This week’s
recognition goes out to Craig’s Fine Jewelry. The Ridgefield, Conn.,
store recently signed on with foursquare (http://foursquare.com),
the location-based social media website that is catching on with retailers of
all types, including jewelry store owners. The effort is still in its infancy
for the jeweler, who serves a population of 24,000. So far, there have been “a
few people coming in mentioning foursquare,” says store manager Laura Elizabeth
Verses. “But, it’s still important to stay on top of trends, as social media,
like the Internet, is constantly evolving.”

The store
also gets high marks for frequently hosting low-key, low-pressure customer
events such as celebrating New York’s Fashion Week, Ridgefield style, and
their recent “Surprisingly Affordable Trunk Show and
Wine Tasting” event.

Craig’s also does a solid job of
maintaining their Facebook profile page by promoting and adding content from
these events to the social media website. Product is frequently highlighted
with “Pick of the Week” uploads and other “come-in-and-see” non-sales
approaches. They also get bonus points for having weekly picks modeled by
staffers.

Shout-outs to customers on life’s big
events and milestones, such as a congratulatory message regarding a birth
announcement, is a definite plus for good customer contact. Additional Facebook
content includes articles of interest and jewelry-in-fashion news that
generates interest and interaction.

And the store also gets a thumbs-up for
creative window displays, including their recent “Arm Candy” display to promote
bangles in early August, a colorful paper flower display to mark the beginning
of summer, and a “Gone Country” display to bring attention to their gold
buying. Factor in a redesign of their website to be launched later this year
and it’s clear store owner Bill Craig and his staff are doing all the right
things to stay current on tech trends while creating top-of-mind awareness with
customers.

JCK