JEWELERS WHO ARE promoting custom design, in-house bench jewelers and repair services are playing to their strengths and providing customers an idea of what they can expect when they walk in the door, easing threshold resistance.
DIY Wedding Bands
At Make Made Jewelry in Greenville, SC, owners Katie Poterala and Danielle Miller Gilliam create their own jewelry and also specialize in the work of artisan jewelry designers. Not only does Make Made offer custom design and handmade jewelry, but it also invites customers to do the same at a wedding band workshop, the ultimate in personalization.
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Let’s Sketch It Out
Provident Jewelry, an independent company with seven locations in Florida, is known for its high-end jewelry and watch brands as well as its unique customer experiences. It’s also important for its owners and marketing team to make clear that in-house designers can create jewelry as personalized as their customer experience, an option they illustrate gracefully with the suggestion of a sketch. “Our team works in-house to bring their vision to life from start to finish,” says Lara Pansolli, marketing director. “The process begins with meeting our jewelers, who have the experience to handle all types of metals, gems and pieces.”
A Virtual Experience
At Dianna Rae Jewelry in Lafayette, LA, owner Dianna Rae High specializes in custom design and ensures that message is disseminated clearly through all marketing channels, from a custom-design section of her website that explains the process in detail to social media campaigns and a video. It gives customers a detailed virtual idea of what they’ll find in the store, including inspiration boards, hand sketches, and 3D computerized design areas. In the workshop, equipment including a 3D printer and 3D laser scanner allow for precision manufacturing and client previews. A dedicated bridal area features try-on prototypes, a custom print catalog, and a 3D computerized design station.
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Bring Benchies to Lifee
At Zorells Jewelry in Bismarck, ND, owner Tim Ell makes his jewelry services come to life by showing off the personalities of in-house goldsmiths, who work directly behind Zorells’ “Wine and Shine” bar, which is the busiest area of the showroom. They constantly come out from behind the bench to help clients, explain repairs and to help design, redesign or customize jewelry for clients every day. “We market our goldsmiths with billboards, TV, radio and online marketing, all with the signature goldsmithing glasses on,” Ell says. “How can you not stop and pay attention when you see guys with their eyes magnified through the lenses?” The TV ad has an action-movie trailer theme. “It sounds like a Tom Cruise movie trailer but with goofy-eyed goldsmiths as the heroes!” They run the TV ad online as a video on social media and as a pre-roll ad when people are about to watch a YouTube video or a news or sports clip on a website.
Beauty From All Angles
Jacob Raymond Jewelers in Greensboro, NC, concisely explains its business proposition, “Hand Made in House” while showing exactly what that looks like. “Digital presence is all about imagery so the images have to be stunning and attention-getting,” says owner Jacob Wosinski. “I do post a lot of videos on social media, which really show the full design of a piece. I try and make jewelry that is beautiful from every angle and videos are able to show off that fact.”
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Simply Engaging
Custom-created jewelry is the raison d’être for owners Stephen Isley and Cindy Just at Stephen Isley Jewelers in Whitefish, MT. Well, one of the reasons. The other big reason is their love for and focus on sapphires mined in Montana. Visitors to the store can see work benches from the gallery and watch jewelry being made. Their advertising reflects BOTH Montana sapphires and custom design, the key aspects of their business in a simple, appealing way.
The Dutille’s Difference
At Dutille’s Jewelry Design Studio in Lebanon, NH, marketing is driven by attention to detail. Owner Jude Dutille recognizes that a whole new generation of customers suddenly appreciate custom design and are finally noticing the elevated quality of their work, or as he puts it, the Dutille’s Difference. “Engagement ring customers used to purchase from our bridal case, but now, ready-made will not suffice. This new generation wants something completely tailored to them. They notice the details of hand fabrication, of something made from start to finish that ready-made mountings don’t offer. The desire for platinum hand-fabricated rings with precision-cut diamonds has increased exponentially and because of that demand the store has invested in new forming tools and streamlined the process of both designing and manufacturing. “These rings require expert workmanship, taking an average of 12-14 hours to produce,” he says.