Jun 18, 2019
My retailers are finding that traditional shopping which used to be at a brick & mortar store are now migrating to online shopping.
How do retailers combat this? How can they get customers in to their store, increase foot traffic and hopefully increase sales?
The Omni Channel suggests the following 5 Ways:
- BOPIS – Buy Online Pick up in Store – it’s the perfect example of combining eCommerce with traditional retail stores. BOPIS gives customers greater control and convenience when purchasing their items. Additionally, when BOPIS customers come to pick-up, The Omni Channel’s research has found that these customers make another purchase at least 40% of the time.
- Local Inventory Availability – If the customer can’t see that the item they want online is available at their closest location and on the shelf, they won’t risk the trip out to the store. According to The Omni Channel, 64% of customers expect to be able to view local product availability prior to visiting the store. Additionally, 81% of consumers said they have looked up inventory on a retailer’s website before visiting the store and 80% are less inclined to visit a store if a website does not provide current product availability
- Personalized Promotions – Offering an in-store promotion through email, social media and telephone calls will help build brand loyalty and invite customers to experience your store environment. Customers want less of a generalized targeting promo and more of a personalized one.
- Transform Stores into Experience Centers – another way to increase foot traffic is to turn your stores into experience centers. From lighting to knowledgeable staff, coffee or tea on hand, comfortable seating, etc. this will help drive brand loyalty by offering a unique, consistent and pleasant in store shopping experience.
- Go Mobile – Go where your customers are: on their phones. This could be anything from Sticky sites that build loyalty and raise your conversion rate to a mobile friendly website. Text or call your customers to invite them in to the personalized promotion or BOPIS discounts you may offer.
At TK Enterprises Inc., we have a lot of experience working with North American jewelers and helping them to host in-store events that showcase their excellent customer service practices. Let’s put our knowledgeable team of phone agents to work for you!
For more information about our Event Marketing services, please don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-877-622-0195. You may also email us
Jun 6, 2019
They say, “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas”. But for us here at TK Enterprises, what happens in Vegas comes home with us. And that means lots of new business and new prospects.
For just over a week, the jewelry industry descends on Las Vegas to showcase new designers, jewelry brands, suppliers, service providers and wholesalers.
Between JCK, Couture, Luxury, CBG, JHJ, Antique show and IWJG plus countless others, there’s a treasure trove of products and services to be had.
For TK Enterprises, our service of Appointment setting helps support the designers and jewelry brands by booking appointments for the retailers to meet with them at their booth or suite.
On our Event Marketing side, we work with retailers who hold sales or events and are looking for ways to drive traffic to their store.
Sure we may get some social time in…after all it is Vegas! This year we learned how to play craps from one of our long standing retail customers.
We attended the Continental Buying Group’s Trade show at Caesar’s Palace and then moved over to the Jewelers Helping Jewelers Suite at the Rio. The vibe between the two is so different. Once is a ballroom with a standard trade show layout that serves lunch and has a cocktail party and the other was a warm and inviting suite, outfitted with food and drink, manicurists and a hairstylist and even a pool party with music.
InStore magazine had reported that traffic was down at JCK, held at The Sands this year. Are customers moving away from the standard trade show format and towards a more intimate and interactive social setting like the JHJ suite?
We found that we made more connections and deeper ones at the JHJ Suite. We were able to sit down on a couch and find out more about what people do, what struggles their having with their marketing and get in a plateful of finger foods and maybe a glass of wine while we’re at it!
At TK Enterprises Inc., we have a lot of experience working with North American jewelers and helping them to host in-store events that showcase their excellent customer service practices. Let’s put our knowledgeable team of phone agents to work for you!
For more information about our Event Marketing services, please don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-877-622-0195. You may also email us at heidi.tke@tomkaufmann.com or fill out the form on our Contact Us page and have someone contact you!
Apr 18, 2019
The creation of a pearl is, in and of itself, a beautiful thing. Often called Gemstones of the Seas, they are rare and amazing. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a grain of sand that enters the oyster, but a parasite.
The parasite enters the oyster’s shell and is an irritant between the oyster’s flesh and it’s shell. This causes the oyster to secrete a hard, pearly substance which coats the ‘foreign body’ to protect itself. This substance is called nacre or as it’s more commonly called, Mother of Pearl.
