Independents

What Will Become of Retail Jewelry Stores? Part II

IndependentsApr 19, 2016

What Will Become of Retail Jewelry Stores? Part II

In the second part of a two-part column, Peter Smith shares 3 pieces of advice for jewelers along with a list of recommended reading.

2016-Peter_Smith_copy.jpg
Peter Smith has more than 30 years of experience building wholesale and retail sales teams. He currently is president of Vibhor Gems.

In the first installment of What Will Become of Retail Jewelry Stores?, published last week, Peter Smith challenged jewelers to examine the strengths and weakness of their business in a number of key areas, including staffing, inventory and retail environment.

 
In Part II of his two-part series, Smith advises them to fine-tune their marketing strategy, find a mentor and never stop learning.

He also shares a not-unlucky list of 13 books, blogs and website that might be of interest to retailers.

Market to fewer people
A marketing “strategy” that is designed to maximize the accumulated dollars that you can collect from your various brand partners is not a strategy. It is leveraging dollars for its own sake, and it might be the worst way to market your business. If you cannot communicate your relevance in a consistent and clear manner, then customers will not have to tune you out because you will never have been relevant to them in the first place.

If you want to be the bridal player in your market, than make sure you are telling that story over and over across all your mediums, including your website, your social media and digital efforts, and in your more traditional advertising vehicles such as TV, radio, billboards and your brick-and-mortar store, inside and out.

If you commit to being the bridal player and you spread your advertising resources across a variety of brands, categories and messages, you will not be successful in reaching the ears and eyeballs of the most important customers for you. This does not mean that you cannot have more than one message, but they should be completely consistent with your stated aspiration and crystal clear to your target customer. In short, if you try to say too much, you are saying nothing.  

A reasonable person (not in the industry and not in media) ought to be able to look at your store and all of your marketing and PR efforts and know what you are about: “That’s the price store,” “You’ve got to check those guys out for the best engagement ring brands,” “That’s a great watch store,”  “They’ve got the coolest jewelry,” etc.

There are far more capable people than me when it comes to advising you on the best marketing plans but I will say this as strongly as I can: If your website is not, first and
foremost, mobile-friendly, you are in trouble. Hand-held devices are the first screen that prospective customers consult when checking out websites. A site that is not completely mobile-friendly may as well not exist for millennials. If you haven’t updated your website in a few years, it is probably long past its expiration date.

Educate yourself
Whether you have a post-graduate degree or whether you are a high-school dropout, you must be committed to continuously learning about retail, about consumer behavior, about your market, about what’s going on in the industry and in retail in general. You don’t have to be a voracious reader of books to keep yourself up to date (although it would help) but you have to make time to continue to learn.

There are so many great resources available to us from LinkedIn, to Twitter (it’s not about the characters, it’s about the links that take you to great articles) to Facebook (you don’t have to be consumed in the “who ate what, when and where” to reap the benefits). You can take a few minutes to search great sources of information from organizations like Gallup and Forrester Research and Retail Dive and, of course, the industry blogs and articles.

There are also great educational opportunities throughout our industry and in local universities and even community colleges. You have to stay current with what is happening in retail (not just our industry) and constantly assess your business against what you are learning ongoing.

If you are one of those people who claims not to have any time for reading, to paraphrase Jeff Foxworthy, you just might be in trouble.

Find a mentor
One of the most important things you can do for your business is to find a mentor. There are some very qualified people in our industry and there are, no doubt, very qualified and capable people in your community.

We all have aspects of the business that we feel pretty confident about and other aspects that we are just not that good at, quite frankly.

If, for instance, finances are your Achilles heel, find a mentor who can hold your hand and guide you through the process. Likewise, if the people side of the business is a struggle for you, engage someone who can help you with that process. No matter how talented you are, you will benefit from being able to talk through your challenges and opportunities with a trusted advisor.

I’ll close with a paragraph from The Retail Revival by Doug Stephens, as well as a reminder to read it if you really care about what is happening in retail.
 
