Does your jewelry store have a list of predetermined goals for your social media campaign?
If you are like the majority of jewelry stores that we surveyed online recently, you have tried Facebook and perhaps Twitter but have long since abandoned it.
At its core, social media is a way to have leveraged conversations with your clients.
It is a non-threatening environment in which you and your clients can interact, exchange ideas, build trust, and hopefully brand loyalty.
Consider these facts:
– “Two-thirds of the global Internet population visit social networks” Quote by Nielson, Global Faces and Network Places.
– “More than half of all people in the U.S. over 12 years old have set up a social media profile, six years ago it was only 5%” – Quote by Pew Research Center, August 2011
– “Over 80% of the world’s business population now proactively uses online social media channels” Quote by Jason Hennessey, Director of SEO of Everspark Interactive
The sheer numbers are simply staggering.
In light of all the hard data, the question has to be asked, “Why did so many independent jewelry stores jump on the social media bandwagon to then quickly jump off?”
The answer in many cases can be traced to undefined goals, lack of a pre-determined time frame for success, and unachievable expectations.
In this article, we are going to address six realistic, achievable goals for your jewelry store’s social media campaign.
In subsequent articles, we will show you how to tailor your specific campaign to these goals.
Goals For Your Social Media Campaign
– Highlight New Product.
People love to see the latest greatest in jewelry.
Yes, definitely show the new products, especially in light of the explosion of Pinterest, but remember that this is “social media” not just a different form of traditional print media.
Temper the new product offerings with other human interest articles.
You will lose fans after a while if all you do is show new products because it is seen as a one-sided, self-serving experience.
– Drive Clients To Your Website.
A dynamic social media campaign will cause your clients to search out more information from your website.
If your website is set up for online business, then here is where the hard work in social media can directly pay off.
Even without a direct selling option, the increased traffic to your website raises your Google search engine ranking; in addition to, giving you a chance to outline more of your services.
– Build Trust.
People trust social media more than they trust print advertisements.
Perhaps we have become jaded over the years of being bombarded by slick, prepackaged media offerings.
The truth is that people have always trusted the advice of their family and friends more than what a business happens to be trying to say.
The trust built through social media is rooted in the recommendations of people who have dealt with you directly and at the end of the day is infinitely more valuable than the words on a banner or billboard.
Word of mouth is, and always has been, your purest form of advertising and worth more than it’s weight in gold.
– Client Feedback.
The beauty of the latest 2.0 websites, blogging, and social media is the interaction between you and your clients.
How many times have you seen a new jewelry line at a major jewelry show and asked yourself, “I wonder if our clients would buy this?”
Truth is that we labor over that question all of the time.
This is your opportunity to get the feedback you need to make informed decisions.
Your client is online so simply post the question on your social media site and read the responses.
How easy is that?
Do you think your repair department is operating flawlessly?
Think again.
Here is a chance to get the information you need to make the changes.
You can’t fix it if you don’t know how it is broken.
Trust me, if you ask, they will tell you.
– Generate Leads / Generate Sales.
Yes, social media will generate more sales for your jewelry store because it builds greater trust and understanding between you and your clients.
Remember the old adage: “When all things are equal, people want to buy from their friends. When they are slightly uneven, they still would rather buy from their friends.”
You generate more traffic to your website and your store because you have transcended the business moniker, and have become a “friend in the diamond business”.
What many don’t realize is that an energizing social media campaign is a great way to generate leads.
Ever wonder why your special events are lackluster now?
Could be you need a fresh pool of client leads.
Social media when done right draws potential clients to you because it expands your circle of business friends.
– Brand Awareness.
How much do you pay directly or through co-op money to get your name out into the community?
How many other jewelry stores are advertising in the same publications?
How do you expect to showcase your store’s advantages when other larger jewelry stores with deeper pockets are trying to tell theirs?
Social media, for now, is the great equalizer.
With a very low barrier to entry, it comes down to, in many cases, ingenuity, planning, and perseverance.
Building your brand awareness in an arena that counts has never been easier for the small independent jeweler.
You have powerful free tools at your disposal to catapult the awareness of your brand.
Social Media Is Growing By Leaps And Bounds Daily.
It is estimated that Facebook will have one billion people signed up early in the Fall of 2012.
The potential to reach your clients has never been easier or more vital.
The long term success of your jewelry store may quickly come down to how effective you are with social media.
Be sure you start your strategic social media planning for your jewelry store with realistic goals.
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The host of “Inside the Jewelry Trade” Radio Show – Jewelry Business Strategist – President of Four Grainer LLC. Author of the business books “A Reason To Chant,” and “A Reason to Chant – Jewelry Trade Edition.” Rod lives in Atlanta with his wife and two almost-human cats.