David Squires

‘Nametag Guy’ To Keynote SMART Show Dallas

Published

12 years ago

May 23, 2012

INSTORE Staff

BIG NEWS for those of you coming to the inaugural SMART Show Dallas. Our show keynote speaker — Scott Ginsberg, aka “The Nametag Guy” — is signed, sealed and about to be delivered to an audience of jewelers this September.

(Quickly, for the uninitiated: Being held September 8-10, 2012 at The Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, TX, the SMART Show Dallas is the first show ever to have a 100 percent holiday-oriented education program. The promise: smart ideas and great shopping just in time for the most important season of the year.]

Ginsberg will be at the show Saturday and Sunday, handling a keynote speech, a panel interview session, and also serving double-duty as a roving reporter/on-camera host for our video crew.

If Scott’s name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, he’s the guy who has been wearing a nametag 24/7 for more than 10 years. Sounds like a huge gimmick, and it is. But the guy behind the gimmick is an exciting, inspirational speaker who we think will have a real impact on you. Some of you caught Scott at The SMART Show Chicago in 2011, where he got a terrific reaction from jewelers who attended. (See highlights here.)

Scott’s forte is approachability, an important skill for retailers. He manages to make you laugh (a lot), while still challenging you to stand out and be different. It’s a potent combination. This year, we’re looking forward to seeing how Scott translates his theories to a holiday environment.

Anyway, Scott is just one more smart reason to come to the SMART Show Dallas. Retailers, go here to reserve your spot at the show!

When There’s No Succession Plan, Call Wilkerson

Bob Wesley, owner of Robert C. Wesley Jewelers in Scottsdale, Ariz., was a third-generation jeweler. When it was time to enjoy life on the other side of the counter, he weighed his options. His lease was nearing renewal time and with no succession plan, he decided it was time to call Wilkerson. There was plenty of inventory to sell and at first, says Wesley, he thought he might try to manage a sale himself. But he’s glad he didn’t. “There’s no way I could have done this as well as Wilkerson,” he says. Wilkerson took responsibility for the entire event, with every detail — from advertising to accounting — done, dusted and managed by the Wilkerson team. “It’s the complete package,” he says of the Wilkerson method of helping jewelers to easily go on to the next phase of their lives. “There’s no way any retailer can duplicate what they’ve done.”