MarketingRX: Snowden’s Jewelers

Published

17 years ago

July 2, 2007

David Squires

Our expert cures your ads

[h2][b]Patient History [/b][/h2]
Snowden’s Jewelers has been in business for over 17 years, and according to its website, Chris Snowden has been in the business “his entire life.” It’s located in Wilmington, NC, and exclusively sells the Original Wilmington Destination Bracelet at the store. This color ad appears in the coastal and tourist magazines in the store’s area.

[h2][b]Diagnosis [/b][/h2]
I love the notion of something exclusively designed and sold at a store especially if the location is in a heavy tourist area. According to Chris, the ad was originated by Montesino (the bracelet designer that sells these bracelets to jewelers across the country) — and enhanced by his own graphic designer. The ad is no more than a one-column by 4-inch ad, so I have but one thing to say: Chris, have you ever heard the saying “less is more?” How much copy can you fit into this tiny ad? I actually had to change my reading glasses from a 2.00 magnification to 2.50 just to see what you had to say!

[h2][b]Remedy [/b][/h2]
Pop for the extra inch or two. If it’s really worth selling, let’s not try to make your prospective customers go cross-eyed trying to see it. And it’s OK to leave something for your salespeople to talk about when customers come to your store. And by the way, I don’t notice your website in the ad — where you really have the space to talk about the bracelet. But don’t make me scroll, Chris. After all, as William Shakespeare once wrote, “Brevity is the soul of wit.”

Looking for a Seamless Sale? Call Wilkerson

After almost 60 years in business, Breakiron Jewelers in Erie, Pennsylvania, was closing its doors. And the store’s owner, Linda Breakiron, was ready for it. She had run the store as its sole owner since the beginning of the millennium and was looking forward to a change. Of course, she called Wilkerson. Breakiron talked to other jewelers who had used Wilkerson and was satisfied with their response. “They always had positive feedback,” she recalls. With the sales, marketing and even additional inventory that Wilkerson provided, Breakiron insists she could never have accomplished her going-out-of-business sale without Wilkerson’s help. She’s now ready for the journey ahead, but looking back, she’d be sure to recommend Wilkerson. “They just made the whole process very seamless.”