Oyster farms and ‘man made’ pearls are created by purposefully introducing the irritant, usually a grain of sand. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. Oysters are part of a family of Bivalves. It’s a group of animals including oysters, mussels and clams. They feed by filtering particles out of the water and quite often encounter grains of sand. So, if they take in grains of sand in their nature habitat, why aren’t pearls more prevalent?
According to Feedthedatamonster.com, unlike grains of sand that oysters can expel, parasites have a mechanism to minimize the risk of being expelled. They can attach themselves to the flesh of the animal, making it more difficult for the oyster to rid itself of the parasite. So, it does the next best thing. It protects itself against the parasite by encasing it in a beautiful pearly cell of calcium carbonate. Voila! a pearl is created.
So, to quote Joyce Hifler, the popular author of “Think on These Things”:
“Life is made up of a few moments all strung together like pearls. Each moment is a pearl.”
This makes me think that while there may be a moment in our life that we look back on as negative or parasitic…the beauty that emerges from moving past it and learning from it is the pearl.
Apr 8, 2019
Nowadays, there’s a National Day for almost every day of the calendar. Something to celebrate – everything from Hot Dogs to Administrative Assistants!
On April 8th, people around the world observe National “All is Ours” Day. There are two ways to look at this day. First, it’s a time to reflect on all the amazing things in life and the beauty of nature. Secondly, it’s a day to appreciate all that we have, not what we are missing.
Here at TK Enterprises, we are taking this day to reflect on all that we have. The great teamwork we see in our fellow staff members; the relationships we have built with our vendors and our clients and the joy we all have about what we do for work.
Our team of management will always step up to the plate to pitch in. No one is above a certain job. Whether it’s replacing toiletries in the restrooms or upper management making phone calls to pitch in and get the job done. We all strive to do our very best each day. We know that our clients depend on us.
The relationships that have been built with our vendors is immeasurable. If there is a last-minute job order or a problem with tech support, we know we can pick up the phone and ask for help. The relationships we have built over the years have cemented a strong foundation between the companies and we know they are doing whatever they can to assist us.
Client relationships are fundamental. The Harvard Business Review states in their article The Value of Keeping the Right Customers, that depending on the industry you’re in, acquiring a new customer is anywhere from 5-25 times more expensive than retaining an existing one. We believe it. We enjoy the relationships we have with our clients. We find out about their lives, their families and what they do when they’re not at work. People do business with people they like. And we like our clients.
So on this National “All is Ours” Day, we say thank you for all that we have. Thank you for the opportunity to serve our clients; thank you for the opportunity to be a client for our vendors and thank you to our fellow co-workers for bringing their best each and every day!
#NationalAllIsOursDay #ColdCalling #Sales #EventMarketing
Dec 19, 2018
The holiday season is quickly approaching and something many of us look forward to all year long. It is the season of giving and being able to connect with loved ones that you have not seen in quite some time. It is a reason to bring people together, to reminisce and to create new memories.
A constant struggle this time of year is trying to decide on the perfect gift for the special people in your life. We all plan and try to create a list of potential gifts that are best suited; but then when it comes time to purchase the gifts, you ask yourself “Is this gift really good enough?” or “Does this really suit them?”. Without a doubt, when that person opens your gift, you want nothing more than to see the excitement on their face and satisfaction that you made a great choice. The simplest and most impactful solution – jewelry.
Jewelry is something that one does not generally buy for themselves and it can be sentimental. It can be worn everyday with any outfit or on a specific occasion. Jewelry is a timeless gift that can be given at any age. The best thing about jewelry is that it can be worn now and be given as a gift for generations to come. We all have relatives that have family heirlooms they’ve had for generations or heard of proposals that were initiated with a great grandmother’s ring. Jewelry truly is the gift that keeps on giving.
A perfect gift for a parent, or grandparent is something that symbolizes family. Jewelry can be extremely customizable and definitely the gift of a lifetime. There are many rings or necklaces that can hold the birthstones of your loved ones or a charm bracelet with pendants that embrace the personality or hobby of someone that you cherish.
