FinancialsMar 10, 2026
Signet Jewelers’ Q4 Sales Fall Flat The jewelry giant released preliminary results for the fourth quarter and full year on Monday, with final results slated to come next week.
ColumnistsDec 17, 2019
The PR Adviser: Saying Good Riddance to 2019
Had a bad year? You’re not alone, writes our resident PR adviser, Lilian Raji, in her latest column.
Lilian Raji is a strategic communications and PR adviser who helps companies understand their marketing problems, then designs and executes strategies to solve them.
Happy holidays, dear readers!
We’re breaking from our usual Q&A format to dedicate 2019’s final column to those who’ve shared with me their business-crippling challenges of this year.
Those that know me well know I’m a 20-plus year student of astrology and will happily interpret your personal astrology chart, if you ask me nicely.
No, I’m not talking about those silly horoscopes that give astrology a bad name. I mean a real, mathematics-driven chart, composed of numbers, formulas and calculations.
While I don’t believe we’re governed by the stars, I do believe the stars can decipher the energy and environment around us.
For instance, those born in the ‘70s and early ‘80s have been riddled with obstacles for the past two years because the astrological numerical values of that era conflict with the values of this era. (This also applies to some born outside these years based on the mathematics of their personal chart, but that’s a different discussion.)
Anyway, the two astronomical figures representing the energies of chaos and discipline have been warring with each other, leaving us 1970s babies (with our conflicting numerical charts) to endure one disappointment after another.
A battle between chaos and discipline only ends one of two ways: either by complete destruction, never to rise again, or by total transformation, bursting through ash and rubble like a phoenix.
Me personally? I prefer the latter.
This month’s column is for those who’d like to join me in rising from the ashes of the shellshock that was 2019 to transform your business as we leave this decade behind.
I’ve spoken with many business owners enduring this year’s chaos vs. discipline battle.
Each company wanted discipline to maintain things, yet were being antagonized by chaos demanding change.
I had only one recommendation—focus on your e-commerce strategy.
This is true whether you’re a brand or retailer. Retailers especially have been hit by the online shopping phenomenon because they’ve ignored for too long the data that customers increasingly prefer shopping online.
Consumers are spoiled by home delivery of everything.
Why put on pants, drive through traffic and wade through a mall when anything can be delivered as you watch Netflix in your underwear?
Ignoring this has caught up to retailers, with this costly mistake affecting brands that once depended on these retailers for orders they can no longer place because store traffic is down.
“But Lilian,” you’re thinking, “no one’s going buy expensive jewelry without touching it first!”
We’re breaking from our usual Q&A format to dedicate 2019’s final column to those who’ve shared with me their business-crippling challenges of this year.
Those that know me well know I’m a 20-plus year student of astrology and will happily interpret your personal astrology chart, if you ask me nicely.
No, I’m not talking about those silly horoscopes that give astrology a bad name. I mean a real, mathematics-driven chart, composed of numbers, formulas and calculations.
While I don’t believe we’re governed by the stars, I do believe the stars can decipher the energy and environment around us.
For instance, those born in the ‘70s and early ‘80s have been riddled with obstacles for the past two years because the astrological numerical values of that era conflict with the values of this era. (This also applies to some born outside these years based on the mathematics of their personal chart, but that’s a different discussion.)
Anyway, the two astronomical figures representing the energies of chaos and discipline have been warring with each other, leaving us 1970s babies (with our conflicting numerical charts) to endure one disappointment after another.
A battle between chaos and discipline only ends one of two ways: either by complete destruction, never to rise again, or by total transformation, bursting through ash and rubble like a phoenix.
Me personally? I prefer the latter.
This month’s column is for those who’d like to join me in rising from the ashes of the shellshock that was 2019 to transform your business as we leave this decade behind.
I’ve spoken with many business owners enduring this year’s chaos vs. discipline battle.
Each company wanted discipline to maintain things, yet were being antagonized by chaos demanding change.
I had only one recommendation—focus on your e-commerce strategy.
