IndependentsApr 28, 2025
John Atencio Appoints 2 to Wholesale TeamKim Carpenter and Sam Gevisenheit have joined the brand.
Events & AwardsMar 06, 2017
What is Your Store’s Story?
Whatever got or has kept you in the jewelry business makes a great foundation for building an experience at your store, one keynote speaker at the Atlanta Jewelry Show said.
Mike Wittenstein, a managing partner at marketing company Storyminers, gave the keynote address at the Atlanta Jewelry Show this weekend on how jewelers can create an experience in their stores.
Atlanta--Whatever got or has kept you in the jewelry business makes a great foundation for building an experience at your store, a keynote speaker told attendees of the Atlanta Jewelry Show this weekend.
The March edition of AJS featured a number of speakers at part of its education program, including keynote addresses on Saturday and Sunday morning.
Mike Wittenstein, a managing partner at marketing company Storyminers, delivered the Saturday keynote, “Want to Beat the Big Guys? Use Storytelling As Your Strategy,” which focused on creating an experience in the retail environment rather than simply focusing on landing a sale.
Wittenstein stressed that all jewelers do the same thing--they sell jewelry--but what differentiates them is how they do it.
In the era of Yelp and Google reviews, it’s important to create an experience for customers that gets them to say something about you, rather than solely trying to say something to your customers, Wittenstein explained to the crowd who gathered to hear him on Saturday morning.
An experience, he said, gives people insight into who you are and how you do things, not simply what you sell.
The retailers in the audience were on board.
Trisha Kennedy of Kennedy’s Custom Jewelers in Blue Spring, Missouri said that her father, the store’s owner and a master watchmaker, kept a “treasure chest” of cool, discarded watch parts that he invited children to play with when they came to the store with their parents, often letting them take a piece home.
This illustrated Wittenstein’s ideas about showing people who you are as a company. Many people can repair a watch or sell jewelry, he said, but not everyone is going to provide a welcoming environment where the kids have something to do while parents shop.
This is exactly the type of experience that encourages customers to leave an online review about a business.
At Storyminers, Wittenstein focuses on helping businesses create their brand story.
For jewelers, he offered one simple question to determine their brand stories: “What took your breath away and got you into the business, or got you to stay in the business, when you first started?”
“Whatever lights your fire,” he said, “is what you build your store’s experience on.”
Carrie Jester of Jester Jewelers in Cincinnati talked about her grandparents, who started the store, and their passion for the business.
She told the audience that today, true to the store’s name, she
and her staff focus on laughing a lot. They communicate joy.
They also hold wine tastings for customers and, occasionally, offer wine to calm the nerves of anxious engagement ring buyers.
Wittenstein advised retailers to go above and beyond in advising customers when shopping for engagement rings. He told retailers to ask about the planned proposals, share stories and ideas, and connect on a personal level.
“Teach them how you give a gift is as important as giving the gift,” he said.
Wittenstein also emphasized the importance of finding out what emotion matters to each customer, as it is emotion that ultimately will cause people to make decisions about buying luxury goods.
He told the jewelers that they are in “the business of making experiences, not selling jewelry.”
They also hold wine tastings for customers and, occasionally, offer wine to calm the nerves of anxious engagement ring buyers.
Wittenstein advised retailers to go above and beyond in advising customers when shopping for engagement rings. He told retailers to ask about the planned proposals, share stories and ideas, and connect on a personal level.
“Teach them how you give a gift is as important as giving the gift,” he said.
Wittenstein also emphasized the importance of finding out what emotion matters to each customer, as it is emotion that ultimately will cause people to make decisions about buying luxury goods.
He told the jewelers that they are in “the business of making experiences, not selling jewelry.”
More on Events & Awards
The Latest
TrendsApr 28, 2025
Suzanne Kalan Launches Tech Ring Jacket CollectionHealth monitors become statement pieces when paired with the brand’s new collection of stackable diamond-studded bands.
CrimeApr 28, 2025
Customs Seizes Nearly 2,000 Pieces of Counterfeit Van Cleef & Arpels JewelryU.S. customs agents in El Paso, Texas, intercepted the package, which would have been worth $9 million if the jewelry was genuine.
Brought to you by
Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program Announces Second Cohort of Aspiring Jewelry Entrepreneurs Six new retail businesses were selected for the 2025 program, which began in January.
