Editor's Note

Want to Jumpstart Your Business Growth? Register for The Brain Trust Workshop

The full-day workshop featuring INSTORE columnists will take place August 12 in Rosemont, IL.

Published

2 years ago

May 29, 2023

Trace Shelton Instore May 2023 Issue

HAVE YOU EVER wished that you could have INSTORE’s columnists examine your store’s business model and operations and give you some help in taking it to the next level?

We’re betting you have. That’s why we’re bringing together Kate Peterson, Sherry Smith, Jimmy DeGroot and Megan Crabtree to conduct a one-day workshop at The INSTORE Show in August, which includes hands-on teaching and feedback for each participant. We’re calling it The Brain Trust Workshop. And you can attend for less than $700 (assuming you register quickly — the workshop is limited to 64 participants).

I hope you’re as excited about this concept as I am. When we began brainstorming about The INSTORE Show last summer, we asked ourselves the question, “How can we do something at this show that’s never been done in the jewelry industry?” After all, INSTORE’s original SMART Jewelry Show had innovations like The Bench Pressure Challenge. We wanted to match that level of coolness but also do something that only INSTORE could really pull off … and something that our readers could profit from in a big way. If you’re free on Aug. 12 for a business-changing experience, you can reap the benefits.

If you haven’t registered yet, now’s the time! You’ll also enjoy networking opportunities and an exhibitor list featuring the top wholesalers in the jewelry business. Register at theinstoreshow.com today, and we’ll see you in Chicago!

Trace Shelton

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

Five Smart Tips You’ll Find in This Issue

While at a trade show, order pizza for your staff back home to remind them you’re thinking about them. (Manager’s To-Do, p. 36)
Address both partners when waiting on a couple so both feel included. (The Big Story, p. 48)
When something’s working in your marketing message, don’t change it. (Dangerous Marketing, p. 64)
Use dedicated landing pages on your website to track marketing efforts. (Emmanuel Raheb, p. 90)
Offer various levels of guarantees in order to make more money while reassuring clients. (David Geller, p. 95)

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.