As a content-driven social media marketing firm for the jewelry trade, we are amazed at how many jewelers and jewelry brands are literally crashing their social media efforts on a daily basis.
The damage they are doing to their brand shows up in lost sales, fewer results in their traditional media efforts, and a disconnected client base.
Sound serious?
It should sound serious to you, because it is real, and most jewelry brands are doing it to themselves every day.
Fortunately, there are ways to drive around the carnage and avoid the calamity of a crash.
Here are the top four ways.
Four Ways Jewelers Can Avoid Crashing Their Social Media
1. Hit The Brakes On Posting Photos Of Your Merchandise 24/7.
– Social media by its very name is “Social”. There is a reason why they don’t call it “Advertising Media”.
Unfortunately, most jewelers are simply “Broadcasting” their traditional media product shots on social media platforms.
Worse yet, many jewelers use social media platforms to ONLY post photos and never interact with their clients.
On the other hand, your clients use social media to connect with and learn more about the human side of your brand.
See the huge difference between the two and the disconnect it causes?
Want to try to sell 24/7 online?
Use your website and leave social media alone.
Bottom line is that “Broadcasting” 24/7 doesn’t work and simply damages your brand image.
2. Drive That “Social Media is Free” Mantra Into The Garage And Close The Door.
– Jewelers hear it repeated so often that now they believe that it is etched in stone somewhere.
Technically most social media platforms are free to set up initially.
Herein lies the rub, where are you going to get the content?
Rich content is what makes social media work because without it you are left with “Broadcasting” merchandise 24/7.
If you don’t have an answer you are not alone. Most jewelers are in exactly the same spot.
Compelling content that is optimized for today’s mobile devices requires an investment.
What you used to spend on your ineffective outbound marketing (magazine ads, newspaper, etc) should be spent on your client-centered inbound marketing.
The results you are looking for, the sales increases, the clients through the door, can be realized through a structured inbound marketing (social media, content marketing, etc) plan.
3. Throw Out The Caution Flag On Having Your Nephew / Intern Handle Your Social Media.
– Most jewelers try to do the posting and interactions themselves initially, but that usually stops after a couple of months.
Some jewelers hire an unemployed family member because “They know that social stuff already.”
Here is the problem with that whole “Hire a family member/intern” thought process.
Do they really know your specific jewelry business? Do they know the jewelry trade at all?
Most important of all, do they know the special handling instructions for your elite clients?
I didn’t think so.
Social media is not just some passing fad marketing strategy; today it is the public face of your jewelry brand.
Would you let that same family member/intern do an interview on behalf of your brand for a TV spot?
4. Don’t Grip The Traditional Marketing Wheel So Tight.
– Traditional marketing (magazine, newspaper, radio, TV, direct marketing) was in the jeweler’s tool box for advertising for the past 70 years.
Time to ease up a bit on the death grip you have on that traditional marketing wheel.
Consider these latest facts.
- 44% of direct mail is never opened.
- 2% to 4% response rate is average for direct mail.
- 86% of people skip through television commercials.
- The ROI for telephone campaigns is $1 in sales for $1 spent.
Difficult to justify spending your precious advertising budget on vehicles that produce those kinds of returns.
We don’t suggest you totally abandon your favorite traditional marketing vehicles, just ease the grip to embrace a client-centered social media marketing strategy.
Ultimately social marketing comes from the spirit of sharing and that resonates with today’s clients.
Take the time to use social media platforms to get to know your clients and to give them a chance to see your brand as real people behind the fancy logo.
The winning strategy is to meaningfully engage your clients with a social platform that values them as your clients.
The rewards are significant for those jewelers who can avoid these four common ways that most jewelers crash their social media efforts.
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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.