This is true whether you’re a brand or retailer. Retailers especially have been hit by the online shopping phenomenon because they’ve ignored for too long the data that customers increasingly prefer shopping online.
Consumers are spoiled by home delivery of everything.
Why put on pants, drive through traffic and wade through a mall when anything can be delivered as you watch Netflix in your underwear?
Ignoring this has caught up to retailers, with this costly mistake affecting brands that once depended on these retailers for orders they can no longer place because store traffic is down.
“But Lilian,” you’re thinking, “no one’s going buy expensive jewelry without touching it first!”
To this, I say malarkey! (Sorry, I’m utterly amused by Joe Biden’s campaign slogan.)
But back to the malarkey.
Having been that young, scrappy Tourneau salesperson in the early aughts who had a loyal client spend over $300,000 with me exclusively by phone, I can tell you firsthand this isn’t true.
If a customer is familiar with a brand because that brand has made itself and its stellar reputation consistently visible to the customer, that customer will happily drop $10,000 online because the brand has earned her or his trust.
I speak often to companies that’ve disregarded PR for years, then turn to me to produce a pair of ruby slippers that transport them back to a time of easily swiped AmExes and Visas and Mastercards, oh my!
The thing about Dorothy’s adventures in Oz, however, is that while she’d always possessed the power to go home, she had to follow the yellow brick road for miles before she learned this truth.
Ladies and gentlemen, that yellow brick road is the customer journey.
The PR Adviser is Glenda the Good Witch teaching you the value you already possess via the Emerald City of NationalJeweler.com.
In 2019’s final days, reflect on what you’ve accomplished, where you’ve failed and what obstacles derailed your best laid plans.
Now tell me: What are you willing to give up to transform your business?
Will you give up the belief that customers won’t buy from you online? Will you stop ignoring the extensive data on consumer behavior? Are you ready for a complete transformation of how you’ve always done business, given how this year has shown you those ways no longer work?
Let’s talk briefly about the customer journey.
Simply put, the customer journey is the many touchpoints a customer has with your company before, during and after she or he makes a purchase.
How does a customer first learn about you? How does she feel upon this discovery? What entices her to want to learn more?
Where does she go for this information—your website, your store, social media? What does she do when she gets there? What do you want her to do when she gets there?
These are some of the questions that, answered correctly, help create trust between customers and your brand. Trust is the only thing required to get a customer to spend $40,000 online without thinking twice.
We spent much of this year on influencer marketing.
Next year, I’ll show you how it and other strategies play an important role in helping integrate an e-commerce website into the customer journey.
In the meantime, grab a free copy of my e-book, “Influencer Fraud: Weeding Out the Fakers, Liars and the Delusional.” The appendix includes the indispensable Influencer Marketing Toolkit, which you’ll need next year.
To those who’ve had a rough year, know that chaos can only disrupt something that wasn’t originally stable. Arise from the rubble and begin building a stronger foundation.
I’m here in 2020 to help you build something greater, whether through my answering your questions in this column or through a complimentary consulting call.
Have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, Happy Festivus or Happy Whatever You Celebrate! See you next year!
More on Columnists
The Latest
MajorsMar 10, 2026
Saks Global to Close 15 More StoresThe retailer also gave an update on its vendor partnerships.
TrendsMar 10, 2026
Messika Names Julianne Moore as AmbassadorThe award-winning actress is the “epitome of modern allure,” the brand said.
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.
CollectionsMar 10, 2026
Gemstones ‘Bloom’ in Sorellina’s New CollectionThe “Bloom” collection draws from the flower power movement of the 1960s and ‘70s with inlay pendants offered in eight colorways.
Weekly QuizMar 05, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsMar 10, 2026
Diamond-Studded Painting Shines at RJO Foundation AuctionThe unique piece was one of the custom works offered at the foundation's recent silent art auction, which garnered nearly $15,000 in total.
TrendsMar 09, 2026
Jake Gyllenhaal Is Bulgari’s Latest AmbassadorBulgari named Gyllenhaal as its brand ambassador for his embodiment of artistic depth, intellectual curiosity, and warmth.
