The manner in which you communicate your jewelry store’s value proposition is arguably more important than the value offering itself. Embrace dialogue with your current and target customers instead of delivering a top-down monologue and you’ll develop a stronger rapport that leads to continued sales.
If you are like most jewelry store owners and managers, you aren’t sure how to go about interacting with those looking for jewelry. We’ve got the inside scoop on communicating with customers looking for jewelry and jewelry repairs.
Understanding Your Target Audience
To say everyone is interested in buying jewelry would be an egregious sweeping generalization. It is in your interest to create highly specific buyer personas that define customer profiles. Take a close look at what your current and previous customers prefer and quantify those interests with buyer reports for analysis.
Most members of the Generation X, Millennial and Generation Z age cohorts have shifted away from phone calls and USPS letters to text messages. Embrace the opportunity for interaction that is SMS messages and text your target customers at least once every couple months at a bare minimum. We would be remiss to gloss over the fact that texting customers is only legal if they opt into such communications.
As an example, text messages are highly effective for keeping customers in the loop when jewelry repairs are underway and complete. Jewel360 makes it easy to inform customers that jewelry repairs are ready. Text messages also notify customers that orders are logged, in progress and complete. Add an email newsletter into the mix and you’ll keep your target customers abreast of your jewelry store’s latest services, discounts, new inventory and more.
Establishing an Online Presence
The quality of your jewelry store’s website, blog and social media pages are more important than its traditional outbound advertising on TV, radio, etc. Hire a web developer to create a visually polished and fully functional website and you’ll engage your target audience all the more.
Create an account on Twitter, Instagram, Meta and other social media platforms to put your jewelry and related services on display for everyone to see. Be sure to respond to social media user questions and concerns as they arise across the entirety of the socials. If necessary, bring a social media manager aboard to manage your social media accounts.
Above all, keep your social media content fresh. Update your socials with news pertaining to your jewelry business and the industry as a whole. Post to each social platform at least once each month to make your customers aware of your jewelry store’s inventory additions, services and other relevant information.
Personalized Customer Service
Tailor service to each individual customer’s needs and preferences and they’ll be motivated to refer your jewelry store to those in their professional and social circles. Train your staff at the point of hire and also at specific intervals to ensure they are customer service-oriented. Put emphasis on listening to customers’ needs and desires and the ensuing interactions will lead to sales.
Every jewelry store owner and manager should recognize the difference between his or her business and competing businesses often comes down to a willingness to tailor service to individual customers. Offer customizable jewelry options along with carefully tailored jewelry recommendations and your customer base will feel appreciated.
Effective Product Descriptions
The decision to buy a piece of jewelry is often made when reading the product description. Sweat the small stuff of your inventory’s descriptions, highlighting their features in detail and you’ll reap the benefits in the form of customer conversions. From the nuances of jewelry hue to the quality of craftmanship and additional features, it is the small stuff that matters a great deal in communicating with customers.
Visual aids including informative videos or even videos that present the piece from multiple angles makes a significant difference in perception. Above all, present your inventory on the web with high-resolution images that capture the true beauty of those pieces with ample lighting.
Clear Pricing and Policies
Transparency is essential for trust in the jewelry business. Make it clear that your pricing is accurate and does not include any surprise fees. Spell out the details of your return and exchange policy on your homepage and product pages for all online visitors to view.
Surf the web to competing jewelry sites and you’ll find the cream of the crop have a frequently asked questions (FAQ) page. Use those pages as motivation when creating your own FAQ page and you’ll communicate your jewelry store’s policies with crystal clarity.
Communication Channels
The lines of communication between jewelry stores and customers are central to success. A website with a contact form and a phone number listed on the Contact page will not suffice. Your business also needs additional channels for communicating with customers, including a livechat clickable directly from the website home page, email and text messages.
Respond to all inquiries in a timely manner. If necessary, add a customer service representative to the team to address all questions and concerns through a fully dedicated customer support system.
Building Trust and Loyalty
A customer who trusts your jewelry store is one who will be inclined to become loyal. The challenge lies in establishing initial trust and working hard to maintain that trust for ongoing patronage. Take a step back from your role as jewelry store owner or manager and view your website and channels of communication from the perspective of a customer.
Is there consistency in your methods of communication across the entire spectrum of touchpoints? If not, make those methods of communication more uniform. Use email and newsletters to keep your customers fully engaged throughout the year. Be mindful of the frequency at which you communicate with current, former and target customers. At a bare minimum, your jewelry store should contact customers with new offers, updates and other relevant information at least once every two months.
Handling Customer Complaints and Feedback
Customer complaints are inevitable. However, it is not against the law to encourage happy customers to leave feedback on your social media pages as well as the online review directories. Monitor those pages for criticism and respond accordingly for the sake of public relations.
If legitimate issues arise, promptly address them to make it clear that your jewelry store is professional and customer-oriented. If you notice an uptick in complaints or trends, hold a team meeting to discuss those problems and carve out avenues for improvement.
Jewel360 Home is Here for Your Jewelry Store
Print out this guide to communicating with customers and distribute it to your jewelry store employees or pin it in a visible area for employee reference. Make a concerted effort to develop strong relations with your customers and they’ll reciprocate the favor with additional sales.
Jewel360 is here to help you build and maintain customer connections. Streamline your inventory management through our all-in-one jewelry point of sale system designed specifically for retailers and you’ll reap the reward in the form of a better bottom line.
Our all-in-one jewelry store point-of-sale system helps businesses like yours manage custom orders, complete repairs and sync in-store activity with online activity for profitable cohesion. Reach out to Jewel360 today to find out more about how we can help your jewelry store. You can reach our team at 385-332-3522 or Sales@jewel360.com