EDITOR’S NOTE
A new perspective on social media could yield holiday magic.
BY TRACE SHELTON
Published in the September 2014 issue
It’s a touchy subject — one you may have described with phrases like “necessary evil” … “pain in the neck” … “can’t live with, can’t live without.” No, I’m not talking about Congress, or even your ex; I’m talking about social media. But before you walk away from these confounding communication channels for good, hear me out.
It’s true that most retailers have a Facebook page (and/or Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram accounts), but beyond occasional posts about their stores or photos of new jewelry, many have no idea how to use social media to drive traffic. If that’s you, then our lead story is your rainbow bridge to a whole new world of possibilities.
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Contrary to popular belief, social platforms can be used as the free marketing vehicles that they were purported to be when they first came on the scene, and we’ve got the success stories to prove it. Ten success stories, to be exact, and just in time for the holidays. From innovative contests to daily gift guides to targeted videos, these promotions are simple yet remarkably effective for the retailers who used them in 2013. Choose one or two, adapt them for your market, and see if you can’t boost your holiday traffic at very little cost to your ad budget. And if that weren’t enough, we’ve got a dozen more social media strategies to keep clients engaged and business rolling all year long.
If you’ve been considering a breakup with social media, now is the perfect time to rekindle your relationship. You may find that the marketing love of your life was right in front of you the whole time.
TRACE SHELTON
[email protected]
Honoring a Legacy: How Smith & Son Jewelers Exceeded Every Goal With Wilkerson
When Andrew Smith decided to close the Springfield, Massachusetts location of Smith & Son Jewelers, the decision came down to family. His father was retiring after 72 years in the business, and Andrew wanted to spend more time with his children and soon-to-arrive grandchildren.
For this fourth-generation jeweler whose great-grandfather founded the company in 1918, closing the 107-year-old Springfield location required the right partner. Smith chose Wilkerson, and the experience exceeded expectations from start to finish.
"Everything they told me was 100% true," Smith says. "The ease and use of all their tools was wonderful."
The consultants' knowledge and expertise proved invaluable. Smith and his father set their own financial goal, but Wilkerson proposed three more ambitious targets. "We thought we would never make it," Smith explains. "We were dead wrong. We hit our first goal, second goal and third goal. It was amazing."
Smith's recommendation is emphatic: "I would never be able to do what they did by myself."
