It’s the month of Love (and CPM’s birthday!) and the first major opportunity for jewellers to boost revenue after the Festive Season. We know how hectic life gets, and how overwhelming marketing can be for small business owners. Between trying to stay on top of the social media algorithms, figuring out how to not lose money on Facebook ads, and Googling what SEO even is… there’s hardly any time to do actual work!
So what’s an independent jeweller to do? If you’ve not yet had a chance to think about how to maximise sales for the occasion of Valentines Day (and if the words e-commerce or digital strategy give you an instant migraine) here are 9 quick fixes to try: even if you don’t have a website, an email list or even a public retail space… and without offering giveaways, discounts, or free shipping and returns.
For any of the below suggestions, grab your smartphone and make use of any free graphics programme like Canva. (See our tips here on how to take great photos of jewellery with your smartphone.) Post your images on social media or you could even just send out the photos and details via WhatsApp or email to your networks, if you’re really allergic to tech 😉
Set the scene with appropriate photography
Take pictures of your stock in romantic settings: for instance your high-ticket signet ring on a candle-lit hand holding a champagne flute full of bubbly… you get the idea! Close-ups feel more intimate and as a bonus you don’t have to find runway-grade friends and family to model for you, or spend a packet on hiring a professional. When people associate your products with the desired emotion of love, or experiences that celebrate or generate love and connection, they’re more likely to buy.
Remind them it’s Valentine’s Day, and that you’re a vendor
We all know shopfront displays are crucial, but what if you don’t have a retail space? Replace your WhatsApp and social media profile pictures with your stock items staged for Valentine’s Day so that every time you interact on those platforms, you’re advertising your jewellery. Update your text status on every relevant platform with a call to action around Valentine’s purchases, and add a simple footer or even bold text to the bottom of your email signature. Did you know you can also add a reel to your WhatsApp profile now? You’ll find this option under your status settings.
Do you only work in Silver? Advertise a brand new product option
CPM offers a finished casting service that allows you to accept gold commissions even without a permit. Everyone expects gold to be more expensive than silver, so you may find that you can put a much higher mark-up on these items. Plus, you’re saving yourself time at the bench. It’s easier than you think to let us handle it for you, and we offer an overnight service for the kind of last-minute requests you may be dealing with this week. Check out our flyer with pricing here or chat to your CPM Sales Executive.
Make it super convenient for them to buy from you, by: Compiling a ready-made hamper
Dream up a gift package (or several) that your ideal client would love, and that compliments the item/s of jewellery from your range that you’d like to promote. Bundle in some choice chocolates or other sweet treats, or a decadent scented candle, silk pillowcases, or quality coffee perhaps. You’ll just need to buy one of each item and stage it beautifully for a photo, stipulate the absolute last order date in your marketing, and make sure the suppliers have stock readily available. Worst case scenario if you don’t sell any: you get to keep the spoils for yourself (or gift them on) and you’ve created brand awareness and positive association.
Make it super convenient for them to buy from you, by: taking care of attractive packaging
Simply offering beautiful gift boxes or wrapping as an add-on purchase to any of your items may be enough to seal the deal. It doesn’t have to be a free incentive to be appealing to your clientèle. Everyone’s busy, and if you’re saving them time or effort by creating a done-for-you gift, you’re helping them tick one more thing off the to-do list.
Help them save face – create a gift voucher
The ideal last-minute gifting staple, this one hardly needs explanation. Just make sure that you don’t sell a voucher that promises to cover the whole cost of a finished item unless you know your profit margins are large enough to buffer metal price fluctuations and inflationary pressures up to 2 years down the line. A rand value amount that can be redeemed against the retail price of your jewellery is the safer bet.
Play the lovey-dovey vibe to your advantage
On the occasion of Valentine’s Day, ask your customers to throw some love your way in the form of testimonials – and if they can send pics of themselves wearing your items, even better. Et voilà! You’ve got ready-made social media posts for the next few days (or weeks!)
Offer an experience – host a couple’s class in your studio (or in a rented space perhaps)
Special time together is more and more valued as the pace of life increases and we all become more time-poor. If you have a studio space that can accommodate two extra people, sell the experience of making jewellery together, and the pieces the couple take home (or collect later once you’ve finished them off) will hold even greater sentimentality. Make it extra special with some bubbly and snacks or a decadent lunch thrown in if you’re offering a session that lasts a few hours. Otherwise save these for the final class if you’ll need to take them through a course that involves a few classes. This is a great way to take the pressure off trying to fulfil Valentine’s Day gift orders as it’ll only be redeemed after the day.
Lastly: don’t forget the make-up gifts
So much pressure is put on Valentine’s Day to be a special occasion marked by thoughtful presents and acts of love, but the event can be a real let-down after all the expectation (and stress). Your jewellery might be the perfect way to apologise for a fight that happened on the night, or for shoddy gift choices. You don’t necessarily need to make any direct mention of this – simply keep actively marketing in the days afterwards.
You should never miss an opportunity to get your brand out there and stay top of mind.
Get on it ASAP, and good luck!
