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Show Your Good Works And Connect With A Younger Audience | October 07, 2015 (0 comments)
Merrick, NY—Some days, it seems like the Internet is taking over the world. While it hasn’t yet, it has had an effect on business and the directions that businesses are taking.
It’s been said that in the future, businesses that don’t stand for anything won’t fare well. To an extent that’s always been true; as consumers, we don’t want our money to go to a seemingly soul-less company who is only focused on profits. That seems especially true today on the Internet.
According to recent statistics, Millennials are having an effect on the personality of the Internet. 90%+ believe business should be measured more by social impact than by profit. And 60%+ feel they are personally responsible to make a positive difference in the world.
As one relevant example of a company with a heart and on the rise, consider Los Angeles-based The Giving Keys. The company employs homeless people in transition to create jewelry from keys, stamped with inspirational messages. The pieces--some in precious metal, others not--are sold in more than 2,000 stores nationwide. The premise is to purchase and wear a key with a word that's inspirational to you--such as "believe," or "courage" or many other choices--and wear the piece until you find someone who needs that inspiration even more than you do. Then give them the jewelry and post the story of why on the firm's website. In keeping with October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the focus is on people who've given their keys to friends and family battling the disease. Some of the keys are stamped "Survivor," others "Courage," and so forth. Top of page: one of the many key styles offered.
From the jewelry with a story to the “Pay It Forward” stories on the website, The Giving Keys stands for something to make the world a better place. It’s garnered them good publicity as well as good sales and a great following. Here's the Giving Keys page encouraging consumers to share their special stories online:
What does this mean to you, as a jeweler?
Consider sharing your ‘we make the world a better place’ attitude with your customers. Most independent jewelers have a pet charity, (or six!) that they support locally, but do you talk it up and feature it on your website? This isn’t changing what you already do, it’s simply calling attention to what you already do!
For example, do you have a page on your website that talks about the causes you support, and links to each of those organizations? See how Omaha, NE-based Borsheims and Fresno, CA-based Orloff Jewelers do it on their sites.
Orloff Jewelers proudly touts their commitment to community.
Remember, too, how concerned Millennials are about social responsibility and ethical business practices. Does your website include a description of your commitment to ethical sourcing? Click here to see how Borsheims, Washington, DC-based Tiny Jewel Box, and Tiffany address ethical sourcing and social responsibility.
Hold a fundraiser. Connect with current or prospective millennial clientele through your good works. While this attitude has always mattered to luxury jewelers, today it’s an important part of connecting with this part of the market.
Don’t forget to do it authentically. Creating and implementing this without the right attitude behind it won’t work. This audience craves authenticity and they can tell when it’s not there.
Finally, you also can excite customers about good works in the jewelry industry as well as locally. Two key industry charities, Jewelers For Children and Diamond Empowerment Fund, have programs for retailers to both get involved and involve their customers. As the industry’s primary charity, Jewelers For Children has raised nearly $48 million since 1999 to help children in need around the world. The Diamond Empowerment Fund was founded in 2007 with a focus on empowering people in diamond-producing nations, predominantly by funding education. Its Diamonds Do Good initiative shows consumers what diamonds have done to help people, making them feel good about their purchase.
Don’t be shy, show your good works! It’s inspiring to others—and it’s also good business.