IJL Launches New Seminar Offering 2017 Show

The three-day seminar programme has been carefully tailored to 2016 show feedback, ensuring the questions most commonly asked by jewellery retailers, brands and businesses are answered in style. Topics covered by expert speakers and panels this year include social media marketing, working with influencers, digital design, retail experience, the customer journey and expert sales training.

Leading luminary Stephen Webster shine brightly in this year’s line-up, together with digital experts like Warren Knight, Katerina Perez, Maria Doulton and Liza Urla, key speakers from footwear and fashion including M&S, successful entrepreneurs such as Tobias Kormind of 77Diamonds, and designers Dinny Hall and Hariet Kelsall, to name but a few.

2017 highlights over the packed three days include:

Inspiration Theatre #inspire

For inspirational talks, seminars and panel discussions, the Inspiration Theatre is the place to hear top speakers tell their success stories. This dynamic space now has a new home at the end of the ground floor Boulevard, close to the updated Trends Catwalk.

Kicking off the busy Sunday morning is an analysis of essential SS18 trends with IJL Catwalk Trends Editor, Rachael Taylor, followed by a panel discussion titled ‘Is Experiential Retailing the Future for Jewellers?’ with designer jeweller Dinny Hall, retailers Dominic Gomersall and Jonathan Pressley, and retail design expert, Lloyd Blakey.

Last year’s popular In Conversation With… series will also return for 2017, with Katerina Perez, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of KaterinaPerez.com, the first to step under the spotlight on Sunday afternoon.

Discover how you can achieve breakthrough results for your retail business with the experts from Innovare Design on Monday morning.  Founder and Creative Director, Lloyd Blakey, will share his insights from 25-years in the retail design industry. This inspiring hour will be followed by an insightful talk by trend forecaster and Founder of The Futurist, Paola De Luca, who has experience collaborating with Fendi, Swarovski, Harry Winston and Rio Tinto Diamonds to name a few.

Later that day, a panel of pioneering women will host the debut Empowering Women Panel, including Victoria McKay, Chief Operating Officer of the London Diamond Bourse and Hayley Quinn, Managing Director of Swarovski UK. This will be swiftly followed by an unmissable In Conversation With… session with design legend Stephen Webster, hosted by the Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council.

And let’s not forget Tuesday, when Maria Doulton, Editor-in-Chief of The Jewellery Editor, and representatives from Marks & Spencer, will discuss pushing boundaries and conquering new areas of the market in their respective fields.

Fair Luxury at IJL 2017 

Leading not-for-profit change group, Fair Luxury, will dominate the Inspiration Theatre on Tuesday morning; bringing a taste of its hugely-successful April conference to IJL for the first time. This two hour ‘mini conference’ will cover all areas of ethical sourcing, responsible business practises and marketing, drawing on the expertise of countless Fair Luxury members and supporters.

Talks include ‘Ethical Choice in Jewellery Sourcing: What to Consider and Where to Start’, ‘Brand authenticity and the Ethical Consumer: Who She is and How to Talk to Her’, and a bustling panel discussion with Harriet Kelsall, Founder and Chairman of Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery, among others.

Whether you’re just starting your ethical journey or are well on your way to a transparent supply chain, this is a session not to be missed!

The Academy #IJLacademy

Sponsored by Pursuit Software

A place to learn ∙ A space to ask ∙ A forum to share

This innovative new workshop space invites visitors and exhibitors to get ‘hands-on’ and experience interactive talks hosted by leading lights in jewellery education and training.

Gem-A Gemmology Instructor, Angharad Guy, will kick start the Sunday morning of IJL with an interactive session titled ‘Tricks and Tips to Identify Gemstones’, followed by an equally insightful discussion on CAD/CAM with Paula Carter Andrews, Jewellery Design & CAD Instructor at GIA. Don’t miss a chance to learn essential pearl stringing techniques with jeweller, gemmologist and GIA Alumni President, Sharon Dale, and brush up your leadership skills with training specialist, Nigel Neill of Blue6.

The Academy will also host insightful JET Taster sessions, giving business owners, store managers and sales associates the chance to experience the NAJ’s newly revised JET Certificate course.

And this is just the opening day! Monday and Tuesday will welcome sessions with the Fairtrade Foundation and the Responsible Jewellery Council, as well as essential advice from Jo Henderson of JHJ Consultancy and Graham Soult of Canny Insights.

Visitors and exhibitors who want to brush up on their PR and marketing skills are also catered for in The Academy, with Facets PR, Grove Communication, Runwild Media and County Wedding Magazines sharing their top tips on getting your brand message out to consumers.

DIGIfest #digifest 

Sponsored by Retail Jeweller 

#SocialSunday
In response to overwhelming feedback, IJL is please to reveal a dedicated digital seminar theatre at this year’s show, blending seminars for complete beginners and more experienced business owners looking to excel online.

Day One of the show, also nicknamed #SocialSunday, will draw on the expertise of Warren Knight, IJL 2017 Chief Social Media Editor, to deliver four hours of insights, including ‘The Beginner's Guide to Building a Social Media Strategy in 90 Minutes’.

This will be followed by an insightful session from Katerina Perez, and an ‘Online Health Check’ hosted by Retail Jeweller Editor, Ruth Faulkner.

On Monday, DIGIfest will continue to offer two expert seminars from Warren Knight, as well as insights from GEMOLOGUE founder, Liza Urla, who has created an inspirational empire through social media, beautiful photography and a passion for fine jewellery. Tuesday will complete this fantastic run of talks with insights from Nanna Liv, Founder of footwear brand, Sargossa, which generates 25% of its sales through social media.

Finally, for those feeling confused about paid search, SEO and digital marketing, don’t miss an insightful presentation by iDu Digital Founder and Director, Joanna Gajewska. 

Skills Lab #skillslab

Sponsored by the National Association of Jewellers 

Building on the success of the IJL Advice Clinics, Skills Lab is the next generation of one-on-one advice for IJL 2017 visitors and exhibitors. Two private advice areas and one small workshop space provides even more opportunity for tailored advice from leaders in their fields, including photography, social media, PR, retail sales training, retail security, pearls, workplace pensions and legal insights.

Highlights across the three days include ‘Financial Planning Skills for Business and Business Owners’ hosted by Steve Clemence, a Chartered Financial Planner for leading insurance expert, T H March, and daily ‘Training Doesn't Work, Or Does It?’ workshops presented by Anna-Mart Rossouw of Paramount Consulting. Other speakers ready to share their knowledge include Rose Swingler, Digital Communications Manager at Facets PR, Hilaire O’Shea, Founder and CEO of Medusa Protection Ltd, and Andrew Neilson of NEILSON photography.

Those who want to brush up on their branding can also speak to Sarah Greenway, Director of personal branding company, PersonaMe, while those with retail woes can get them solved with a line-up of legal experts and sales specialists. Whatever you do, don’t miss out! All seminars are free to attend, as are the popular one-to-one advice sessions. To avoid disappointment, visitors are encouraged to sign up for an appointment in the Skills Lab at the dedicated Skills Lab reception area.

To see the full programme, please go to: www.jewellerylondon.com