Today there is no “business as usual” because there is no “usual”. 2020 changed everything. It’s time to think outside the box. Instead of trying to recapture the past, step up to the plate. The recent upheavals have revealed tremendous new opportunities. Switch gears. Those who adapt will succeed.
Think Omnichannel. There used to be a choice between brick-and-mortar or online sales. That’s so last decade.
81% of Americans (265 million) and 35% of the world’s population (2.7 billion) own a smartphone, including 94% of people aged 18-29 and 91% of college graduates. The average time spent daily on a smartphone is 171 minutes, almost 3 hours. The average user will tap, swipe and click their phone 2,617 times a day. People are online almost nonstop. If you’re sitting in your brick-and-mortar store waiting for watch battery and repair customers to come in, you’re getting only a small slice of a large pie. You have to be reaching out to your customers through all channels where they are – social media (Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, even LinkedIn, Twitter and TikTok), Google ads, direct text messages, YouTube videos and direct email marketing including sales funnels. Your competition is.
5 concrete tips to getting new clients in 2021
- Always add value first. Don’t start by selling. Offer something of real value that positions you as an expert. Create a short video on YouTube that you post to Facebook and Instagram showing what you specialize in: custom, vintage, colored gems, bridal. Pinpoint a problem your customers may have and offer a solution. “Do you have a drawer of old jewelry you don’t wear anymore? Some pieces that are broken, some inherited, some out of style? Bring them in and we’ll do a complimentary evaluation, suggesting redesigns that retain your treasured jewels of sentimental value, updated in beautiful new designs.” Share a before and after video and watch your customers flock in!
- Establish social credibility. People now trust reviews by other “real people” more than slick ads or celebrity endorsements. This is particularly important for online sales. Offer a $100 store credit to 5-10 of your top satisfied customers who send you a 15 second video testimonial of themselves wearing their jewelry and post these on Facebook and Instagram. Check your Yelp and Google reviews to be sure they are positive and respond to and fix right away any negative reviews or customer issues.
- Grow and use your customer email list, with cell phone numbers for text messaging. This is gold, the bread and butter of your marketing strategy. You should collect this information from all your customers, and regularly expand your list through sales funnels, acquiring customer lists, etc. You should be regularly marketing to your contacts through enewsletter blasts and text messages with exciting new products and offers (though never spamming them). If possible, also connect with key customers through direct messaging on Facebook and Instagram, remembering birthdays, anniversaries, etc. This personal touch is extremely effective.
- Create a local business alliance. Reach out to 3-5 other local retailers that may share some of the same existing or potential customers, such as florists, gyms, spas, salons, clothing and accessory retailers, even retailers of luxury products such as cars or real estate. Form a close alliance where you meet regularly for coffee or lunch, developing established relationships within your group. You may be able to help each other, and your clients, by recommending clients that may be interested in each other’s services. Offer a 10% referral fee for successful newly generated sales.
- Sales funnels. These direct promotions focus on conversions, adding power to your online sales. Your website is like a brochure, providing a company and product overview. You need to have one, but it’s not the most powerful sales strategy. Well-crafted, powerful sales offers, projected widely thru email lists, or Facebook, Instagram or Google ads, funneling directly to a landing page with a check-out feature is a much more effective way to convert to direct sales and leads.
These cutting-edge, well-established strategies are some of the many being used by the most successful entrepreneurs and companies regularly generating 5, 6 and 7 figure incomes online. They’re just the tip of the iceberg.
The effects of COVID in 2020 have accelerated the transition to omnichannel selling. Each year the pace of change gets faster and faster. One upside? Your market has now expanded to include the 7.8 billion population of the world. Master the new marketing strategies and your potential for growth and success is virtually unlimited.
