FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Suzanne Pruitt
678.285.0307 | [email protected]
AUGUST 2014 ATLANTA JEWELRY SHOW RECORDS ATTENDANCE
INCREASE, GARNERS RAVE REVIEWS
ATLANTA (August 29, 2014) The August 9-11, 2014 Atlanta Jewelry Show recorded a 10 percent increase in
attendance over August 2013 and a 5 percent increase over the March 2014 edition. The traffic uptick,
combined with reports of steady order-writing and overwhelmingly positive feedback on the show’s upscale look,
new resources, as well as networking and after-hours events, contributed to the positive vibe and buzz that was
obvious on the show floor.
“We never lose sight of the fact that this show pulls at the
heartstrings of so many of our buyers and exhibitors. Whether
they’ve been coming for years or relatively new to the event,
they feel at home here and look forward to returning year after
year to see industry friends who have become family,” explains
Carol Young, executive director, Southern Jewelry Travelers
Association (SJTA), producers and managers of the semi-annual
Atlanta Jewelry Show. “Our ‘ (re)fresh, (re)ignite , (re)discover’
marketing campaign capsulizes the spirit of what we’re aiming
for in working to foster a business-friendly, engaging show
atmosphere.”
(re)Discovering Resources and New Business
Opportunities.
The August edition welcomed 40 new
exhibitors to the show, enhancing the already
versatile product selection available. First time
and veteran exhibitors alike were delighted
with the show’s steady traffic and geographic
reach.
“We just launched our company a few months
ago and are trying to spread the word. We’ve
been very happy with the traffic we’ve seen at
the Atlanta Jewelry Show. We signed up new
subscribers within the first hours of opening
morning and have seen jewelers from
throughout the Southeast and as far away as
Canada and California,” said new exhibitor Joseph Akar, Chronofy/Accar, Ltd.
“This show is always great for us,” adds Bryan Cohen,
president and CEO, Timeless Designs. “As always,
we’re seeing jewelers from throughout the Southeast
and around the country as well. This show just has
such a wonderful hometown feel where everyone
seems to know each other.”
One of the newest areas of the show, the Handcrafted
Studio also welcomed new resources through the
participation of 7 new artisans. This section brings
together talented jewelry designers showcasing oneof-a-kind, handcrafted pieces. Exhibitors in this
section were also pleased with the traffic and quality
retailers they were meeting at the show.
“The Handcrafted Studio has provided a great opportunity to be promoted as an artist among jewelers looking for
unique, different designs,” said Alexis Barbeau, Alexis Barbeau Designs. “This special area showcases jewelry that
has been handmade by the artist, so attendees really see someone’s passion coming out as opposed to only a
beautiful piece of jewelry. They get the whole story behind the design and customers have really responded to
that.”
“It’s rewarding to meet with that certain customer
who truly appreciates what I do,” adds
Handcrafted Studio exhibitor Andrea Marshall,
AndreaGems. “I was hoping to get a foothold in
the Florida area and I’ve definitely met new
potential customers from there, Georgia, other
areas of the Southeast … even Utah!“
Jewelers also responded favorably to the versatile
selection they saw this August. “I always enjoy
coming to the Atlanta Jewelry Show. You can
shop in a casual, relaxed atmosphere and always
find great new resources, as well as your
established lines,” said Mike Gibbs, M.
Gibbs. Ltd, Concord, NC.
“We’ve been coming to this show for years
and are always excited to see what’s new ,”
added Terri Israeli and Alisa Bowden,
Atlanta Diamond Design, Alpharetta, GA.
“This is the main show for my buying,
especially going into the fourth quarter
holiday season,” said Bill Warren,
Goldmine Fine Jewelry & Gifts, Hudson, NC.
“All my major vendors are here and I
always find new items too. If you like to
gamble, go to the Las Vegas show. But if
you’ve got business to accomplish,
everything you need is right here, under one roof and it’s great fun too.”
As a testament to the steady orderwriting that was occurring on the
show floor, the August edition saw a
notable increase in the number of
customers redeeming orders for SJTA
Rewards. As the only buyer loyalty
program of its kind in this industry,
SJTA Rewards gives retailers the
chance to earn points for every order
placed with every exhibitor at the
show. These reward points can then
be redeemed for anything from gift
cards and tech gadgets to movie
tickets and travel packages. In
addition, any retailer who earns
15,000 SJTA Reward points or more at
a single show is automatically enrolled
in Club Elite, the exclusive club of Atlanta VIP buyers .
(re)Connecting and (re)Charging.
The August edition offered exhibitors and jewelers alike a
wide range of opportunities to socialize and share new
ideas. Among the newer initiatives is the specially priced
buyer lunch, coupled with “Café Conversations.” As part of
the program, buyers are encouraged to stay on the show
floor to enjoy the show’s sponsored lunch buffet for only
$5. As an added bonus, they also had the chance to join in
the show’s daily Café Conversations moderated by Terry
Chandler, President & CEO, Diamond Council of America
and David Peters, Chief Learning Officer, The Jewelry
Coach. These informal conversations gave retailers the rare
chance to share successes, common challenges and new
ideas with each other.
Another networking opportunity that continues to grow in
popularity is Mingle, the show’s “after-hours hot spot.” Held
each evening in the lobby of the Renaissance Waverly hotel,
Mingle gave attendees and exhibitors the chance to socialize
together outside of the show floor, in a relaxed and casual
atmosphere that is highly conducive to creating new business
opportunities.
“Mingle is yet another way the Atlanta Jewelry Show helps us
all reconnect with old friends and customers,” said Adam
Staub, sales representative , Galatea and Yael Designs. “It’s
the perfect opportunity for buyers and sellers to relax and get
to know each other in a casual, non-sales
atmosphere.”
Other great show networking spots included the
complimentary buyer breakfast sponsored by
Southern Jewelry News and served each morning
the registration concourse; the Gold Bar cocktail
lounge on the show floor and the Market Place
buyers’ lounge.
in
Retailers also had the opportunity to recharge
their bottom line by choosing from a full roster of
educational and motivational sessions that were
part of the popular AJS University schedule.
all
Among the highlights was a special “pop-up “ event
featuring Jesper Nelson, co-founder of Pandora CWE and
new brand Endless Jewelry. On Sunday, August 10, he led
a session sharing the story of creating these brands , as
well as his secrets for building sales, creating successful
startups and sustaining a happy, carefree life. Together
with a keynote presentation by Brad Huisken on the
psychology of sales and a host of programs touching on
holiday trends, social media, CAD-CAM and more, the
line-up offered something for everyone.
“It’s so great to have such convenient access to this type of
information,” said seminar attendee Jennifer Foster, David
Douglas Diamonds, Marietta, GA.
The next edition of the Atlanta Jewelry Show is scheduled for
February 28- March 2, 2015. For information on exhibiting
and/or attending, visit www.atlantajewelryshow.com
ABOUT THE ATLANTA JEWELRY SHOW
Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, the semi-annual Atlanta Jewelry
Show is produced and sponsored by the Southern Jewelry Travelers Association, nation’s oldest association of
traveling, independent jewelry representatives. For more information-- visit www.atlantajewelryshow.com; email:
[email protected]; phone: 1.800.241.0399 or 404.634.3434.