A gift of jewelry begins a story, a special piece to mark a special date. A child can receive their first charm on a charm bracelet or a pair of earrings on their graduation day that their mother received on hers. One piece of jewelry can collect a lifetime of memories that can be passed on. Jewelry is meaningful and reflects a moment in time and that sentiment will be cherished forever every time it is looked upon.
Especially during the holidays, jewelry is the best universal gift. Our unique service is specifically designed for high-end jewelry retailers who are looking to increase traffic for their in-store events. We make phone calls to existing customers to personally invite them to a variety of events that can be held at your store location. We’ve found that phone calls are undoubtedly the best way to send out invites because they are the most effective methods of making personal connections with the people most likely to support your business.
For more information about our Retail Event Marketing services, please don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-877-622-0195. You may also email us at heidi.tke@tomkaufmann.com.
Oct 2, 2018
A diamond is forever…that’s the slogan…but is it? With the emergence of lab grown diamonds, it begs the question. Is it forever? What is a diamond if not carbon under intense pressure. So if most of the world is made up of natural carbon atoms then diamonds are naturally occurring items.
But with diamonds now being grown in a lab, does that dilute the market? We’ve had lab grown emeralds, rubies and other gemstones for many years. Jewelry stores carry them without any issues. Colombian Emeralds are far more expensive than lab grown emeralds. For some people, they are not financially within their means.
For young couples starting out, getting married is a huge step and so is choosing the engagement ring. Birks used to say it was 2 and a half months the groom’s income. For some couples who are starting out, they may be trying to save for a wedding, a home or a honeymoon. A high-priced engagement ring can then cut into their savings.
Enter the lab grown diamond. Now those couples can still pop the question without breaking the bank. Of course, you won’t get the same as you would with a naturally occurring diamond, or will you? The market of lab grown diamonds is still so new. It’s like the breakthrough of a new medical treatment or a new prescription pill. Sure, it solves the short-term problem but at what long term gain? Will the novelty wear off? Will it be a flash in the pan solution? Or will it stick around like synthetic gemstones. That remains to be seen.
Sep 26, 2018
There will never come a time when zero communication between businesses and their clients is acceptable. Naturally, it’s important for there to be ways to get in touch and interact in order to build brand loyalty. In today’s world, there are many different ways to communicate – social media being among the most popular. But, make no mistake about it. Short of a face-to-face meeting, there is still no better way to have a conversation than over the phone.
You can’t type as quickly as you can speak.
As Gregg Johnson of Harvard Business Review explains, there is simply no comparison to the live conversation. In terms of delivering a message, actual speaking (as opposed to typing) provides us all with the ability to communicate a lot more effectively. He highlights some indisputable facts about the delivery ability of speaking compared to that of typing or texting.
“As brands prioritize this digital experience, they often overlook a simple fact: communicating by voice is faster, easier, and more effective than typing messages back and forth,” writes Johnson, “Humans generally speak at 125-175 words per minute and can listen at a rate of up to 450 words per minute. In contrast, the average typist does 38-40 words per minute — and that’s on a full-fledged keyboard, not on a mobile phone.”
Consumers prefer genuine human interactions.
One of the reasons the telephone remains a top way to effectively communicate with customers is because conversations happen in real time. When a question is asked, it can be answered right away. Waiting several hours or even days for an answer has become the norm in the world of e-mail. This is generally considered unacceptable.
“Customers still love talking to a real human being, and they still hate complicated automated menus that take forever to get through to the person they need,” notes Arina on Casengo.com, “Although calling is still popular on its own, surveys find that 50% of customers choose to call if none of the other communication methods brought the desired result.”
Customers are calling more, not less.
We certainly wouldn’t suggest that you eliminate such modes of communication as e-mail and your social media accounts to communicate with members of your target audience. However, we would strongly advise that you place increased efforts on the ways in which you handle customer service over the phone. As Johnson reveals, today’s consumers are increasingly using the phone to have their problems resolved.
“Calls to businesses have significantly increased in response to the mass adoption of mobile phones,” he informs, “Filling out a form on a five-inch screen is a much clunkier experience than calling a business directly from a search result or a Facebook ad. According to the advertising and marketing advisory firm BIA/Kelsey, calls to businesses are expected to exceed 169 billion per year by 2020.”
