ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen ZDuvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.
IndependentsApr 24, 2017
Marketing Minute: The Importance of Being Early
Jim Ackerman encourages jewelers to get to prospects very early in their buying journey, perhaps before they even realize that they want to buy jewelry.
im 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.
Here’s the way it normally goes …
You advertise for people to come buy from you because you want sales and you want them now. Your ads are designed to get people who are in the market to come into your store and plunk down their hard-earned money, preferably TODAY!
For example, you hold a bridal show in hopes of attracting people who want to buy an engagement ring. You want these people to buy from you because it usually represents a sale substantially larger than your average ticket.
There’s only one problem with all this.
Every competing jeweler in town, not to mention online, is chasing that same business at the same time with advertising that, frankly, just isn’t appreciably different from yours.
Let me make the case for a different approach. Adopting it will take great insight and courage on your part because adopting it will mean taking a whole different approach to your marketing.
You see, the approach I’ve outlined above is like hunting. You go out and find that sale and knock it down. Have success and you eat tonight.
Below, I’m going to suggest a farming-like approach. You plant your seed in fertile ground, cultivate it, nourish it and, ultimately, harvest the fruits of your labor. Have success with this approach and you eat for a long, long time.
I’m suggesting that you get in early. I’m suggesting you shift to a lead-generation approach on your advertising, wherein you attempt to get to prospects very early in their buying journey, perhaps before they even realize they’re a prospect.
With this process, the goal of your advertising is to capture a name and contact information. And to do that, you’ll have to provide them with a safe incentive. Usually, that’s in the form of information-- guides, tools and materials that are cheap or free to deliver, but that the prospect would find valuable early in the process.
When you offer to educate a prospect early, you have a chance to render value in advance.
But you also get to do these 3 key things:
1. Establish a relationship;
2. Render up-front value; and
3. Help them set buying criteria that inevitably leads right back to you and only you.
Establishing relationship refers to getting that precious contact information. It may be as little as a first name and email address, but it comes with permission for you to market to them further and directly.
Rendering up-front
value invokes reciprocation. You’ll have performed a service and given a gift. The prospect will almost certainly reciprocate by giving you a chance to sell and also by preferring you over the competition.
When you use your educational materials to help the prospect establish their own buying criteria, it’s fairly easy to “stack the deck” in your favor, virtually insuring that nobody else measures up to what you uniquely have to offer.
Your job is to program a multi-step process of contacting, leading, teaching, securing additional information, nurturing the relationship and making offers, until the prospect makes the logical decision to buy. Your program may consist of emails, direct mail, phone and text contacts, and more.
There may be many steps in the process between initial contact and the ultimate purchase. However, those steps will almost always lead to the prospect buying from you instead of the competition.
Once you have a system that works, you lock out the competition, and it is highly likely it will continue to work for a long, long time to come.
Jim Ackerman has addressed jewelry retailers at JA New York, JCK, the Atlanta Jewelry Show and others. He has teamed up with Shane Decker again this year for two Ultimate Jewelry Sales & Marketing Boot Camps. Ackerman also is providing National Jeweler readers with a free email marketing evaluation and consultation through April 30. Send an email request with your name and phone number to mail@ascendmarketing.com.
When you use your educational materials to help the prospect establish their own buying criteria, it’s fairly easy to “stack the deck” in your favor, virtually insuring that nobody else measures up to what you uniquely have to offer.
Your job is to program a multi-step process of contacting, leading, teaching, securing additional information, nurturing the relationship and making offers, until the prospect makes the logical decision to buy. Your program may consist of emails, direct mail, phone and text contacts, and more.
There may be many steps in the process between initial contact and the ultimate purchase. However, those steps will almost always lead to the prospect buying from you instead of the competition.
Once you have a system that works, you lock out the competition, and it is highly likely it will continue to work for a long, long time to come.
Jim Ackerman has addressed jewelry retailers at JA New York, JCK, the Atlanta Jewelry Show and others. He has teamed up with Shane Decker again this year for two Ultimate Jewelry Sales & Marketing Boot Camps. Ackerman also is providing National Jeweler readers with a free email marketing evaluation and consultation through April 30. Send an email request with your name and phone number to mail@ascendmarketing.com.
