24 MARKETING TIPS TO MAKE YOUR JEWELRY BUSINESS SPARKLE!
According to Polygon.net, jewelry stores in the US generated $39.7 billion in sales in 2018, a year over year increase of $7.3 billion. Holiday season spending in jewelry stores increased to $6.3 billion, a year over year increase of $0.2 billion. Whether you own a brick and mortar jewelry store or you sell 100% online, consumers have casted their vote that they want what you are selling. So, what is the best way to stand out and reach your ideal customers? We’ve outlined 24 of our best marketing tips specifically for jewelry brands.
1. INVEST IN PHOTOGRAPHY
Jewelry can be difficult to photograph, so you want to make sure that you invest in a professional to capture the great detail you handcrafted into each piece. If you’re selling online only, remember that your potential customer can’t pick up the piece of jewelry and hold it, so it’s necessary to have vibrant, clear photos that show off the quality. If you don’t have good photos, no amount of social media or Facebook ads will be able to sell your product.2. INVEST IN BRANDING
Branding is SO important, especially in a crowded market like jewelry. What is your brand’s distinguishing factor? Whether it’s a look, word, or color that is distinctively yours, make sure that when people see your work and marketing material, your brand name is the first to come to mind. Hiring a professional to get this right the first time is essential as this will affect the rest of your marketing efforts.
3. WEAR A PIECE OF YOUR JEWELRY EVERY DAY, EVERYWHERE YOU GO
Every person you meet is a potential customer. When people compliment you on your jewelry, it’s the perfect opportunity for you to share your story. In essence, be your own walking billboard.4. TELL YOUR PERSONAL STORY
We hear it all the time… BE AUTHENTIC. And it is no different in the jewelry industry. People want to know your story and why they should buy from you. If you are relatable, you build a stronger, more personal bond with your customers, who are in turn more likely to spend their hard earned money with you.5. KNOW THY CUSTOMER
If you don’t know who you’re selling to, how do you know what to sell?! Knowing who you customer is, what life stage they are at, how old they are, what gender they are, where they live, what they like and what they don’t like are all essential in your marketing efforts. How can you gather this information? You can send out surveys to your existing customers, email subscribers, or social media followers. If you’re just starting out, consider investing in some market research.6. CONNECT EMOTIONALLY
Once you know your customer, your marketing should be specifically tailored to them. Are they new moms, about to get engaged, or recently retired? Think of how you can connect emotionally with each of your customers.7. GET YOUR JEWELRY ON PEOPLE WHO HAVE AN AUDIENCE
If you are not investing in influencer marketing yet, what are you doing?! With the uncertainty of any social media platform’s algorithm, the number one way to make sure your product is seen is to utilize influencer marketing. We recommend setting aside a budget for influencer campaigns to be the most effective. However, if you’re just starting out or have a limited budget, many influencers will share your brand just by gifting product. In addition, gifting product to influencers and celebrities to wear to certain events is another way to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to influencer marketing.8. CONSIDER BRAND PARTNERSHIPS
Influencer marketing is important, but have you considered partnering with other brands or media outlets? If your target audience is ‘people about to get engaged’, consider partnering with non-competing brands such as the knot.com, a wedding planner, a wedding/engagement photographer, a makeup artist, a florist, a wedding venue, etc, etc. Partnering with non-competing brands will not only establish you as an authority figure, but it will increase your reach as well.9. BE PREPARED FOR HOLIDAYS AND SEASONALITIES
When it comes to marketing, you need to be thinking at least 3-6 months in advance. Make sure you plan a cohesive marketing strategy for some of the major buying holidays, such as Valentine’s, Mother’s Day, and Christmas. But also pay attention to any marketing opportunities with other lesser-known holidays as these are less crowded and easier to stand out.10. BE ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA
The top 3 social media platforms we recommend for jewelry brands are Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. All 3 platforms give you the option to showcase your jewelry, the option to buy directly from the app, and the option to respond to customer inquiries, and customer service requests. Social media is where most people first come in contact with your brand, so you want to make sure that you are putting out content on a consistent basis and that this content is cohesive, appealing, and speaks to your target market. Social media is also a great way to build a loyal community and keep them engaged with your products.11. MAKE YOUR SOCIAL CHANNELS EASY TO SHOP
On that note, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest are all shoppable directly from within the app. It is essential that you have the shop set up on each platform to provide a seamless customer experience and to not miss out on any sales!12. RUN STRATEGIC FACEBOOK/INSTAGRAM ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS
