A Very Virtual Holiday
As we enter into the holiday season, some may be feeling a bit differently than at this time last year. Retailers typically face this time of year with anticipation of the holiday rush, complete with brick-and-mortar decor and more than cheery one in-store event. In 2020, the thought of a store packed with customers may not elicit the same excitement as it did last year.
But that certainly doesn’t mean that this year’s season of sales will meet the same fate as in-person service.
In fact, customers are getting more comfortable with spending money online, so it’s a retailer’s job to meet them there. There are a few things you can do this month before the official kickoff to the holiday season begins.
Optimize Your Website
For starters, ensure your website is up and running smoothly, and that your customers can find it. Getting them there is the first step. Create a free business profile on Google to help make sure your site is found.
Once shoppers are on your site, you’ll want it easy and convenient for them to shop. Update your page with the latest in-stock items, showing them through high-resolution pictures in varying angles and, if possible, show what they look like when worn. If your website has the capability, it would benefit customers to be able to zoom in on a product’s detail.
An important but often overlooked option for shopping online is to offer comparisons. Particularly in jewelry and items like engagement rings or diamond pendants, when they look relatively similar, it helps to be able to compare two options to one another. A similar feature to complement this one would be offering similar products at the bottom of the page for comparison shopping.
Expand Your Social Media Presence
On your social media profiles—Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (maybe even TikTok), display your company website on your profile and ensure all information is correct and up-to-date.
If you feel confident in your website’s capabilities, think about setting your brand up for success selling on social media. First make sure that you’re a verified business on Instagram and Facebook—this offers you expanded opportunities to sell directly through the platforms, or at least to link directly to your product. Instagram now offers many businesses the option to sell directly to consumers without ever having to leave the app, making it easy to earn sales by posting eye-catching product pictures.
Speaking of which, here is your chance to show how you’d style the pieces you’re selling. Shoppers can get inspired to by one or more of your offerings when shown in lifestyle photos that are fashionable and festive. To supplement the posts on your feed, share behind-the-scenes detail of your store’s online offerings in your Instagram Stories, with videos of a jewel’s every angle while you narrate each style’s attributes.
Remind Them With Emails
To further direct customers to your site, plan to send out a few marketing emails throughout the season, starting as soon as possible. Keep them simple and clean, with a few great product images and links directing shoppers directly to purchase.
Remember to stay true to your brand, do what feels right, and have fun with it!
For more insight on the current state of the jewelry industry, invaluable statistics and more to help build strong sales strategies for the 2020 holiday season and the next year, download the JCK 2020 State of the Jewelry Industry Report: COVID-19 Business Impact Report.
We can’t wait to reunite with you and the rest of the jewelry industry! Pre-register for the JCK 2021 Show, taking place June 4-7, 2021 at Sands Expo & The Venetian.