Jewelry ECOMM Tech
Online Shopping Experience Revisited July 17, 2019 (0 comments)
Imagine this: A customer walks into your store wanting to see a specific Art Deco platinum diamond engagement ring they saw online. You pull it out of the case and place in front of the customer. You tell them the price. And then you put the ring back in the case and walk away.
If you do this, would you expect a sale? Of course not.
But this is exactly how many treat their online customers. Five years ago, I was one of these people. I worked for an antique jewelry store, and we had just launched our website, excitedly anticipating how it would boost our sales. A week later, disappointment— the inquiries from the website hadn’t gone anywhere. We couldn’t figure what had gone wrong.
What had gone wrong was that we weren’t treating our online customers like our in-store customers. We thought it was enough to have a website that displayed our jewelry line. But a website is passive. It’s a showroom with no expert present to offer guidance. And when we respond to a customer’s online inquiry with only basic information, it’s like turning our back on them.
Sales are made through human attention. Your online customers need you, the trusted expert, to help them navigate your extensive inventory. They need you to guide them from browsing to purchase. They need you to help them feel good about the transaction, to turn them into a returning customer.
So, when a customer contacts you by email or through messenger or Instagram, treat them like you would someone in your store.
Here are 7 ways to make your online-communication customer friendly and sales successful:
Keep track of your leads. Don’t just respond to an inquiry. Look to secure a new customer. By entering the specifics from an inquiry into your database, you have the information to build a relationship.
Follow up. Sales don’t just happen. Reconnect with an interested, online customer just like you would with an in-store one. Let them know you remember them and know what they’re interested in.
Make it human. Your customers want to feel seen and heard, especially online. Make sure your online communication with customers is friendly and reflects your understanding of their wants and needs.
Be prepared. Develop a template that will help you follow up in a prompt and personal way with a customer.
Be specific. In your follow-up email, don’t just relay information: Here’s the ring and the price. Instead, reflect your appreciation for your customer’s taste: Oh my gosh, what a beautiful art deco piece and one of my favorites here in the shop. The aquamarine is just stunning. The original filigree is amazing and in such excellent condition. Being specific demonstrates you know the piece, which builds trust with your customer.
Give them a reason to return. Help your customer identify other possibilities: You might like this other art deco piece for price point A and then this other art deco piece with a sapphire in it for different price point C. Doing this establishes you as a trusted advisor.
Continue the connection. Let your customer know you are ready to be of service: Feel free to email, message, or call me at (phone #) with any questions. Remind them that they are communicating with a responsive human.
More and more, business is happening online. But don’t forget, building your clientele and making sales from online leads requires the human touch.
P.S. Here are TWO ways I can help you grow your jewelry business: Download the FREE eBook 3 Key Emails To Turn Window Shoppers Into Collectors You can get the exact scripts we use by visiting www.kathleencutler.com/3-key-emails Work with me and my team privately If you’d like to work directly with me and my team to take your customers from window shoppers to collectors, visit www.kathleencutler.com and click on the LIVE CHAT window. Tell me a little about your business and and I’ll get you all the details!