Look Book

S P R I N G 2 0 17 P U B L I S H E R ' S L E T T E R Is it just me, or does it seem as if we were all just in Las Vegas? It certainly feels as if time is traveling at a greater speed as we face the dawn of yet another jewelry week in the desert. Something else that is happening at a record clip? Changes to the land- scape of industry that are scary but essential to move forward. Bob Dylan recognized the signifi cance of change in his 1964 hit "The Times They are a-Changing," but how many jewelers are brave enough to admit that the waters around them have grown? And if they don't start swimming… they just might sink like Dylan's proverbial stone. Change is inevitable and can be good, but it's how we deal with change that is most signifi cant. Jewelers need to make some shifts in their businesses to fi nd new customers, get them into stores, and keep them coming back. And choosing the right marketing—print ads, special events, and social media efforts like Instagram and Facebook— can be equally overwhelming, especially when you run your own business and wear many hats. I believe there is a basic principle, however, that can help attract customers and doesn't require a ton of money, a master's degree in technology, a GIA certifi cate or even a reputation for being a market- ing guru (although all of this can help). Simply put, people like to feel acknowledged. Clients want to be listened to, appreciated and valued, and believe it or not, they crave human contact as well. In a world where we are attached to our phone and can go into complete panic without it, a simple 'hello' can go a long way when you greet a new customer or acknowledge a longstanding one. While The Jewelry Book is known for being a glamour-fi lled magazine highlighting luxurious jewelry for the sophisticated eye, we also want to be a place where you fi nd answers, ideas and support for some of your toughest retail issues. To that end, we are adding in our next issue a retail- oriented column inked by yours truly—a private shopper as well as a publisher—and others dubbed "Private Practices" to challenge and inspire con- ventional sales wisdom. In this issue, we are happy to introduce the dynamic industry veteran Peter Smith, who is the president of VIBHOR diamond house and author of Hiring Squirrels and Sell Something, who will serve as a valuable resource in this conversation. I know that you all will look forward to reading Barbara Palumbo's witty insights on the watch industry along with on-trend jewelry choices in "Editor's Picks" from Senior Editor Brooke Sevenau. We are also happy to introduce Contributing Editor Jennifer Heebner, a seasoned and award-winning jewelry journalist who is lending her voice to our already impressive staff mix (check out her meaty Instagram feature revealing how the social media platform can drive sales). I am also proud to have my father-in-law John E. Bromstad put pen to paper to celebrate the Platinum Guild's 25th Anniversary; both John and wife, Audrey, have had such an impact on the industry, so I am grateful to have them as mentors and contributors. We hope you will be inspired by the beauty of the jewelry and watches shown in this pre-Las Vegas show issue, and take away some meaningful tips to create more business in store. Have an opinion on an article or on any of our new editorial efforts? Please reach out and let The Jewelry Book know how it can better serve you. Nicole Bromstad nicole@thejewelrybook.com 16 www.thejewelrybook.com Publisher's Letter

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