The BJA recently held a “Growing Your Business” seminar at its Vyse Street offices that was open to both members and non members. Aimed to cover a wide range of topics all with the purpose of providing useful and practical business advice, the event attracted over 40 guests, who listened to presentations from a variety of jewellery industry stalwarts and industry experts.

1. BJA Seminar
“Growing your business”
Thursday 25th July 2013

2. BJA Seminar “Growing your business”
Thursday 25th July 2013
• Marketing – Anne-Marie Reeves, SHO fine jewellery
• Brand Creation - Judith Lockwood, IBB Amsterdam
• Trade Magazines - Rachael Taylor, Professional Jeweller &
Watch Pro
• Exhibiting Tips – Lindsey Straughton, BJA
• Start Up Loans - Vijay Patel, Birmingham City Council

3. MARKETING
The Tools of the Trade
Anne-Marie Reeves

4. “Is all about having fun
with fine jewellery”

5. Marketing is ...??

6. Marketing is ...??
Advertising
Exhibitions SponsorshipCommunication
Packaging
Branding
PR
Social Media
Training
Displays
Trade Shows
Competitions
Collaborations
Strategy Forward Planning
Ecommerce
Website
Stationery
Brochures
& LeafletsPrice
Product
Place
Promotion
Digital
Internet
Promotion

7. 4 P’S
• Product
• Place
• Price
• Promotion

8. Marketing is ....
A process of analysis, thought and
action that is essential for business
survival and long term success

9. It’s all about .....
You

10. The key to successful marketing is
ownership of a carefully defined
market segment.

15. It’s all in the planning
You
Your
business
Your
customer
Your
team
Your
Marketing

16. The key to successful marketing is
ownership of a carefully defined
market segment.

17. Behind the scenes
Marketing
Plan
Research
Vision &
Mission
ProductsStrategy
Comms

18. Marketing is a process of analysis, thought
and action that is essential for business
survival and long term success
Now it’s time to take action!

19. Marketing is ...??
Advertising
Exhibitions SponsorshipCommunication
Packaging
Branding
PR
Social Media
Training
Displays
Trade Shows
Competitions
Collaborations
Strategy Forward Planning
Ecommerce
Website
Stationery
Brochures
& LeafletsPrice
Product
Place
Promotion
Digital
Internet
Promotion

20. Next Steps
• Choose something that will be memorable!
• Write a few sentences that you can use over again
• Be consistent with colours, logos, images
• Create a priority list with a time frame, short term
achievable goals and long term development
• Meet people/network/talk about it
• Spread the word wider
– Trade Press
– Jewellery Editors
– Social Media
– Trade Shows/events/new initiatives

21. Build on success
• Keep in touch
• Refresh/expand the offer for your customers
– Branding in-store
– Images for their website
– Customer events
– Staff training
– Create materials they can use in-store

22. Marketing creates the story,
it’s up to you to be the ambassador
• Have a clear vision about you or your products
– make a statement
• Be consistent
• Be memorable
• Stand out from the crowd
• Evaluate each project
• Keep a record of your achievements/press
coverage and celebrate your successes

23. “Don’t be afraid to ask for advice, be true to
yourself and follow your dream”
Sarah Ho

24. BRAND CREATION
A personal view…………..
Judith Lockwood – IBB Amsterdam -
Country Manager UK

25. How my view was formed……

26. I believe that…….
• Creating a brand should be a
fun, exciting, challenging and a highly
responsible process.
• You become the brand and the brand
becomes you.
• You have to think and behave “on-brand”
always.
• You have to be believable.

28. So, you have your idea,
the design, the product – what next?
• How do you make it a brand?
• When does it become a brand?
• How do you brand manage?
• How do you give it value and life?
• How do you make some money?
• What about PR – marketing to the
trade/consumer?

29. A brand needs……
• A credible story
• A personality and life
• Reputation
• Hard work
• Great people
• Consistency
• A little bit of luck

30. A credible story…….
• “Once upon a time……”
• This becomes your sales pitch
• Your point of difference
• Your Unique Selling Point

31. A personality and a life……
• Who is your product aimed at?
• Who is your customer – both retailer and
consumer?
• What are the recognisable elements?

