Editor's Note

First Times Are Worth Remembering and Being Proud Of

The editor-in-chief’s first experience at a jewelry trade show 20 years ago was both challenging and rewarding.

Published

7 months ago

September 25, 2024

Trace Shelton Instore October 2024 Issue

Do YOU REMEMBER THE first time you did something difficult in your business? Maybe it was selling that first big diamond. Maybe it was sitting with a vendor and trying to figure out what to buy. Or maybe it was opening your retail doors in the first place.

As proud as we may be of these seminal moments, I think we’re all glad once we’ve accomplished them and put them behind us!

I remember my first jewelry trade show: JCK 2005. I had been full-time with INSTORE for less than a year and had no idea what to do at the show. My boss said, “Go out and talk to people, get a sense of the industry.”

So, I walked up to the first booth I saw and approached the salesperson behind the showcase, who glanced at my press badge and sneered. I told him I was an editor with INSTORE and handed him my business card. He said he had never heard of it and walked away. I thought, “Man, I am so out of my depth.”

The good news is, I later sat in our booth and was able to meet lots of retailers who absolutely loved the magazine and stopped to tell us so. I thought, “Maybe in a few years, more exhibitors will know what INSTORE is and be happier when I stop to visit!”

I’m glad to report that that is indeed the case. Here’s to first times and everything we’ve learned from them!

Trace Shelton

Editor-in-Chief, INSTORE
trace@smartworkmedia.com

Five Smart Tips You’ll Find in This Issue

Use spare goodie bags to appease unhappy customers or cap off clients’ purchase experiences. (Manager’s To-Do, p. 26)
Offer a special experience where a client can make their own engagement rings in your shop. (The Big Story, p. 32)
Examine your expenses and figure out where you could trim the fat and still operate successfully in case of a downturn. (Evan James, p. 50)
Create a customer service challenge where sales associates earn points for delivering exceptional service throughout the holiday season; reward top performers. (Megan Crabtree, p. 52)
Leave your store during slow times so that staff can build confidence in selling without you there. (Kyle Bullock, p. 54)

Family Legacy, New Chapter: How Wilkerson Turns 89 Years of History Into Future Success

After 89 years of serving the Albany community, Harold Finkle Your Jeweler faced a pivotal decision. For third-generation owner Justin Finkle, the demanding hours of running a small business were taking precious time away from his young family. "After 23 years, I decided this was the time for me," Finkle explains. But closing a business with nearly nine decades of inventory and customer relationships isn't something easily managed alone. Wilkerson's comprehensive approach transformed this challenging transition into a remarkable success story. Their strategic planning handled everything from advertising and social media to inventory management and staffing — elements that would overwhelm most jewelers attempting to navigate a closing sale independently. The results speak volumes. "Wilkerson gave us three different tiers of potential goals," Finkle notes. "We've reached that third tier, that highest goal already, and we still have two weeks left of the sale." The partnership didn't just meet financial objectives—it exceeded them ahead of schedule.