The Guide to Managing Your Jewelry Store’s Online Reputation
April 08, 2020 (0 comments)
As a jeweler, your reputation is your most valuable asset. No matter the size of your jewelry store, it is important for your brand and business to be known for reliable, trustworthy products and services.
Maintaining your reputation is important for securing new customers and keeping existing ones. As more areas of our lives shift to the internet, it’s becoming increasingly important for jewelers to take a proactive approach to building their brand both online and in-person; especially when you consider the following statistics:
- 97% of consumers use the internet when researching local products and services.(BIA/Kelsey)
- 98% of searchers choose a business that is on page 1 of the results they get and
- 88% of consumers consult online reviews before they purchase local services. (BrightLocal , Local Consumer Review Survey)
- 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. (BrightLocal , Local Consumer Review Survey)
What can you do to manage your online reputation?
Understand Reputation Management
The first thing jewelers need to do is understand what reputation management is. Anything that you do to shape public perception of your business or brand is reputation management. You should also understand the consequences of a bad reputation:
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- Businesses lose 70% of customers when 4 or more negative reviews are found online
- 41% of companies that experience a negative reputation incident report a loss of brand value and revenue
Dispute Resolution
Knowing how to quickly and professionally resolve any disputes that arise is key to the success of any reputation management strategy. It is likely that your business will come across a disgruntled customer from time to time, so if there is a dispute resolution policy in place which clearly outlines how to tackle such situations, the matter is more likely to be resolved quickly with minimal damage to your business’s reputation.
Staff Training
Your employees are the face of your business, so if they aren’t trained properly in customer service, dispute resolution and your core brand values, they might not be representing your jewelry store in the best possible way.
By implementing engaging staff training sessions and including a social media usage policy within your employees contracts, you’ll be able to minimize any unintentional harm staff members might do to your brand’s reputation.
Online Reviews
When you consider that 88% of consumers do online research before they make a purchase, it’s clear to see that the internet is the one place every jeweler needs to protect their reputation. Whether it’s on social media, or review sites like Yelp or Google, you have to address what is being said about your jewelry store online. Here are a few tips for successful online reputation management:
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- Use Google Alerts to monitor mentions of your business online
- Respond to reviews on social media and review sites, whether they are good or bad
- Avoid confrontation online, try to take the discussion offline
- Ask happy customers to review you online
- Get involved with forums. Answer questions and become the thought leader in your industry
Want to learn more about online reviews? Check one out this blog!
By getting proactive and following these steps, your reputation is sure to flourish. This isn’t, however, a strategy you can do once and forget about. It is an ongoing process which needs constant attention. If you need guidance,
contact GemFind Digital Solutions today!
