A Step-By-Step Guide to Transforming Your Business With Text Messaging: Jewelry Stores
Whether you are in the business of custom jewelry making, appraisals, watch sales, precious metals, engravings, retail, repairs, or all of the above – you have a unique and invaluable relationship with your customers.
Your customers trust you to handle their cherished pieces, whether they're parting with them for a cleaning, an appraisal, a repair, or they are marking a significant moment in their lives with a new purchase.
Focusing on improving that customer experience is a never ending journey and one that you embraced when you chose to be a part of this industry.
So, why not take it a step further and become a textable business?
In this blog post, we will explore how you and your business can grow with text messaging.
Whether you are familiar with the concept or new to it, one thing is guaranteed: you'll either learn something new about business text messaging in the jewelry industry or find yourself asking: why wasn't I doing this before?
Stage 1: Getting Started with Text Messaging
With Americans checking their phones at least once every 4 minutes and sending an average of over 2 trillion text messages every year, text messaging is without a doubt a familiar and instant way to connect.
Often used between friends and family, text messaging transforms into an entirely new and powerful tool when it is used for business.
In this blog post, we will focus on conversational text messaging — something very different from what you might already be used to called ‘promotional or text message marketing’ ➡️.
And if you are doing these 3 things today – this tool is even more important for you than you think.
#1 Are your sales reps using their personal phone numbers to send text messages to clients?
If the answer is yes, then you are already aware of the benefits of conversational text messaging – but here are a few things to consider:
If that sales rep leaves your business then they are taking that relationship with them.
As a business owner you do not have access to conversation records.
Sharing any personal information over text message carries a security risk.
#2 Are you taking payments over the phone?
This type of transaction is considered high-risk and has a higher processing fee.
There’s a better way to go about payments, and that’s with text payment because it:
Combines the immediacy and convenience of text messaging with capturing payments or deposits.
Allows you to provide a tailored customer experience.
Gives you access to a larger customer base with Buy Now, Pay Later options.
The best part?
IIt’s elegant, it’s clutter-free and you can take payments right from your laptop or phone, eliminating the need for clunky payment devices. This way, your carefully curated jewelry displays remain the center of attention, and customers can use the device that is already glued to their hands.
In a jewelry store, presentation matters a lot, so being able to easily send a secure payment link transforms the entire experience
Curious to learn more about text-to-pay? Check out this blog post about 5 Powerful Benefits of Text to Pay That You Can’t Ignore.
#3 Are you struggling to keep communication organized?
Customers are reaching out to you from all different channels, from social media direct messages (DMs) to your website – keeping things organized and answering in a timely fashion can be difficult.
An all-in-one inbox solves this problem by combining text messaging, DMs, and webchats in one place.
It’s important to remember that two-way communication is key when it comes to establishing a text message relationship.
Your customers are not only receiving coupon codes or alerts about promotions, but you are offering them a convenient and immediate way to
Inquire about products – whether the conversation starts from your website, social media or after an in-store sale
Check on orders
Receive updates on repairs
Exchange photos when working on a big project
This level of accessibility not only helps build trust and loyalty to your brand, but makes it easier to drive new sales and pick up the conversation exactly where you left off.
The Pareto Principle applies here – 80% of your sales come from 20% of your customers.
Text messaging is one of the best ways to build relationships with your clients and achieve those expectations that buyers usually have in the luxury market where every purchase is a high ticket item.
💡PRO TIP: In the jewelry industry, about 75% of buyer’s decisions were based solely on social media – don’t miss any direct messages (DMs) that are coming your way.
Stage 2: Taking the Next Steps
An Evolution of Your Website: Webchat to Text Message
You’ve done the hard work of getting leads to your website, it’s critical to keep the conversation going once they get there.
The average consumer will spend about 54 seconds on your website and inevitably they will have a question.
Even when they reach out outside of business hours, their inquiry won’t go unanswered with an after-hour automated text message response. This way they will know a text message will be sent to them as soon as possible and they can pick up where they left off.
Streamline Your Operations: POS and Text Messaging Integration
Not only will you be able to use the power of your customer’s purchase history in conversation and campaigns, this integration goes beyond what you had in mind.
Ikeono’s integration allows you to never have to leave your POS screen, as it lives right in the platform.
You will have the ability to text receipts, notify customers when a special order comes in – right in your POS and even have a split screen to chat with clients as you work through a repair.
Integrating your POS with text messaging streamlines your sales process and enhances operational efficiency.
Stage 3: Maximizing the ROI
Google Reviews: The Digital Gold of Consumer Trust
The jewelry industry is always changing yet stays traditional, often a family business but also filled with new blood.
One thing that hasn’t changed but evolved, is the importance of word of mouth marketing.
In the real world, word of mouth marketing is still alive and well, in the digital world, there’s another word for it and that’s: REVIEWS.
A stream of constant, positive reviews will not only help you lock in potentially customers that are researching the best option for them, but will help you improve your local SEO.
By focusing on gathering positive reviews and maintaining an engaging profile, you build trust with potential clients and showcase the quality of your products and services.
Encourage customers to leave reviews through automated text requests, and even handle any negative feedback before it becomes public on Google.
How? Check out this blog post: 3 Facts and 1 Clever Workflow to Get More Google Reviews.
Combining this automation with your POS gives you even more precision in how you ask for reviews, allowing you to send them based on product categories, brands or even purchase amount.
This gives you even greater control over how you request reviews, allowing you to influence the types of reviews and keywords that appear on your Google Business Profile.
As your reviews start to include more keywords, Google will recognize it as a trend and highlight these terms as buttons at the top of reviews.
This feature helps customers searching for specific products you offer.
This is particularly important for Millennials and Gen-Zers, who often seek unique items and avoid generic, cookie-cutter products.
For example, here’s an Ikeono customer that has received reviews highlighting their affordability, piercing services, diverse jewelry selection, and has a perfect 5-star rating.
💡PRO TIP: Gen Z’s buying power will surge to $2 trillion in less than a decade
Consumers reported that reviews trump every other piece of information they find during the research phase of their purchase. Reviews are of the utmost importance for Millennials and Gen-Zers as they pay attention to this metric for both online and in-store shopping.
Prioritize Your Google Business Profile (GBP) in Your Digital Strategy
Optimizing your GBP should be something you pay attention to on a daily or weekly basis.
With text messaging you have the ability to not only increase your review volume, but you have control over timing and frequency. Remember, what gold Is to jewelers, Google reviews are to buyers.
All the efforts that go into optimizing your GBP means that you will have a stronger local presence through SEO which is essential for driving traffic to your jewelry store and increasing visibility in search results.
This happens through review volume, high-quality images, keywords, and accurate business information.
Implementing effective SEO strategies means your store stands out in local searches, attracting more customers and improving your online visibility.
This approach not only drives more traffic to your jewelry store but also strengthens your presence in the local market, helping you attract and retain customers.
The Secret to Life Is to Have a Great Lawyer, a Wise Accountant and a Trusted Jeweler
Sitting at second largest in the world, the jewelry market in the United States is currently valued at $69 billion.
Of those $69 billion, 14.2% are derived from online sales – making it clear that investing in your online presence is essential for growth.
Text messaging not only opens doors to better online communication, webchat, payments, and enhancing your Google Business Profile, but it also improves in-store operations.
Whether it’s keeping in touch with customers during repairs or encouraging in-store buyers to leave reviews online, text messaging is one of your most versatile tools that drives business success.