JNA Awards 2012 Jewellery Industry Best Practices

53 JNA AWARDS 2012 With a clear vision in mind, Polnauer, who joined the company in 2006, redesigned the company website, which was launched in 1995. He shifted the website’s focus from a conventional online marketplace into a portal that combines trade and fancy coloured diamond education. His goal is to utilise the Internet as an effective sales, marketing and service channel, and as a wholesale and retail resource for international clients. With the help of Leibish’s support staff, Polnauer has been able to create a strong brand presence for the company, which ultimately translates into increased sales revenue for the diamantaire. According to the diamond dealer, sales in 2011 were 100 percent higher than the previous year. Average monthly visits to the site rose by approximately 36 percent, with unique visitor numbers posting an increase of about 34 percent. In terms of the amount of time spent on the website by the average user, Leibish also registered a solid 15 percent growth, it added. All this contributed to Leibish’s bottom line. “In 2011, Leibish’s diamond jewellery production was 900 percent higher than the previous year,” the diamond dealer said. “As a direct result of the increase in our overall business, we increased our employee count by 100 percent in the last 18 months.” Consumer education Equipped with a deep understanding of the Internet and social media platforms, Polnauer made it his mission to raise awareness about fancy coloured diamonds and provide the audience with a deeper understanding of and, eventually, a genuine appreciation for these unique gems. The revamped website is constantly being updated with new material. Polnauer also made sure that Leibish’s fancy coloured diamonds are front and centre of the company’s online strategy. He personally photographs each stone and uploads the images to the website. He even formed a programming team that constantly introduces improvements to the website. Polnauer believes that Leibish’s online presence is its most powerful sales and marketing tool. The e-commerce manager also developed a content management department that monitors and reviews the company’s online marketing strategy in response to client feedback. Aware of the importance of website design to the sustained success of fancydiamonds.net , Polnauer is currently working on an even more user-friendly interface design, which will be launched at the end of this year. Polnauer encourages his colleagues to contribute to the company’s growth by bringing in fresh ideas, especially on its online branding and sales strategy. “Itzik always welcomes cross-departmental suggestions since he recognises everyone’s unique talents. We set team goals and put benchmarks into place to ensure that we are right on target,” the company said. “Itzik has been recognised within the organisation as more than a team player, but a leader who has the capability to accomplish challenging tasks.” Itzik Polnauer, e-commerce manager of Leibish & Co Multi-coloured diamond jewellery by Leibish & Co