“There are two things to keep in mind,” Stephens wrote. “First, at its core, shopping is a social activity. We shop not only to gather and acquire things we need, but also to commune in public places, to be with people. I’ll be the first to argue that online stores will get better and better at fulfilling the distribution aspect of shopping, but I will also hold that nothing will entirely replace the social experience of visiting the market. Second, although the list of things we as consumers are comfortable buying online grows each year, there are still things that are simply more confidently purchased in a physical store setting.”

I have also included below a few suggestions for other books, blogs and websites that might also be of interest to you.

Good luck!

Suggested Reading
-- The Retail Revival, Doug Stephens
-- Hiring Squirrels, Peter Smith
-- Buy-Ology, Martin Lindstrom
-- First, Break All The Rules, Marcus Buckingham
-- Good To Great, Jim Collins
-- Y-Size Your Business, Jason Ryan Dorsey
-- Drive, Daniel Pink
-- The New Rules of Retail, Robin Lewis and Michael Dart  
-- Conversion, Mark Ryski

Blogs/Newsletters/Twitter
-- Retail Dive (e-mail newsletter)
-- Retail Wire (e-mail newsletter)
-- Inc.
-- Doug@Retail Prophet (Doug Stephens)  

Peter Smith, author of Hiring Squirrels: 12 Essential Interview Questions to Uncover Great Retail Sales Talent, has spent more than 30 years building sales teams at retail and at wholesale. He currently is president of Vibhor Gems. Email him at peter-at-vibhorgems.com, dublinsmith-at-yahoo.com or reach him on LinkedIn.
Peter Smithis an industry consultant, speaker, and sales trainer, and author of 3 books on sales. Reach him at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com.

The Latest

Gemist
TechnologyJun 27, 2025
Gemist Raises $6M in Funding to Scale Jewelry Tech Platform

The company is focused on modernizing the custom jewelry buying experience with e-commerce tools like product visualization and 3D styling.

Blake Graham and Jessica Kohoutek
Events & AwardsJun 27, 2025
AGS, GIA Announce Beatrice Shipley Scholarship Winner

AGS also named the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.

Buddha Mama Monstera Ring
CollectionsJun 27, 2025
Piece of the Week: Buddha Mama’s ‘Monstera’ Wrap Ring

The 20-karat yellow gold and diamond wrap ring is modeled after the Monstera plants in the garden of the brand’s Miami villa.

an instructor and a student in a bench jewelry classroom
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench Jewelers

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

Cashier handing Rocksbox bag to customer
MajorsJun 26, 2025
Why Rocksbox Is Opening Stores As Signet Jewelers Downsizes

Rocksbox President Allison Vigil shared the retailer’s expansion plans, and her thoughts on opening stores in malls.

Weekly QuizJun 26, 2025
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Stock image of woman shopping
SurveysJun 26, 2025
After Recovering in May, Consumer Confidence Dips in June

The decline was consistent across age groups and almost all income groups, with tariffs and inflation still top of mind.

Sorellina Playlist: Electric Dreams Campaign
CollectionsJun 26, 2025
Jam Out With Sorellina’s Jimi Hendrix-Inspired Jewels

The “Playlist: Electric Dreams” collection brings lyrics from the musician’s song, “Little Wing,” to life through fine jewelry.

Jewelers of America logo with meetup, State of the Majors, giveaway and massages
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

The Jewelry Symposium event
Events & AwardsJun 26, 2025
The Jewelry Symposium Is Looking for Speakers for 2026 Event

The event is set for May 16-19 in Detroit, Michigan.

Exterior of Marissa Collections’ new store in Nantucket, Massachusetts
IndependentsJun 25, 2025
Marissa Collections Opens in Nantucket as Legal Fight Continues

The Vault’s Katherine Jetter is accusing the retailer of using info she shared for a potential partnership to move into Nantucket.

Counterfeit Cartier “Juste Un Clou” bracelet
CrimeJun 25, 2025
Customs Nabs Another Big Shipment of Fake Cartier, Van Cleef Jewelry

Agents seized 2,193 pieces, a mix of counterfeit Cartier “Love” and “Juste Un Clou” bracelets, and Van Cleef & Arpels’ “Alhambra” design.