From prospecting, to purchases, to retargeting, to customer retention, Facebook ads can do it all. While social media is great for building brand awareness and community engagement, Facebook ads can turn this audience into actual buyers. We recommend having ongoing ads always in place to build brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, get purchases, and retarget website visitors. In addition, we recommend ad campaigns for special promotions and Facebook ads can even help to build your email list! The possibilities are endless.13. NURTURE LEADS AND CUSTOMERS WITH EMAIL MARKETING
When someone opts into your email list, they are expressly saying they want to hear from you, which makes email so great! Email is a fantastic way to take someone who is simply interested in your jewelry to a loyal customer by nurturing them by sharing your story, sharing customer reviews, and sharing special promotions. You can also remind of items left in someone’s cart, retarget people with specific items views, and win back customers who haven’t purchased in a while.14. MAKE SURE YOUR NEWEST PRODUCTS MAKE A STATEMENT
When you launch a new product, make sure to have a product launch strategy in place. This should involve social media, influencer marketing, email marketing, Facebook ads, and more. The worst thing is to put all your blood, sweat, and tears into a new product line just for no one to care about it. Make sure you do the work ahead of time to gauge interest and then make sure you build up a buzz and market the sh*t out of it once it launches.15. SELL TO STORES
While selling online is great and there are many marketing techniques that will allow you to achieve success, it’s also a great idea to diversify and reach out to retailers and boutiques to sell your jewelry in their store. This not only leads to the obvious increase in sales, it also increases reach and brand awareness.16. PARTICIPATE IN TRADE SHOWS
How do you get in stores and retailers? Attending and participating in trade shows is a great way to be face to face with fashion and jewelry buyers.17. HOST TRUNK SHOWS AND POP UPS TO SELL JEWELRY
Especially for special shopping occasions, get yourself front and center by participating in or hosting your own trunk show or pop up shop. Invite other non-competing brands to round out the pop up experience and provide a one stop shopping experience for consumers.18. PROVIDE EXCEPTIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE
Selling jewelry online can be difficult for consumers. They want to make sure they are getting quality pieces. The number one way to keep your customer happy? Provide the best, over the top, tell your best friend about it, customer service. This includes responding promptly to customer inquiries and addressing any issues head on. This also means providing stellar communication throughout the sales process and providing the ultimate customer experience.19. HAVE CLEAR AND INFORMATIVE DESCRIPTIONS ON YOUR SITE
When a potential customer is deciding on a piece of jewelry to purchase online, they want to know as much as possible to help them make their decision. What are the dimensions? Sizing? Materials used? Make sure your product descriptions are as robust as possible to combat any objections to purchase.20. OFFER AN EASY RETURNS SOLUTION
Ok, so I really like this ring and the quality seems great, but what if it’s not the right fit? Or it isn’t what I expected? When these questions pop up in a customer’s mind, the first thing they look for is the return policy. If you do not make it as easy as possible for customers to make returns you could lose out on potential sales. Offering free shipping, free returns and providing return labels are just a few ways to improve the customer experience.21. FEATURE YOUR RAVING FANS
You’ve got satisfied customers… yes! Now, shout it from the rooftops. Show off these raving fans on social media, in your email marketing, in your Facebook ads, on your website. When making an online jewelry purchase, social proof will help you seal the deal 9 out of 10 times.22. CONSIDER A LOYALTY PROGRAM
Your marketing efforts shouldn’t be all about acquiring new customers. It should also be about appreciating the ones you do have. A great way to do this is with a loyalty program that offers incentives for past customers, rewards points, special offers, and early access to sales and new products. Show your customer’s you appreciate them and they will do the marketing for you.23. DONATE TO CHARITY
This goes back to sharing your story and knowing your customer. What does your company stand for? What are you passionate about? Your story should include more than just “We sell jewelry”. If you stand for something, not only will you be giving back to a cause that matters to you and your followers, but you will be showing your audience you are more than just a jewelry brand.24. MIX THINGS UP
When it’s all said and done, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Make sure you explore multiple marketing outlets to achieve your goals. If Facebook were to implode tomorrow, you still have your email list and website data.NEED HELP MARKETING YOUR JEWELRY BUSINESS?