32. Do we recognise this little blue box?
Tiffany
And the swish?
Nike of course

33. Reputation……
• “A reputation can take a lifetime to build, but
can be lost overnight.”
• Be known for the right things.
• Don’t be arrogant
• Build and use your network wisely
• Talk to everyone
• And have everyone talking about you

34. Hard work……
• Be prepared to do everything
• The worst job to the best job
• Remember the tiny details
• Effort, determination, graft, sweat, tears,
passion, enthusiasm, belief
• And then do it again and again and again and
again
• Don’t give up

35. Great people……
• Great people are the key
• Suppliers, manufacturers, your in-house team,
sales-team
• And retail-partners, buying groups
• If you choose the right people from top to
bottom you will have a great start in building
your brand and business

36. Consistency……
• It means you are reliable
• Trustworthy
• Expectation
• Quality
• Reputation
• Your brand message and brand values are
recognised

37. A little bit of luck……
• PR – trade/consumer press
• Celebrity endorsement
• Be careful what you wish
for!

38. A little bit of luck……
• Trade colleagues and “buzz”
• Hand-pick the right stores
• Ambassadors
• Word of mouth
• “The harder I work, the luckier I become.”

39. In conclusion……
• It’s not easy!
• But, you are in great company.
• Richard Branson, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs,
Walt Disney, J K Rowling, Michael Jordan, Jerry
Seinfeld, Fred Astaire, Oliver Stone,Steven
Speilberg, The Beatles and Stephen King. They
all overcame rejection to become successful.

40. How to work with trade
magazines
Rachael Taylor
editor-in-chief
Professional Jeweller & WatchPro

42. Why should you get involved
with trade magazines?
• Increased exposure of you, your business and
your products
• Raising your profile in the industry
• Great networking benefits
• Increase your influence
• Talk to thousands of relevant
people all at once

43. What is a good story to pitch
to a trade magazine?
• A launch – a store opening, a new collection
• A business deal – a new investor, a new
supplier, an important stockist
• Changes to the business – new members of
staff, restructuring, new strategies
• Celebrations – events, awards, successes
• Sales figures – is business up or down, what
new initiatives are paying off and why

44. What happens when the
story is a negative one?
• Face it head on – be the first to talk about it
and take control of the situation
• Take the opportunity to explain what a
seemingly negative story means in the wider
context of your business
• Remember... People will talk regardless and it
will get out, so it is better to be seen to be
proactive than sticking your head in the sand

45. How to handle press requests and
press announcements
Work with a PR
agency
Hire a member
of staff
Assign a
member of staff
Do it yourself

46. A quick and easy formula for press
releases
NEED TO KNOW
WANT TO KNOW
NICE TO KNOW

47. Images – get it right
• Make sure you have a relevant
image to go with every story
• Make high res shots easily
available
• If you have an event, grab a
camera – journalists can’t come
to every event but they can
cover it afterwards if you
provide them with images

48. Images – take yourself
out of the equation
• Download section on your website
• Dropbox
• Mailbigfile
• Yousendit

49. Analyse your target publications
• What regular features do they run and where
could you fit in?
• How often do they write about your sort of
company?
• What kind of stories tend to get the best
coverage?
• Is there something that has been covered too
much – can you add a new angle?

50. Be persistent
• If your first press release is not picked up,
don’t give up
• Give the editor a quick call to ask why
• Don’t demand coverage, or try to bully
anyone into picking up your press release
as this will do you no
long-term favours
• Most importantly, build great relationships
with the journalists and editors

51. Questions
Contact me:
rachael.taylor@itp.com
www.professionaljeweller.com
www.watchpro.com

52. Exhibiting Tips
Lindsey Straughton
BJA Marketing Manager

53. Before the show
Research
• Make sure the show is for you - pay a visit, check out other exhibitors and
ask other people opinions.
• Size of show - visitor numbers trade v consumer for example
• Always read the exhibitor manual – often online with forms
• Ask the organisers – they want your show experience to be successful

54. Before the show
Stand Security
• Investigate how to access the secure safe areas via the Online Exhibitor
Manuals and remember to allow enough time in the morning to collect
and display goods.
• Insurance - Show organisers will require public liability insurance - You
have to insure your jewellery whilst in transit as well as at shows! An
annual policy is often best and not a lot more expensive
• Always have someone else cover your stand if you leave it during the show
• Remember to remove your badge when leaving a show

55. Before the show
Essential printed materials
• Business cards
• Price lists
• Notebook or order forms to capture visitor information- stapler
Marketing Materials
• 20 to 30 Press kits for the press office – preferably a branded CD with brief
press statement and 5/6 images of product with RRP
• A press portfolio on the stand which contains any press you might have
already had plus any other images and designs you may want to show
visitors.

