[h3]Plante Jewelers; Swansea, MA[/h3]

[dropcap cap=M]ost jewelers involve the customer in the retail selling process by qualifying the prospect, discovering needs, demonstrating value, and closing the sale.[/dropcap]

[componentheading]THE IDEA[/componentheading]

Plante Jewelers in Swansea, MA, not only demonstrates value, but also demonstrates the actual manufacturing process right in front of the prospect. “One day while a good customer of ours was watching her ring being sized the idea came to me,” says owner Pierre Plante. “We included the idea in our monthly planning meeting and decided to call upon Tom Kruskal, of Tom Kruskal Designs to participate in this with us. We discussed all the parameters of having him bring in his anvil, torches, gold stock, and his wonderful creativity. We centered the promotion around the customers watching their new earrings be made, literally right before their eyes. Our supplier was ecstatic over the idea, and we tied up all the loose ends.”

[componentheading]THE EXECUTION[/componentheading]

Plante Jewelers created a special announcement for the one-night event, which was sent to all its female customers. Wine and cheese was served, and a special prize drawing was held. Says Plante: “It was phenomenal. Many of our women customers wore their Tom Kruskal jewelry, and were thrilled to meet the designer himself.” Even men, usually not as interested in such events as the women, came in large numbers to see the designer form, pound, solder, and polish his one-of-a-kind creations.

[componentheading]THE REWARDS[/componentheading]

Since the event, the company’s earring sales have reached their highest levels ever. Plante says, “Our customers now have a whole new appreciation for what actually takes place in the fabrication process of the designs we choose to market.” Later, the company also brought in its colored-stone supplier from Sri Lanka for a similar event promoting natural unheated sapphires. Says the storeowner: “We showed the exact maps the miners use, and many pictures explaining the arduous mining process. The customers loved it, and many fine specimens were purchased as a result of the event.”

Since then, special events marketing has become an important part of Plante Jewelers’ promotional planning. “What is really cool,” says Plante, “is that now people passing by our windows make it a point to peer in to see what might be happening!”

Steve Kretser is a former retail jeweler, and has operated VistaGroup Jewelers Resources since 1995. The VistaGroup develops customized growth marketing plans, competitive analysis, and sales training cultures for the retail jewelry industry. You can subscribe to VistaGroup’s free newsletter “Sell More, More Often” at vistaretail@msn.com.

[span class=note]This story is from the January 2004 edition of INSTORE[/span]