Who is Gen Z, and what are they looking for in the jewelry industry? Gen Z is typically defined as anyone born after 1997, or thereabouts. This young generation has just reached the point of having their own money and making their own buying decisions. They make up a huge sector of the market, and an even bigger sector of influence. They're tech-savvy and have shorter attention spans but enduring loyalty. In part one of this two-part episode, we talk about the defining characteristics of the youngest generation, delve into their relationship with technology, and discuss the things that are important to them.

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punchmark.com
thesmitheegroup.com

Sponsored by:
podium.com/punchmark

We're not saying we can predict the future, but we've spotted 10 standout trends that we think we'll be seeing more of throughout the rest of the year and into 2022. From e-commerce best practices to digital marketing tactics and customer expectations, if you're looking to get ahead of the curve this is the place to start.

Brought to you by:
punchmark.com
thesmitheegroup.com

Sponsored by:
podium.com/punchmark

Websites are becoming more complex every day; no longer static organisms, a dynamic, functional website is like a high-maintenance Pomeranian instead of a pet rock. Today's websites have a variety of important features that go beyond a header and footer. What do you need to include on your website to make it exciting? How can you draw customers in to an experience that they'll want to come back to again and again? This episode will cover the basic anatomy of a good e-commerce website and how you can make your site work for you instead of the other way around.

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punchmark.com
thesmitheegroup.com

Sponsored by:
podium.com/punchmark

The strategy to sell online and in your brick-and-mortar is not a one size fits all practice. The population of your city, the average budget for a shopper in your area, and the distance your customers will travel all matter when creating your business strategy.
This episode features two jewelry store owners, Jeff from Miner's North & Todd from Meig's Jewelry, and we talk about their business strategies, ranging from adapting to their stores being shut down to in person visits, what social channels they advertise on (and how much) and clever ways they market to their past customers to potentially gain a repeat purchase.

Guest's websites
meigsjewelry.com
minersnorth.com

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punchmark.com
thesmitheegroup.com

Sponsored by:
podium.com/punchmark

Social media marketing has become more important than eye contact and a firm handshake - but it's left us with so many questions. When to post? What to post? How often to post? Who to tag? How big of a budget should I have for digital marketing compared to traditional marketing? If you're feeling lost in the chaos of the internet, you're not alone. In this episode, we're here to share our tips and tricks for posting the most impactful content, best practices for high engagement, and the importance of having a social media presence at all.

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punchmark.com
thesmitheegroup.com

Sponsored by:
podium.com/punchmark

What's most important: a stellar in-store experience, the perfect ring, or an unparalleled online experience? We talk to recent ring buyers about their buying experience and what they care about most in their shopping experience. From ring sizing to wedding bands, we discuss how buying experiences and expectations have shifted and give advice on how retail jewelers can adapt their processes and priorities to build a devoted customer base.

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punchmark.com
thesmitheegroup.com

Sponsored by:
podium.com/punchmark

Re-post it, re-tweet it, re-blog it! When something catches your eye, you can instantly share it with your audience on social media. Sharing is caring - and free marketing. So what makes some posts so share-worthy? 
Katie Kinlaw, Punchmark's Digital Marketing Manager, discusses some of her top picks for influential social media accounts within the fine jewelry sphere. Listen to discover what makes their content so shareable and their brands so enticing, from image quality to fun call-to-actions.
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punchmark.com
thesmitheegroup.com

Sponsored by:
podium.com/punchmark

Everything is going smoothly - and then an email pops up on your phone in the middle of the night from a disgruntled customer saying they can't complete the checkout process. What do you do?
This week's episode discusses this scenario and more website Q&A with Punchmark's CTO Bryan Cockerham and Associate Creative Director Sarah Weekes. They touch on everything from visual design to dealing with bugs, image compression, and what you need to know (and what you don't) when maintaining your website.

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punchmark.com
thesmitheegroup.com

Sponsored by:
podium.com/punchmark

Stepping up and becoming a leader requires fearlessness, integrity, and an entrepreneurial mindset. If you're already a successful business owner, you can probably recall the somewhat risky decisions you had to make, the hard jobs that only you could do, and the late-night conversations that left you inspired and hopeful.

We speak with Ross Cockerham & Ben Smithee about their experience leading their company, and the influence they had on the Jewelry industry. They discuss what worked and what didn't, the importance of having a mentor, how to overcome all levels of obstacles, and more.

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punchmark.com
thesmitheegroup.com

Sponsored by:
podium.com/punchmark

2020 prompted a lot of changes in the way we sell and consume, from our coffees to our sneakers. Research predicts that many of the changes to a traditional retail method are here to stay. So how should you decide which of your changes to keep going forward and which ones to ditch the minute we can ditch the masks? 

Ross and Ben talk to us today about which changes are more likely to stick around and draw in a much younger, tech-savvy demographic. If you're looking to boost your sales and upgrade buyer experiences, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

Brought to you by:
punchmark.com
thesmitheegroup.com

Sponsored by:
podium.com/punchmark