56. Before the show
Stand Preparation
• It is always a good idea to rehearse your display beforehand so that you
come on setup day fully prepared. Take a photo on your phone to remind
yourself
• A mirror is a useful tool
• Less is more otherwise you clutter people’s minds
• White or clear backgrounds work best – the jewellery or silverware is the
hero

57. Tips On Exhibiting

58. Before the show
Tell everyone you are there
• Send images to the show organisers may feature your product on leaflets
or in the press articles
• Send out Press Releases including your stand no
• Show invitations can be sourced from the show organisers – free entry at
trade events and a discount for consumer ones - sometimes branded if
you require
• Email your existing clients with a new image and invite them to your stand

59. Before the show
Tell everyone you are there
• Populate the show website – Post up your show launches on their
websites – your catalogue entry and images – you pay a marketing
fee and they get 1000s of hits a month!
• Use PressPoint on the BJA website
• Sign up to events - Some shows do a meet the international buyer
service

60. At The Show
Acknowledge everyone
• Smile and greet everyone
• First impression last! Dress up and look smart and business like. There are
also events most evenings that are worth attending to network with both
retailers and suppliers
• If it feels right complement or ask about buyers jewellery or cufflinks -
they will have though about what to wear at a show
• Advocates count -try to make advocates –may know someone who could
stock your range

61. At The Show
Information capture
• Always ask for a card, or ask them to make a note of their name and email
address
• Have a note book and clip one card to each page - that way you can add
comments underneath to remind you of the person, location or info
regarding their store
• Mailing list ask for emails to add to your mailing list and give out a card
with an image and your website details.
• Competitions – Hold a draw stand visitors can enter or enter yourself

63. At The Show
Product Information
• Give out clear pricelists with images that relate to the product not just a
number that mean something to you.
• Always date it and state how long those prices are valid for
• Have a dollar or euro price list to refer to for international buyers as a
guide line
• At consumer shows give out a card with an image and your website on it
• An info board showing product in the press is a good draw to a stand

65. After The Show
Follow up
• Email everyone who visited the stand and thank them for visiting and
showing interest within a week of the show ending - try to add in a
personal note from your show note book
• Email buyer you did not see with a positive show comment and image of
new range maybe they did not make it
• Follow up press release and image may just hit a journalists desk at the
right time most do post show reviews

66. After The Show
Review the show
• Analyse what worked
• what did not, what you would change and write it down
• Reflect
• on the shows total sales after you have systematically followed up leads
and keep a record that you add to as more come in!

67. Start Up Loans Programme
Vijay Patel,
Programme Manager
Birmingham City Council
Date July 2013

68. Background
• Funded by the Department for
Business, Innovation & Skills
• Over £100m
• Start Up Loan Company Chaired by James
Caan, business entrepreneur and former
Dragons Den investor
• Backed by David Cameron

69. Background
• Over a million young people unemployed
• Start up loans aim is to encourage young
people to consider enterprise as a viable
career option
• Little track record so need support to start
• Provide mentoring and support alongside loan

70. Birmingham City Council
• Birmingham City Council is an official delivery
partner
• Allocated £4m
• Spend by 31 March 2015
• Looking to support up to 1000 start up
businesses
• Loans £2.5-10k

71. Range of Support on Offer
• Pre-start up: workshops, seminars and
business planning support
• Start up: business advisor
• Loan fund
• Post start up: mentoring and coaching support
• Exclusive business products from Corporate
Partners on offer once loan approved via SULC

72. Loan Offer
• Loans £2.5-10k
• Low interest rate (6% nominal which equates
to around 6.2% APR representative).
• One repayment holiday may be taken up to 12
months (interest only).
• Loan term between 1 and 5 years.

73. Information
• Application Form
• Business Plan
• Cash Flow
• Start Up Costs
• Personal Budget
• ID (eligibility to work in UK)

74. Information
• Sell skills, abilities, knowledge and experience
• Show knowledge and/or research of market,
pricing, customers, competitors, suppliers
• Progress to date (eg, orders, premises)
• Detailed breakdown of price, units sold,
margins, payment terms, cost of sales
• Include all business income and expenditure

75. Programme Eligibility
• Available to all business sectors
• To support pre and start up businesses
• Viable, sustainable business idea
• Already in business and trading for less than
12 months
• Aged 18-30 (subject to change)

76. Application Process
• Each loan will be assessed by an investment
panel and is subject to authorisation by SULC
• If the proposal is sound and the business plan
can justify the loan value, the loan will be
approved and a program of mentoring will be
assigned.

77. Programme Contact
• If you are interested in this opportunity, email
or speak to:
• Ibrahim Bhayat
• startuploans@birmingham.gov.uk
• T: 0121 464 9870
• Further details of this programme are
available at
• www.birmingham.gov.uk/startuploans