Talisman Collection The brand’s “Modern Talisman” capsule collection introduces pendants inspired by the mythology, natural world, and spiritual ethos of Bali.
IndependentsOct 19, 2026
The Stories of 5 Jewelers Celebrating Their Centennials in 2026Independent jewelers from New Mexico to New Jersey answer the question: What has kept your store in business for 100 years?
SurveysOct 16, 2026
How Inflation, Gas Prices Will Affect Holiday Sales The NRF is expecting holiday sales to increase this year, but consumers and retailers alike are facing Grinch-like headwinds.
CollectionsOct 16, 2026
Christina Puchi’s Earrings Hold the UniverseOur Piece of the Week gathers the planets, represented by a variety of colored gemstones, in a pair of 14-karat yellow gold earrings.
IndependentsOct 16, 2026
Reeds Jewelers Expands, Relocates FlagshipThe New York-based jeweler is moving its Amherst flagship store to a larger location in nearby Snyder.
MajorsOct 16, 2026
Katy Chen Appointed Executive Vice President of Graff USA Chen, who worked at Cartier and Tiffany & Co., will lead retail sales and operations for the luxury jeweler’s 11 U.S. stores.
IndependentsOct 15, 2026
Retailer Hall of Fame 2026: Amy and Elise Greenberg For 40 years, sisters Amy and Elise Greenberg have helmed their 126-year-old family business, leading with appreciation and integrity.
ColumnistsOct 15, 2026
Peter Smith: What Is the Culture REP?It’s a term Smith coined and felt compelled to share following a bad experience with an aborted flight and an unfeeling flight attendant.