CollectionsApr 25, 2025
Sylvie Looks to Water in New Sculptural Bridal Collection“Shell Auranova” is the next generation of the brand’s bridal line, featuring half-bezel engagement rings with bold and fluid designs.
Weekly QuizApr 24, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
FinancialsApr 25, 2025
Kering’s Jewelry Brands Persevere as Q1 Sales Sink 14%Boucheron and Pomellato performed well in an otherwise bleak quarter for Kering amid struggles at Gucci.
EditorsApr 25, 2025
Piece of the Week: Deborah Meyers Experience’s ‘The Birds’ EarringsDesigner Deborah Meyers created her birds from oxidized sterling silver, rose-cut diamond eyes, and Akoya Keshi pearl feathers.
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessThe risk of laboratory-grown diamonds being falsely presented as natural diamonds presents a very significant danger to consumer trust.
SourcingApr 25, 2025
De Beers Sales, Production Fall in Q1 Amid UncertaintyThe company said it expects sightholders to remain “cautious” with their purchasing due to all the unknowns around the U.S. tariffs.
Supplier BulletinApr 24, 2025
Protect Your Customers and Your BusinessSponsored by the Gemological Institute of America
EditorsApr 24, 2025
Q&A: Wolf’s CEO Talks U.S. ExpansionSimon Wolf shares why the time was right to open a new office here, what he looks for in a retail partner, and why he loves U.S. consumers.
IndependentsApr 24, 2025
Longtime Iowa Jeweler Herman Ginsberg Dies at 99 A third-generation jeweler, Ginsberg worked at his family’s store, Ginsberg Jewelers, from 1948 until his retirement in 2019.
FinancialsApr 24, 2025
Charles & Colvard Delisted From Nasdaq Due to NoncomplianceThe company failed to file its quarterly reports in a timely manner.
SourcingApr 24, 2025
Young Diamantaires Transition to NonprofitThe organization also announced its board of directors.
TrendsApr 24, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: So CharmingCharms may be tiny but with their small size comes endless layering possibilities, from bracelets to necklaces and earrings.
MajorsApr 23, 2025
Bulgari Doubles Size of Jewelry Factory in ItalyLocated in Valenza, the now 355,000-square-foot facility includes a new jewelry school that’s open to the public, Scuola Bulgari.
AuctionsApr 23, 2025
Rare Custom Rolex Daytona Heads to AuctionA platinum Zenith-powered Daytona commissioned in the late ‘90s will headline Sotheby’s Important Watches sale in Geneva next month.
MajorsApr 23, 2025
David Yurman’s New Campaign Stars Carmelo Anthony, Jaylen BrownThe basketball stars wear men’s jewelry from the “Curb Chain” collection.
MajorsApr 22, 2025
Zales’ Rebrand Takes Playful Approach to Fine JewelryThe Signet Jewelers-owned retailer wants to encourage younger shoppers to wear fine jewelry every day, not just on special occasions.
AuctionsApr 22, 2025
Christie’s to Auction JAR Jewelry CollectionThe 21 pieces, all from a private collector, will be offered at its Magnificent Jewels auction next month.
ColumnistsApr 22, 2025
The PR Adviser: Building Buzz Through Word of MouthLilian Raji answers a question from a reader who is looking to grow her jewelry business but has a limited marketing budget.
GradingApr 22, 2025
Avi Levy Is GCAL By Sarine’s New Chief Growth OfficerGCAL by Sarine created the new role to sharpen the company’s focus on strategic partnerships and scalable expansion.
IndependentsApr 22, 2025
Brinker’s Jewelers Acquires Fellow IndependentThe Indiana jeweler has acquired Scottsdale Fine Jewelers in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Events & AwardsApr 21, 2025
An Exhibition Exploring the History of Cartier Is Now on Display“Cartier: Design, Craft, and Legacy” opened earlier this month at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
IndependentsApr 21, 2025
New York Jeweler to Close After 111 YearsVan Cott Jewelers in Vestal, New York, is hosting a going-out-of-business sale.
IndependentsApr 21, 2025
IJO Names New Director of Vendor Relations, Merchandise StrategyIndustry veteran Samantha Larson has held leadership roles at Borsheims, McTeigue & McClelland, Stuller, and Long’s Jewelers.
Events & AwardsApr 21, 2025
Jewelers of Louisiana, Mississippi Jewelers Association to Co-Host ConventionThe two organizations will hold the educational event together this fall in Mississippi.
