Annie Cruz Jewelry: A Local Success Story Powered by ConnectLocal
At Plaza Santa Cecilia in East Tulsa, Annie Cruz Jewelry has been serving the community with beautiful, high-quality jewelry and exceptional service for years. But like many small businesses, Annie faced the challenge of reaching new customers and growing her digital presence in a fast-changing marketplace.
That’s where the ConnectLocal program from Tulsa Global District came in.
ConnectLocal is an innovative, three-month initiative designed to help small businesses in our district improve their digital visibility and drive measurable results — both online and in-store. Annie Cruz Jewelry was selected as one of the participating businesses, and her success story shows just how impactful targeted, thoughtful support can be.
Driving Digital Engagement & In-Store Sales
Over the course of the program, the Global District funded and managed advertising campaigns for Annie on Meta platforms (Facebook & Instagram). These ads were strategically connected to clear calls-to-action (CTAs), driving traffic to Annie’s online store and increasing in-person visits to her shop.
For Annie Cruz Jewelry, we crafted seasonal campaigns tied to products in her online cart — for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe — helping customers connect with her products at just the right moment.
This approach delivered measurable results:
Significant increase in website clicks and visits during campaign periods.
Shoppers began arriving at her store saying, “We saw you online!”
Many customers who weren’t ready to buy online still came into the shop to inquire about the products they saw on social media.
WhatsApp CTAs also sparked direct conversations with potential buyers: “We’ve been getting a lot of messages about our products,” Annie shared.
Overall, Annie estimated that her sales increased between 20–40% during the program thanks to the visibility and engagement generated.
Beyond Ads: Branding & Creative Support
The program didn’t stop at paid campaigns. The Global District also helped Annie develop branding and creative graphics tailored to her ads — ensuring her digital presence reflected the quality and personality of her business.
A Scalable, Innovative Model
The success of Annie Cruz Jewelry highlights how an intentional, hyper-local digital strategy can drive real impact for small businesses. ConnectLocal provides not just funding but expertise and hands-on support, making it one of the most innovative programs of its kind among Main Street initiatives.
We’re proud to see how Annie leveraged this opportunity to grow her brand, reach new customers, and strengthen her presence — both online and in her neighborhood.
Why This Matters
At Tulsa Global District, we believe that investing in small businesses is investing in the future of our communities. Programs like ConnectLocal show that with the right resources, guidance, and creative strategies, even the smallest shops can thrive in the digital economy.
We’re excited to continue expanding this work — and we’re always looking for partners, funders, and collaborators who believe in empowering entrepreneurs where they are.
If you’d like to support innovative, measurable, and scalable programs like ConnectLocal that help local businesses succeed, we’d love to connect with you.