Karine Choudhrie Big Splash Circus Starfish and Lantern Fish
CollectionsJun 25, 2025
Splash into Karina Choudhrie’s Collection of Underwater Circus Performers

The designer brought her children’s book, “The Big Splash Circus,” to life through a collection of playful fine jewelry characters.

Jewelers of America
Events & AwardsJun 25, 2025
JA Announces Impact Initiative Fund Recipients

The trade association has chosen the recipients of the funding initiative it formed to foster the growth and sustainability of the industry.

John Dyer Montana Sun Sapphire
SourcingJun 25, 2025
2025 AGTA Spectrum Awards Open for Entries

The organization has also announced this year’s slate of judges.

Khepri Jewels Luna collection fancy color fringe multi-shape drop diamond earrings
EditorsJun 24, 2025
The Best New Jewelry from Couture 2025, Part 2

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 additional pieces that stood out to her at the Couture show.

Lori Tucker
IndependentsJun 24, 2025
Colorado Bench Jeweler Celebrates 50 Years With Local Retailer

Lori Tucker started at Williams Jewelers when she was 18 years old.

“Marvel | Citizen Zenshin” watch for the new The Fantastic Four movie
WatchesJun 24, 2025
Citizen’s New ‘Fantastic Four’ Watch Is Literally Super

The “Marvel | Citizen Zenshin” watch is crafted in Super Titanium and has subtle nods to all four “Fantastic Four” superheroes on the dial.

XO Tacori diamond ring
MajorsJun 24, 2025
Tacori, QVC to Launch Exclusive Lab-Grown Diamond Jewelry Collection

The “XO Tacori” collection was designed to blend luxury and accessible pricing.

Pritesh Patel
GradingJun 23, 2025
GIA Names New President and CEO

Pritesh Patel, the lab’s chief operating officer, will take over as president and CEO of GIA.

Graphic for Las Vegas recap episode of “My Next Question”
Recorded WebinarsJun 23, 2025
Watch: Top Trends at Couture, JCK Las Vegas 2025

National Jeweler and Jewelers of America discuss the standout jewelry trends and biggest news to emerge from the shows this year.

Luanda Accord
SourcingJun 23, 2025
Diamond Producers, Organizations to Kick in Money to Promote Natural Diamonds

Signatories to the “Luanda Accord” committed to allocating 1 percent of annual diamond revenue to the Natural Diamond Council.

Penny Preville, Maggie Hess, Stella Song, and Benjamin King
Events & AwardsJun 23, 2025
Jose Hess Design Awards Celebrate 6 Jewelry Designers

The winning designs captured the “Radiance” theme.

24th Gem Awards Show Logo
Events & AwardsJun 23, 2025
Gem Awards Now Accepting Nominations for 2026

Nominations in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation will be accepted through July 30.

Single Stone Bryn Ring and Grace Lee Marquise Demi Demi Ring
TrendsJun 20, 2025
Dua Lipa Stays On-Trend With Chunky Engagement Ring

The singer’s ring ticks off many bridal trends, with a thick band, half-bezel setting, and solitaire diamond.

Yvonne Léon Python Gold Bracelet
TrendsJun 20, 2025
Piece of the Week: Yvonne Léon’s ‘Python Gold’ Bracelet

The bracelet references vintage high jewelry and snake symbolism as a playful piece where a python’s head becomes a working belt buckle.

Stock image of handcuffs
CrimeJun 18, 2025
7 Men Indicted in $100M Brinks Jewelry Heist

The heist happened in Lebec, California, in 2022 when a Brinks truck was transporting goods from one show in California to another.

Marie-Thérèse Pink diamond and Blue Belle sapphire necklace
AuctionsJun 18, 2025
Historic ‘Marie-Thérèse Pink’ Diamond Fetches $14M at Christie’s

The 10-carat fancy purple-pink diamond with potential links to Marie Antoinette headlined the white-glove jewelry auction this week. 

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy