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18-01-2012

Jim Ackerman: This I Know

Jim Ackerman: This I Know

First published in The SMART Show supplement that shipped with the January edition of INSTORE.

Jewelers see themselves as jewelers instead of marketers of jewelry and gemstones. Once you own the business, then your primary function is to bring in business. If you don’t do that, you don’t have a business. I’ve got clients who are up 56 percent in the midst of this economy. How can that be? Because I’ve got ’em working on marketing. Jewelers fail to then go back to their existing customers on a frequent enough basis and in a simple enough way, primarily to direct mail the existing customer base with personalized mailings, that can bring them back in for a fraction of what they cost to bring in through radio or newspaper or the mass media. I’ve hired waiters because of their ability to communicate. That would be the single biggest skill in a good salesperson. The ability to communicate well with people, to be warm, friendly and empathetic — these are very difficult to find. If you want top quality salespeople, these are the skills they’ve got to have before they know anything about jewelry. That you can teach. Being a commodity is no place to be. I call Ogilvy On Advertising, “the Bible.” No book has influenced me more. At the end of the day, what I do best is coach. In advertising and all of marketing, whether it’s face-to-face selling or marketing, nothing is more important than credibility. The best selection, the best price, the best terms, the best service — not everybody can be the best. These arguments are not believable. The public is dying to be led. If jewelers want to be believed, they have to raise the game on the way they deliver the features and benefits in their offers. One of the biggest reasons why my clients have had extraordinary success is we sent very simple private sale, personalized letters where we talk to people like we’re talking to our neighbor. I admire people of courage who will stand up for what they believe is right. And I admire people who have large families. Until you have a big family you just don’t know how much fun it is. I believe that when you’re in business, you’re in business. The goal is to be profitable. You serve your clients best, you serve your employees best, you serve yourself best and you serve society best when you are successful. I believe that jewelers ought to spend the better part of 50 percent of their marketing budget marketing to their existing customers. If you fail to continue to sell to your customers, they will fail to continue to be your customers.
Last modified on Friday, 13 January 2012 06:02
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