Custom Jewelry
Use the "puppy dog" approach for your custom jewelry, assuming that you know the customers. Get them to put on the
necklaces/rings/bracelets and take them home for a while to show their relatives and friends. Many of them will become attached to the jewelry
and keep them at that point.
Other
Offer a service to clean their jewelry for free when they're in the store. Give them time to walk around, ask about their preferences, build
relationship.
Compelling Incentives & Database
At the counter, hold a drawing for "Free Jewelry -- A $500 Value". Give the winner a special piece of jewelry on their birthday, spouse's (or
significant other's) birthday, children's birthdays, anniversary, valentine's day, Christmas or another special occasion. On the drawing card,
have each prospect write in the dates of their special occasions, as well as their name, email address and telephone number. They can also
write special instructions or preferences. One prospect will win first prize. The key is that everyone wins second prize (though you don't tell
everyone that). It might be 20% off their order for anything in the next 12 months. Now you have a customer database, you have specific
special dates for your customers and you can send them targeted emails (or make targeted calls) throughout the entire year. You know your
gross margin, so you know what you can afford to give away (20%?) and still make a handsome profit. Furthermore, you can give the
customer such a positive experience that you can leverage them for referrals forever.
Script: Send this sample email script to your 2nd place winners and see what happens. "Dear Susie, Congratulations. You have won second
prize at ABC Jewelers. I'm sorry you didn't win first prize -- that went to Mrs. Jane D. of Colorado Springs. However, your valuable second prize
earns you 20% all jewelry over the next twelve months. Please bring in this letter when you come and we'll instantly apply your discount to any
purchase you make. See you soon."
When your database tells you that their birthday (or anniversary, or spouse's birthday, or other special event) is coming up, you can send
them an email about 10 days in advance and remind them of their 20% discount. Follow up the email with a call to increase conversions about
30%. Any staff person can do this because the email is cut and paste, and the phone call is a basic script.
You can also offer "Free Lifetime Guarantees". Because other stores are not doing this, you'll win the business. If you are selling quality
jewelry, it should last for years. Make sure that they understand that they must bring in the guarantee card if something goes wrong.
Unfortunately for them, most of them will lose the card. It is then your choice whether to honor it or not and this will depend on their buying
relationship with you. This is where you need your database to examine their buying patterns.
Referrals
You can go to your database and send each client three (or more) gift certificates of $50 each that they can use to give to other people as
gifts. State that the recipient must be first-time buyers. Determine the gift amount and the minimum purchase amount as you consider the
Lifetime Value of your customers.
Jewelry