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Jeweller - May 2022

A new era: The pearl industry has been strengthened by adversity Responsibly sourced: Retailers want to provide it, but what does it really mean? Crystal ball: In order to predict trends, we learn from the past

A new era: The pearl industry has been strengthened by adversity
Responsibly sourced: Retailers want to provide it, but what does it really mean?
Crystal ball: In order to predict trends, we learn from the past

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BUSINESS<br />

Marketing & PR<br />

Make the most of local events and the chance<br />

to get face-to-face with new customers<br />

Communities often organise street fairs and shopping events, which to the untrained eye, may seem like a waste of time.<br />

NANCY GEORGES explains that these events are in fact an excellent chance to expand your business.<br />

Brick and mortar stores have a major<br />

advantage over digital stores – it’s the<br />

human connection.<br />

It’s all too common to see retailers give<br />

up on their unique physical space and<br />

focus on online sales without realising<br />

they are losing the human connection.<br />

It’s true that the COVID-19 pandemic has<br />

encouraged customers to shop online<br />

more, but it’s noisy, impersonal and<br />

cold. Now more than ever customers<br />

want to connect and have a great<br />

experience outside the house.<br />

Councils organise street fairs and<br />

shopping events and they’re a great<br />

opportunity to build your business on<br />

their dollar.<br />

The atmosphere tends to put customers<br />

in a good mood, which makes their<br />

minds open to positive memories and<br />

feelings.<br />

If you can connect and collaborate with<br />

a neighbouring store, even better!<br />

There is strength in numbers and your<br />

message is amplified when you are can<br />

collaborate on themes and messages.<br />

Create magic and theatre in your<br />

store! It doesn’t have to just be<br />

for a one-off, special event. Give<br />

customers something unique to look<br />

at and experience. Make sure you’re a<br />

memorable, positive host too.<br />

Before we delve any deeper into<br />

specifics, let’s talk preparation.<br />

Before the event<br />

In the lead up to a street fair or special<br />

shopping event, focus on creating an<br />

interesting and engaging store window.<br />

Showcase your products and services<br />

with creativity, and find a way to include<br />

a relevant quote or saying – personally,<br />

I love a clever and funny sandwich board<br />

out the front of a store for messaging.<br />

Create an offer for the special event and<br />

not just a discount or sale.<br />

The atmosphere tends to put customers in a good mood.<br />

Make that offer available only for those<br />

shopping during the event, or those<br />

who have signed up to your business’<br />

database.<br />

Consider offering a special offer for<br />

those who sign up for your database on<br />

the day to develop new connections.<br />

Speak to any relevant suppliers too,<br />

ensuring you’re ready for the special<br />

event. They may even have special<br />

branded packaging they can offer just<br />

for the day, or perhaps even a discount.<br />

You can design vignettes and eyecatching<br />

displays throughout the store<br />

that show products or services in a<br />

way that’s memorable, and may even<br />

encourage customers to promote the<br />

store itself online.<br />

This will show customers you have<br />

flair and are digital savvy and it’s an<br />

attractive way to encourage sales.<br />

Encourage pictures be taken and shared<br />

online, as that also becomes content for<br />

your business.<br />

Another simple idea is to place a poster<br />

which promotes the event itself in your<br />

window and in your store, but make sure<br />

it’s done with style and class – consider<br />

a frame, or making it part of a larger<br />

display.<br />

It’s important to make sure your<br />

address and contact details, including<br />

phone number and email, or updated<br />

If you can<br />

connect and<br />

collaborate with<br />

a neighbouring<br />

store, even<br />

better! There<br />

is strength in<br />

numbers and<br />

your message<br />

is amplified<br />

when you are<br />

can collaborate<br />

on themes and<br />

messages.<br />

online in the lead up. Audit your site and<br />

social media presence.<br />

Promote the event on your website or<br />

social media pages and find ways to link<br />

in with the organisers at large, which is<br />

a great way to reach larger audiences.<br />

Use organiser hashtags, or create your<br />

own.<br />

Don’t just invite your regular customers<br />

either; contact to friends and family for<br />

support and to build excitement.<br />

Make sure you take plenty of great<br />

pictures of your displays, and share the<br />

online too.<br />

In the aftermath<br />

The opportunity to grow your business<br />

doesn’t end when the street fair or<br />

special shopping events does.<br />

Send customers who visited a thank you<br />

email, and consider offering then an<br />

exclusive offer for their next purchase.<br />

Post the pictures from the event on your<br />

website and social media pages. Tell<br />

any stories that may go with them and<br />

tag customers and organisers using the<br />

relevant hashtags.<br />

Link to your website and digital store<br />

and send a newsletter a couple of weeks<br />

after the event or find another way to<br />

touch base with your database.<br />

These are all important ideas but<br />

they’re just a basic start. There are<br />

so many other next level activities<br />

that can lead to sales success, but<br />

the foundation needs to be set before<br />

getting too advanced.<br />

Above all, focus on enjoying your time<br />

with the new people you meet. Enjoy<br />

showing them fruits of all the hard<br />

work you put into the event, and positive<br />

connections will follow.<br />

NANCY GEORGES is a retail strategist,<br />

consultant, coach and trainer. Her focus<br />

is marketing, planning, execution. Learn<br />

more: magnoliasolutions.com.au<br />

50 | <strong>May</strong> <strong>2022</strong>

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