NEWSLETTER. Thank you to all our members, speakers and guests for making the 2017 Arkansas Jewelers Convention a wonderful success!

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1 All banquet photos by Joe Dempsey NEWSLETTER AJA Secretary Ashley Linden The 2017 AJA C.A.R.A.T. Awards Faye Rodgers, AJA President Michel Gutman, AJA board member Charlotte McFarland, AJA Treasurer Mark Dufour Thank you to all our members, speakers and guests for making the 2017 Arkansas Jewelers Convention a wonderful success! Keynote speaker Shane Decker CALL AJA: PAGE 1

2 A BETTER WAY TO SELL MOISSANITE CERTIFIED forever ONE MOISSANITE or roseco.com FINDINGS MOUNTINGS STONES TOOLS EQUIPMENT SUPPLIES CALL AJA: PAGE 2

3 Meet the Board of Directors Michel Gutman President Bobby Wilkerson Vice-President Ashley Linden Secretary Mark Dufour Treasurer Nelson Gotay Past President Laura Stanley Scott Kinard Current AJA Members Baker s Jewelry - Warren Bill s Custom Jewelry - Stuttgart Brooks Fine Jewelry - Conway Carter s Jewel Chest - Mountain Home Cecil s Fine Jewelry - Little Rock Dayer Jewelers - Conway Dey Gem Jewelry - Harrison Diamond Center Jewelers - Fayetteville Diamond Center Jewelers - Fort Smith Diamond Gems Jewelry - Jonesboro Faye s Diamond Mine - Clinton Gambill Jewelry - Jonesboro Gotay s Jewelry Design - Jonesboro John Mays Jewelers - Fort Smith Joshua s Fine Jewelry - Russellville Keepsakes Jewelry - White Hall Kinard Jewelers - Crossett Laura Stanley Personal Jeweler - Little Rock Lauray s The Diamond Center - Hot Springs Charlotte McFarland Jim Cash III Lee Ann s Fine Jewelry - Russellville Linden s Custom Jewelry & Diamonds - Bella Vista Lyon s Engraving & Awards - Jonesboro Mary Healey s Fine Jewelry - Little Rock Magie Jewelers - Morrilton McFarlin s Studio - Hot Springs Newton s - Fort Smith Overstreet s Jewelry - Bentonville Parks Diamond - Texarkana Phillip Long Jeweler - Little Rock Robertson s Jewelers - Jonesboro Roberson s Fine Jewelry - Little Rock Rogers Jewelers - Pine Bluff Sissy s Log Cabin - Pine Bluff, Little Rock, Jonesboro Stinson s Jewelers - Camden Swift s Jewelry - Fayetteville Tara & Co - Searcy The Jewelry Box - Fordyce Wilkerson Jewelers - Stuttgart CALL AJA: PAGE 3

4 Guest speaker Bob Rose, President of Roseco AJA Board Member Laura Stanley, Eric Freeman and Guest Speaker Terry Chandler, president and CEO of the Diamond Council of America AJA Vice President Bobby Wilkerson and Guest Speaker Harold Dupuy, Vice President of Strategic Analysis at Stuller Guest Speaker David Siminski from United Precious Metals Refining Guest Speaker Michael Bohner from Sissy s Log Cabin Oklahoma Jewelers Association President Mike Holmes and his wife Karen Dr. Michael Gruenwald and his wife Alexa Stephanie Gotay and her husband, former AJA President Nelson Gotay AJA Board Member Charlotte McFarland and AJA Treasurer Mark Dufour Keynote speaker Shane Decker and AJA President Michel Gutman Lori Blagg, Kayla Cash and the newest AJA Board member Jim Cash III CALL AJA: PAGE 4

5 Charlotte McFarland, Mark Dufour, Harold Dupuy, Bob Rose, David Siminski, Eric Freeman, Laura Stanley, Terry Chandler Dakota & Eleni Longnecker, Nelson & Stephanie Gotay, William Ibbotson & his Mom, Ashley Linden & Jace! CY Sheng, Mark & Judy Sanders, Landi Bohner & Michael Bohner, Kim & Mike Rieve, Les Mizell Kayla Cash, Michelle & Zach Cash, Lesley Davis, Faye Rodgers, Lori Blagg Alexa Gruenwald, Christo & Kai Kiffer, Geoff Annis, Jacquie & Taft Atkins Sharri Jones, Patti & Bobby Wilkerson Bill Jones Ryli Russ with mom & dad, Karen & Mike Holmes, Kimber & Michel Gutman Sissy Jones CALL AJA: PAGE 5

6 THE 2017 C.A.R.A.T. AWARDS Presented by AJA Secretary Ashley Linden CHRISTO KIFFER - Sissy s Log Cabin Best Bridal Plus Best Colored Fashion Plus Best Men s Fashion Plus Best Men s Wedding Ring Plus Best Diamond Fashion Convention Choice (Angel Ring) Craftsmanship (Angel Ring) CALL AJA: PAGE 6

7 Faye Rodgers - Faye s Diamond Mine Best Diamond Fashion Plus Taft Atkins - Sissy s Log Cabin Best Men s Fashion Best Men s Wedding Ring Abbi Duvall - Joshua s Fine Jewelry Best Bridal CALL AJA: PAGE 7