More on Independents
The Latest
TechnologyAug 10, 2026
Colorado Jeweler Launches Customization Tool He Built HimselfHonest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
QVC Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Names New Interim CEOQVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
CollectionsAug 10, 2026
State Property Puts a Ripple in the ‘The Voyager’ CollectionThe brand also added two one-of-a-kind brown diamond pieces to the “Sanssouci” series of its “Gardens” collection.
Weekly QuizAug 07, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
And IJO’s 2026 Vendor of the Year Is … Ostbye took home top vendor honors at the Independent Jewelers Organization’s show, held last month in Kentucky.
Supplier BulletinAug 07, 2026
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsSponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Retail Veteran Pam Cloud Appointed President of Blue NileCloud, who will officially join Blue Nile on Monday, spent 26 years at Tiffany & Co. and founded jewelry brand Roseate.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Pandora Appoints Paulo Garcia as New CFO Garcia will take over from the company’s current CFO, Anders Boyer, who is retiring at the end of November.
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Etsy to Lay Off 12% of WorkforceEtsy CEO Kruti Patel Goyal explained why the company is letting go more than 200 employees as its performance improves.
TrendsAug 07, 2026
Look Ahead with Syna’s Binoculars PendantThe “Star Gazer” pendant, our Piece of the Week, is Syna’s tribute to curiosity and the discovery of something new.
CrimeAug 06, 2026
Lalique Museum to Remain Closed Following $5M HeistMuseum officials are looking to the public to help cover the “exceptional” costs involved in recovering from the July 5 smash-and-grab.
MajorsAug 06, 2026
Claire’s Revamps Piercing Services for Second Time in Three Years The overhaul includes enhanced employee safety training and trendy earring styles, including lab-grown diamond studs.
FinancialsAug 06, 2026
Brilliant Earth’s Q2 Sales Up 6%, Driven by High-Income ShoppersThe retailer said it had its biggest Mother’s Day ever, with strong demand for higher-priced jewelry.
TrendsAug 06, 2026
New Book on Handcrafted American Objects Highlights Jewelry“Handwork: Handcrafted Objects that Made America” features historic and contemporary works, including a Diné squash blossom necklace.
MajorsAug 06, 2026
AJA East Coast Names Ani Khachian as First Female President-ElectThe Armenian Jewelers Association’s East Coast chapter has also elected its 2026–2027 board of directors.
MajorsAug 05, 2026
Private Equity Firm Wants to Buy 100+ JCPenney StoresOnyx Partners has submitted a second offer to buy the department stores after its first offer fell through last year.
IndependentsAug 05, 2026
Another Member of the Siegel Family Joins Hamilton Jewelers Benjamin Siegel, son of President and CEO Hank Siegel, started working for the family business this week.
MajorsAug 05, 2026
Bulgari Opens Store in San DiegoThe new space features a modern design that blends Bulgari’s Roman heritage with San Diego’s coastal spirit.
CrimeAug 04, 2026
Crew of Thieves Break Into Indiana Jeweler’s HomeFour men were charged in connection with the break-in and accused of stealing $365,000 in cash, jewelry, and designer goods.
MajorsAug 04, 2026
Pandora Hires Former Signet Board Member to Lead North American MarketAndré Branch has more than 25 years of experience with various brands, most recently serving as CEO of Ariana Grande’s cosmetics company.
MajorsAug 04, 2026
Sasha Primak Acquires GemlokNew York-based atelier Gemlok is best known for creating the innovative “bridge” setting that became popular in the bridal market.
CollectionsAug 04, 2026
Musician Carlos Santana Launches Jewelry BrandSantana Now's debut collection, “Unidad,” features symbolic motifs as well as pieces of wood from the Woodstock stage.
CrimeAug 03, 2026
Florida Man Gets 15 Years in Trio of Jewelry Store RobberiesThe 50-year-old man pleaded guilty earlier this year to robbing two jewelry stores and a pawn shop of more than $700,000 in merchandise.
WatchesAug 03, 2026
Citizen's New Spider-Man Watch Is a Collector’s DreamThe watch’s dial features an original design by Marvel comics illustrator Adam Kubert.
Lab-GrownAug 03, 2026
Chatham Releases First Men’s CollectionThe new collection of lab-grown diamond and colored gemstone jewelry provides a “fresh perspective” on the category, Chatham said.
