#250 How to Navigate Closures in Your Brick and Mortar Retail Store
In times of financial uncertainty and online-only shopping, jewelry can still thrive.
Merging creative marketing solutions with the adaptation of online retail, independent jewelry designers who once relied on in-store sales are able to both stay afloat financially and nurture customer relationships.
Mallory Shelter, Joyia Jones, and Nicole Gariepy are all great examples of jewelry designers who’ve done just that.
Each designer has had to close down their retail shops during this time of social distancing, but they’ve all come up with creative strategies for staying in business and keeping customers engaged.
It may be a stressful and uncertain time to be an independent business owner, but that doesn’t mean sales have to stop – your business can still grow!
Click here to download the show notesBe clear on your brand voice
In the chaos of moving your entire sales structure online, it’s important to remember to stay in touch with the people who keep the businesses running: your Dream Clients.
Mallory attests to online communication as a way to remind customers that “we’re still here!” especially if you’re honest about what’s going on with your business.
Now is a great time to ask customers for their individual feedback and create a strong dialogue between the client and the brand.
Tighten up your brand messaging and make sure your website is as clean as possible.
Just because the sales format has (temporarily) changed doesn’t mean your core values as a business have!
Everyone wants to help each other out
We’re all in this together.
Though the current sales climate makes it more difficult to attain new customers, we still have our existing communities of fans who want to help us stay in business.
If we’re engaged, honest, and creative through social media, we can maintain these client connections and get even better ideas for improving the virtual retail experience.
Keep things personal
Remember to continue forming unique and meaningful connections.
Using tools like Facebook Live to talk about positivity and connection, Nicole is able to easily keep in touch and check-in with her clients personally.
We can still offer the personalized experiences of the in-store consult, we just have to do them virtually now. Make sure your clients know that you’re able to offer that, and continue to remind them through outreach.
A nice piece of jewelry or a gift hand-picked by a loved one is just the kind of pick-me-up many of us need in a time like this.
Stay positive, keep creating, and keep growing.
xo, Tracy
Links:
Bonus Episode #1: Your Jewelry and Product Business in the Face of Uncertainty with Jason Ayers
Emails that Sell Done-For-You Bundle