Brought to you by
DCA Enters a New Chapter in Jewelry EducationWith refreshed branding, a new website, updated courses, and a pathway for growth, DCA is dedicated to supporting retail staff development.
Events & AwardsMar 09, 2026
TJS Announces 2026 Scholarship WinnersAwards were given to four students, one apprentice, and an emerging jeweler.
AuctionsMar 09, 2026
Joanna Carson’s Jewels Lead White-Glove SaleThe top jewelry lot of the late model’s estate sale, hosted by John Moran Auctioneers, was an Oscar Heyman & Brothers for Cartier necklace.
GradingMar 06, 2026
Tom Moses Leaving GIA After Nearly 50 YearsMoses, who started at GIA’s Santa Monica lab in 1976, will leave the Gemological Institute of America in May.
Lab-GrownMar 06, 2026
Charles & Colvard Files for Bankruptcy, Citing Price PressuresIncreased competition, falling lab-grown diamond and moissanite prices, and the rising cost of gold took a toll on the moissanite maker.
CollectionsMar 06, 2026
Zome’s ‘Solara’ Earrings Embody Celestial BeautyThe earrings, our Piece of the Week, feature pink tourmalines as planets orbiting around an aquamarine center set in 18-karat rose gold.
MajorsMar 06, 2026
Pomellato’s 2026 IWD Campaign Spotlights Economic Abuse“The Price of Freedom” campaign video for International Women’s Day confronts the quiet violence of financial control.
Policies & IssuesMar 05, 2026
Tariffs to Increase to 15% This Week, Treasury Secretary Says Also, a federal judge has ordered that companies that paid tariffs implemented under the IEEPA are entitled to refunds.
CollectionsMar 05, 2026
Common Era Honors ‘Difficult Women’ in CollectionThe ever-growing collection, which just expanded with the addition of Olga of Kyiv, features cameos of 12 women from history.
TrendsMar 05, 2026
Engagement Ring Trends 2026: What’s In, and WhyWe asked a jewelry historian, designer, bridal director, and wedding expert what’s trending in engagement rings. Here’s what they said.
Events & AwardsMar 05, 2026
AGS Announces Conclave 2026 Speaker LineupThe annual event will be held in Orlando, Florida, from Sept. 14-17.
TrendsMar 05, 2026
Caitríona Balfe Fronts Only Natural Diamonds CoverThe “Outlander” star modeled for the digital cover of the magazine’s spring issue, which features a story on her relationship with jewelry.
MajorsMar 05, 2026
Registration Opens for CIBJO Centenary CongressThis year’s annual congress, which will mark the confederation’s 100th anniversary, will take place this fall in Italy.
MajorsMar 04, 2026
Michael M Opens First StoreBeverly Hills was chosen as the location for the brand’s first store, designed as a “private residence for modern monarchs.”
Policies & IssuesMar 04, 2026
Luxury Brands Temporarily Shutter Middle East StoresKering, Apple, and other retailers have reportedly temporarily closed stores in the Middle East region in light of the recent conflicts.
EditorsMar 04, 2026
Q&A: Brilliant Earth’s CEO on the New Beverly Hills StoreBeth Gerstein discusses the vibe of the new store, what customers want when fine jewelry shopping today, and the details of “Date Night.”
Events & AwardsMar 04, 2026
JIS Miami Spring Show to Feature New Gifts Pavilion, Pop-Up Trends TalksNearly half of buyers are prioritizing silver and fashion collections this season, organizers said.
TrendsMar 04, 2026
Spinelli Kilcollin Rides Free In Year of the Horse CampaignThe “Live Now. Polish Later.” campaign features equestrians wearing the brand’s jewels while galloping across the icy plains of Kazakhstan.
MajorsMar 04, 2026
LeachGarner Names New Brand DirectorThe precious metals provider has promoted Jennifer Ashworth to the role.
Events & AwardsMar 03, 2026
Johnny Nelson Wins David Yurman Gem Awards GrantNelson will be honored as the inaugural grant winner at the Gem Awards gala on March 13.