Allow us to get on the phone for you!
The phone agents who are part of the TK Enterprises Inc. team have over 30 years of experience. For information about how our one-of-a-kind Event Marketing services can grow the relationships between your jewelry store and its customers, please don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-877-622-0195. You may also email us at heidi.tke@tomkaufmann.com or fill out the form on our Contact Us page and have someone contact you!
Sep 19, 2018
With the fall season officially getting underway this Saturday, there will be a shift in the way people approach their shopping routines. This is especially true for those who plan on shopping for jewelry. As all jewelers and fashion-conscious people alike are aware, the changing of the season brings about a changing of fashion sense. As a result, there are particular pieces you may wish to consider promoting in the weeks to come.
Here are three fresh jewelry marketing techniques for the fall:
1. Book a professional photo shoot.
There are few ways to better create an attention-grabbing marketing campaign than to post vibrant photos on your company website and social media pages. Taking pictures of your jewelry, however, shouldn’t be done with your smartphone. Hire a professional photographer to not only take the shots, but to design backgrounds that greatly compliment the pieces you wish to promote for the fall.
“Showing off your jewelry isn’t just a matter of having photos,” agrees Joy Gendusa on PostcardMania.com, “You need HIGH QUALITY photos to capture the intricate details of your diamonds and gems…Photos that clearly SHOW the quality and beauty of your jewelry will make your jewelry store marketing much more effective because prospects will instantly be able to SEE that you have something worth buying.”
2. Make heavy use of your social media accounts.
What good are beautiful pictures if no one sees them? As mentioned, your website should include an array of the photos taken at your recent shoot. But your company’s social media accounts should also play host to your eye-catching pictures. It’s well known that the majority of social media users greatly enjoy viewing and sharing photos. As Gendusa insists, “people LOOK and click when they see images!”
She goes on to reveal a number of very telling statistics about social media use: 79% of the U.S. population uses Facebook, 70% of Facebook users login daily and 75% of users take action after seeing an Instagram advertising post. “Social media is a FREE way to get your jewelry marketing out so people can see what beautiful items you have for sale, and you can drive clicks from social media back to your website,” Gendusa adds.
3. Make it all about customer service.
You can launch the most elaborate marketing campaign in your company’s history. But it won’t likely create the type of interest in your brand that genuinely enjoyable interactions can. Never forget to put the needs and wants of your customers first. Remember to treat them like people and not just means to potential sales.
“When a consumer is making a sizable purchase, be it a diamond engagement ring or a gold bracelet, they want to get the best product for the best price,” writes Nancy Friedman on FitSmallBusiness.com, “But they also expect the salesperson to not only be knowledgeable, but to provide superior customer service. Eighty-seven percent of customers share good experiences with others, and 88 percent are influenced by online customer service reviews when making a buying decision.”
At TK Enterprises Inc., we have a lot of experience working with North American jewelers and helping them to host in-store events that showcase their excellent customer service practices. Let’s put our knowledgeable team of phone agents to work for you!
For more information about our Event Marketing services, please don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-877-622-0195. You may also email us at heidi.tke@tomkaufmann.com or fill out the form on our Contact Us page and have someone contact you!
Sep 11, 2018
Today is a day that will forever live in infamy. Very sadly, for the past 17 years, we have all had no choice but to acknowledge September 11th as one of the most horrific days in modern history. Surely, no one who was around in 2001 needs to be reminded of the terrorist attacks that took the lives of more than 3,000 people at the World Trade Center in New York City and at The Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia.
On behalf of the entire TK Enterprises Inc. team, we would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to each and every individual who lost their lives due to the tragedy 17 years ago today. We would also like to acknowledge the amazing individuals who put their lives on the line to save lives on that fateful day.
17 years ago today – on a Tuesday, just like today – a long list of heroes belonging to the police force and emergency medical services were called into action in a way they surely never expected. Needless to say, the day was life changing for them. So much so, that many of them would lose their lives in the months and years that followed due to cancer and respiratory illnesses that stemmed from their exposure to the wreckage and debris.
