Text Message Marketing for Jewelry Retailers: 6 Tips

You already know how dependent jewelry shoppers are on their smartphones, whether they’re using them to compare prices or snap pictures of their favorite pieces. Text message marketing makes it possible to reach them right where their attention already is.

But not all marketing texts are created equal — by putting a little thought and care into your text message marketing efforts, you can help your jewelry store stand out in a sea of generic promotional texts.

Here are six tips you can use to master jewelry text message marketing and start winning over customers right from their phones.

Why Jewelry Text Message Marketing Works

If you already use email marketing to connect with your customers, you might view text message marketing as the same strategy in a different format. In reality, SMS marketing for jewelry stores requires completely different tactics and drives entirely different results.  

Perhaps most importantly, customers are much more likely to actually read marketing texts than they are marketing emails: Marketing texts boast a sky-high open rate of 98%, compared to about 27% for emails.

SMS marketing for jewelry stores also excels in terms of speed. After all, customers read 90% of texts within three minutes. So when you want customers to see a message right now, text message marketing is the way to go. And since a jewelry store’s most effective marketing often revolves around time-sensitive milestones like birthdays and anniversaries, SMS marketing is a crucial tool for reaching customers when it matters most.

Related Read: Jewelry Marketing: A Jeweler’s Guide to Attracting More Customers

When To Send Texts to Your Customers

Since jewelry text message marketing shines at delivering information that customers read quickly, it’s especially ideal for the following use cases.

Transaction Notifications

Let customers know the moment their special order or repair is ready for pickup.

Example: “[Name], your custom order is ready for collection at [Store]! Come by anytime during regular business hours to pick up your new piece.”

Service Reminders

Prompt customers to come in for cleanings, resizings, and regular maintenance.

Example: “Hi [Name], it’s been six months since you purchased your custom engagement ring! That means it’s time for a complimentary cleaning and prong check at [Store]. Feel free to stop by anytime, or reply to this message to schedule a private appointment.”

Timely Marketing Messages

Give customers gift ideas for upcoming milestones, share new pieces that align with their taste, and spread the word about seasonal collections.

Example: “Happy birthday, [Name]! Mark the occasion with a stunning new piece that will last a lifetime. Stop by [Store] this month for your exclusive birthday discount.”

Related Read: Communicating With Customers: 5 Tips for Jewelry Stores

6 Tips for SMS Marketing Success

Simply sending out discount announcements might net you a few sales, but you won’t be getting the most out of SMS marketing for your jewelry store.

Here’s how to make your marketing texts go the extra mile.

1. Leverage Your Loyalty Program

One of the best ways to nurture customer loyalty for your jewelry store is to reward repeat shoppers through a loyalty program. So when you’re coming up with a jewelry text message marketing strategy, why not reach out to the group of customers who you already know are willing to make multiple purchases?  

Consider sending texts about:

• Exclusive offers available only to loyalty program members
• Limited-time ways for members to earn more points with each purchase
• New inventory that members get to know about before anyone else

2. Build Your SMS Subscriber List

The last thing any small business owner wants is to spend time composing the perfect marketing texts only for no one to read them. To make text message marketing work for your store, you need to grow your SMS subscriber list at every possible opportunity.

For instance, you can encourage sign-ups:

• Right at the counter via your point of sale (POS) system
• On your jewelry store’s website
• Through signs posted inside the store

Your staff members can help earn new subscribers too. Train them to quickly mention the benefits of signing up at appropriate times, like when your POS system prompts a customer to enter their number during checkout.

Remember: To comply with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and protect your jewelry store’s reputation, you need to follow certain guidelines when allowing customers to opt in or out of receiving marketing texts. To learn more (and stay compliant), read up on the TCPA and its rules.

3. Nail the Perfect Cadence

For many jewelry stores, casual, small purchases aren’t their bread and butter. Instead, they drive revenue with high-ticket, but less frequent investments. If that’s the case for your jewelry store, then it’s imperative that you achieve the right cadence for your marketing texts.

Why? Because customers want you to respect the importance and cost of their purchases. If you send them weekly texts urging them to purchase pieces worth thousands of dollars, they’re more likely to unsubscribe than pull out their credit card.

The solution is to err on the side of caution when sending texts to your SMS subscribers and only do so when you genuinely have something valuable to share with them.

Related Read: Jewelry Store Customer Service: 10 Essential Best Practices

4. Prioritize Jewelry Education

Speaking of valuable content, you can pique customers’ interest by occasionally helping them learn instead of solely selling to them.

For example, you can send texts with links to articles on your website that teach customers how to:

• Clean and care for their jewelry.
• Identify gemstones by sight more easily.
• Understand how diamonds are graded.
• Choose the right gemstones and metals for their needs.

5. Celebrate Customer Milestones

Most customers don’t purchase fine jewelry on a whim. As a result, significant milestones present the perfect window of opportunity to showcase your jewelry as the best way to celebrate.

Send texts timed around milestones like birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations. Don’t forget about holidays, either — Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Christmas are all ideal occasions to send carefully crafted texts.

Related Read: Seasonal Sales Patterns: When Jewelry Stores Actually Make Their Money

6. Send Personalized Texts to VIP Customers

When you’re dealing with a particularly valuable customer, don’t hesitate to make them feel appreciated with personalized texts just for them.

For instance, if a repeat customer is picking up a custom order, you can tailor the work order text you send them with a completely personalized message.

Similarly, if you’re texting a VIP customer about their upcoming anniversary, consider making the message even more personal by mentioning specifics about the occasion they’re celebrating or including thoughtful recommendations that reflect their taste.

Master Text Message Marketing at Your Jewelry Store

The next time you see customers browsing your store with their phones in hand, don’t just wish you could reach them there. Instead, know that your jewelry store is already present on shoppers’ smartphones in the form of well-executed SMS marketing.

And if you want to avoid the hassle of juggling third-party software to manage your text message marketing campaigns, Jewel360’s native SMS support makes it a breeze to start texting customers right from your POS system.

See how Jewel360 can simplify your text message marketing efforts (and practically every other aspect of running your jewelry business) by scheduling a demo now.