by Ashley Buckowing, Art Director
Not only is the holiday season great for business and sales, it’s also a wonderful (if not the best) time to acquire some new patrons. The key is to keep those new faces around!
Here are a few great ways to get your name out there this season:
Stunning Photography
The one subject I will never stop preaching about. From a design perspective, one of the best ways to sell yourself without doing too much work is to simply have out-of-this-world photography. Even if you have a professional come in to only photograph diamond basics, at least you have one solid set of photos that will always make the sale. I recently created an ad for a client with a really beautiful ring, and they had a brand new customer take the ad into the store and say “I want this ring.” That’s the goal as a designer, every single time.
For some photography tips, read my additional notes.
Events
One of the very best ways to immerse yourself in your community are events. And by events, I don’t necessarily mean sales (although an offer always spikes some interest). Creating gatherings in your store that allow people to come in, mingle, and learn are the perfect way to gain a new customer. Someone might come in just for the champagne and hors d'oeuvres and accidentally fall in love with a diamond tennis bracelet. And even if they don’t purchase on the spot, they can tell the one that they love what a wonderful gift idea they’ve found! It’s not always about the immediate sale, but the gaining of trust from your community. Moral of the story? All you need to do is give people a reason to come and visit, and they will. A little Field of Dreams, if you will.
Partnerships and Charity
Partnerships are a fantastic way to reach new customers! Maybe finding your local college to create a collection with, a popular influencer in your area who loves jewelry, or even with a local yearly event that your community enjoys. Partnering with new, and even unexpected, businesses will get brand new eyes on your store just by attending the event.
Additionally, local charities are a wonderful way to connect with your community, especially around the holidays. Even if you don’t send a donation, just having information in your store, or having a portion of each sale go to that charity will warm the hearts of your local shoppers. Better yet, set up an event to feature the charity at your store. That way, customers will learn about a wonderful cause, and might leave with a new sparkling pair of earrings to boot.