TK Enterprises Inc. would also like to send its sincere support and heartfelt well wishes to the friends and family of those who were so wrongly taken from this world on 9/11. There’s no way to properly put into words the heartbreak of those of who lost loved ones 17 years ago. Our very own Chief Executive Officer, Heidi Kaufmann is one of thousands who lost a cherished colleague on 9/11.
Last week, Heidi informed us of how she was working at BMO Nesbitt Burns in the Foreign Exchange Tower in Toronto, Ontario on the morning of September 11, 2001. When Heidi first heard of the planes flying into the World Trade Center towers in New York, her thoughts rushed to one of her managers, David Barkway. David was there visiting one the company’s clients. The impact of his passing continues to live with Heidi today.
“In the following hours and days, the chaos and evacuation in Toronto was overwhelming,” she recalls, “It was certainly not something we expected, nor did we realize how deep it would go or that it was a terrorist attack on our neighboring country and fellow clients, business partners and fellow employees. In the weeks after the attack, the company helped us with counseling.”
The TK Enterprises Inc. team takes pride in the unwavering connection between the nations of Canada and the United States. There is a love and support that extends beyond our borders that unites us all. It’s this unification that has prevented the terrorists from scaring our citizens from living happy and fulfilled lives.
“I used to worry about traveling to and from the U.S. on business or holiday,” Heidi confided, “I used to worry in an airport or at a large gathering. But then I realized that’s what terrorists want. They want to make people live in fear, and I for one will not allow them to have that kind of power over me.”
TK Enterprises Inc. sends everyone their best wishes on this very difficult of days. We will keep the victims of 9/11 forever in our hearts.
Sep 5, 2018
In the year 2018, we have more ways to communicate with each other than ever before. Between all of those social media platforms, messaging apps and our email accounts, it’s practically impossible to not stay in touch. There is something about all of those modes of communication, however, that lack a human quality. It’s hard to have genuine interactions when a message is sent and its reply could potentially take hours to appear.
A natural conversation, on the other hand, is one that can help two or more individuals get a true sense for what the other parties are talking about. Bonds can be made easier. And, of course, actual talking involves inflections, tones and gestures that help to better communicate messages. This is why the majority of your customers would much rather talk to you on the phone than use any of the above mentioned communication methods in order to receive customer service.
Studies show that customers prefer the phone.
It should come as no surprise that millennials enjoy using social media in order to keep in contact. However, even consumers who are part of the younger generation often herald the telephone as a top means of getting a problem resolved with a company. Edgar Maurice Rollon of Anderson Group offers some interesting statistics that speak to that point.
“In a survey by the Northridge Group, about 56% of respondents find communication through phones ‘easy’ and less complicated compared to other channels,” he reveals, “In the same survey, phone interactions produced the highest ratio of customer issue resolutions, with about 87% of the respondents claiming they got their issues resolved with the problems they raised through a phone call.”
Customers want the human touch.
What a telephone conversation can do that other modern forms of communication cannot is offer the opportunity for immediate back and forth dialogue. Questions can be answered immediately – not minutes later. This is likely why other research has found that the vast majority of consumers prefer that there is a “human touch” involved in the customer service provided by the companies they do business with.
On ContactCenterPipeline.com, Susan Hash reveals the findings of a global study released by Verint Systems, with support from Opinium Research and IDC. It surveyed over 24,000 consumers in 12 countries and polled more than 1,000 businesses. The study’s objective, she reveals, was to identify the right balance between digital and human customer service and whether consumers preferred digital or traditional channels.
“When the service request is simple, 22% of survey participants chose the phone as the most popular channel, while email and SMS tied for second place at 19% each,” Hash writes, “As service requests become more complex, reliance on human interaction increases. More than one-third (34%) of respondents said that they prefer to go in-store for answers to complex inquiries, while 33% said they prefer the phone. The highest-ranked digital channel was email with only 7% of consumers reporting that they use it to handle complex requests.”
Put our expertise to work for you!
At TK Enterprises Inc., we have over 30 years of experience offering the human touch to jewelry store customers. For more information about our one-of-a-kind Event Marketing services, please don’t hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-877-622-0195. You may also email us at heidi.tke@tomkaufmann.com or fill out the form on our Contact Us page and have someone contact you!