8 CY Sheng - Sissy s Log Cabin Best Colored Stone Fashion Best Silver Fashion STUDENT AWARDS William Ibbotson Ryli Russ CALL AJA: PAGE 8

9 SAFE PREVENT CRIMES AND OTHER DANGERS WITH ADVICE FROM OUR LOSS PREVENTION EXPERTS. SECURE AVOID RISK AND FEEL CONFIDENT IN YOUR COVERAGE WITH EXPERIENCED UNDERWRITERS AND A RESPONSIVE CLAIMS TEAM. SUCCESSFUL PARTICIPATE IN OUR EXCLUSIVE JEWELER PROGRAMS THAT CAN HELP GROW YOUR BUSINESS. SUPPORTIVE JOIN A MUTUAL COMPANY THAT INVESTS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TOWARD THE JEWELRY INDUSTRY S PROSPERITY. JEWELERSMUTUAL. COM PROUD SPONSOR OF THE ARKANSAS JEWELERS ASSOCIATION 2329 Severn Avenue, Suite 200 Metairie, LA Direct Toll Free Fax Mark Dufour mdufour@clockworkins.com Charlotte McFarland cmcfarland@clockworkins.com Mike Morrissey mmorrissey@clockworkins.com CALL AJA: PAGE 9

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12 Tips to Combat Internet Diamond Shoppers! By Aleah Arundale "I CAN BUY A DIAMOND ONLINE FOR CHEAPER" Don't worry if a customer says they "saw" a diamond on-line. REMEMBER: If they wanted to buy on line, they would have! They want to buy from you. To close the sale, you just need to create the FEELING OF VALUE. Your price does not matter as much as the feeling your customer is getting a great deal. THE #1 MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT DIAMONDS! Did you know the #1 MOST important thing about DIAMONDS can not be found on ANY CERT? Sparkle! Remind your customer the internet can not tell you how much a diamond sparkles! #2 IT'S FOREVER This is maybe the most precious item they will ever own. Remind them that the story and the experience will last long after the price is forgotten. Websites come and go, but a diamond is forever. #3 DIAMOND DATE PROFILES On dating web sites, how often is a person like their profile?the same with on-line diamond profiles! You must see a diamond before you buy it. If I gave you all the dimensions of a woman could you tell me if she is beautiful? NO! The same is with a diamond. #4 SELL FEELING. The internet lacks experience. People don't go to Tiffany's for the best deal. They buy the experience. Sell the feeling that the internet can't. CALL AJA: PAGE 12

13 #5 ONLINE IS NOT EASY! People buy online because they think it is easier. Convince them it's not! Try saying this:"why don't you order in the diamonds. You have a scale at home to check the diamond's weight right? You have a master set to grade color? You are fully insured if the company says they did not receives it or is was shipped incorrectly?" Try to convey what a waste buying online is. #6 EXAMINE BEFORE YOU BUY Diamond dealers don't buy diamonds without seeing them! Why should you? #7 THE VALUE OF PICKING When selling a diamond, remind them how many hundreds of diamonds had to be picked through in order to get to the diamonds they are seeing now! Having a professional (you) pick the best for them is the best way for them to get a great deal. Your effort, time, and knowledge ADD REAL VALUE to your diamonds! Remind them that you reject 99% of diamonds, and only show them the best of the best. #8 TELL STORIES Your story might be your long history in your community or that you do the best custom work in town. The better you deliver your story, the less price matters. #9 JOIN THEM! Why don't YOU have your own online diamond list? My jeweler friend Alex who does this says customer's say to him "Oh you have diamonds just like Blue nile." Which makes him look more competitive. CALL AJA: PAGE 13

14 #10 BLUE BUSTER TRICK When a customer says they 'saw' a diamond on a certain blue website, ask them "Did you look at 'SIGNATURE' IDEAL Diamonds?" (P.S.These are priced much higher!) Tell the customer that YOUR diamonds are hand picked and that it's only fair to compare them to other signature diamonds. #11 SERVICE What if you have a problem a few months from now. Who will take responsibility? It's your piece of mind worth going retail? #12 HORROR STORIES We have all heard horror stories of fake certs and dishonest sellers, but the public hasn't! Don't be afraid to tell your customers some of these horror stories. #13 RANGES WITHIN GRADES I hate when customers go to websites that list diamonds and just tell you about the CHEAPEST one. Ask them "What about page 2?!" "Don't they think there is a reason that one is so much cheaper? Not every G SI1 is the same! DeBeers sorts rough diamonds into over a thousand different categories. There are many degrees within grades. Some times a good SI1 might even face cleaner than a low VS2! #14 PAPER Tell them that printers sell paper, YOU sell Diamonds. Don't buy off a piece of paper. ALEAH is a third-generation GIA graduate gemologist and a fifth-generation jeweler turned loose diamond wholesaler. Selling diamonds on the road lets her share great ideas from hundreds of different jewelers from all over the country. Sign up for her Jewelry Sales Tips newsletter by ing her at aleah@olympiandiamonds.com or calling (800) CALL AJA: PAGE 14

15 Trusted. Proven. Hassle-Free e Programs. #BossofBasics IDDNY.COM CALL AJA: PAGE 15

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