*This is the fourth in a series of six articles about Twitter Social Networking and its use in the Jewelry Industry
Last month we discussed getting your Twitter Account up and running, learned a little about the language, the structure and hopefully, I was able to give you enough positives to keep you from becoming a “Twitter Quitter.” This month I’d like to give you an overview of “Push On vs. Pass On” marketing and we’ll take a look at how Southern Jewelry News is making their Twitter account work for them.
There’s a term I’ve developed for marketing with social media. The method is different than traditional marketing but the results, if applied correctly, will be greater than the returns derived from traditional marketing sources. You can learn to use social media to establish yourself as a credible source of information and expertise in the industry and watch your sales numbers grow. The difference is, your customers will feel as if you are sharing secrets with them and bringing them into an inner sanctum, behind the counter, rather than leaving them on the other side of the sales floor.
This term, “Push On vs. Pass On,” on the surface is pretty self explanatory. “Push On” means just that. You or your salesperson “Push” information on your customer based on what they come into the store requesting. We have all been there. A man walks into the store and says, “My wife wants a chain.” And then he stares at us.
So, you go into sales mode. “What type of chain?” “What length?” “Is she going to wear a charm on it?” “Would you like to buy her a diamond pendant today to add as a sparkling surprise?” And so on and so on.
All the while, you are “pushing” information on your customer, most of which he will not retain after he has walked out of the store (hopefully!) with his purchase.
Let me make the distinction for you this way. “Pushing on” information about a product happens when someone is up against a deadline, or they have to make a decision or a purchase right away. “Passing on” information about a product happens when someone has time to absorb information over time.
“Pass On,” is where social media shines and what social media networks like Twitter excel at. This is where retailers, and especially jewelry retailers, can take 24/7 continuous advantage of “passing on” information to Mr. “My wife wants a chain.”
Here’s how a series of “Pass On,” tweets would look. They aren’t designed as “sales pitches” just designed to give information:
14k solid gold rope chains are great pendant chains. 18”, 20”, & 24”, are popular lengths. Make sure to bring your charm along 4 us 2 fit
This tweet is a good one to use if you buy from a company like Leslie’s, because they have the chocolate gold: Do you believe there’s no such thing as “Zero Calorie Chocolate?” Come on in & see it for yourself today. Chocolate Gold, it’s Amazing!
Here’s a tweet that works well if you have customers that like things which are a little more unique in style. And it also has the added benefit of giving your store a chance to showcase it’s wide selection of chain styles: Pendant chains come in many styles including rope, rollo, cyclone, tinsel, figaro, sparkle, bead & curb. We can help find the right 1 for U
To structure your social media campaigns properly, you need to figure out what and how you are going to “Pass On” at any given time. If you use a venue like Twitter, pick your messages. You have the ability to have an unlimited number of messages and we are blessed to be in a business that gives us a virtually unlimited number of topics from which to choose. We touched on just one topic above, pendant chains. From there, we could spring board on to clasps, O-rings, etc.
And let me stop for a moment, because I know some of you are reading this and shaking your head thinking, “this is too boring and my customers are never going to want to hear all of this. They don’t care about the nuts and bolts of my business.” And you are probably right, most of them don’t.
But I guarantee you, they want to know that YOU know. This is why I am telling you, done correctly, Twitter (or other social media/networking sources) can establish you as the credible source in your industry. Because when your client follows you on Twitter and one day you decide to “Tweet” about O-rings and the tweet looks like this: Did you know? O-rings are the piece that connect the clasp of a chain to the chain itself & can most often be replaced if the chain breaks?
Then your client is going to continue to build confidence in your knowledge of the industry. They don’t have to come and ask you what you know, because Twitter allows you to tell them on a consistent basis. That’s the beauty of this type of interaction.
If you have any other questions about the “Push On vs. Pass On” marketing concept, please feel free to e-mail me at Ann@GJBPartners.com or call me directly at 504-615-1191.
I’d like to take a moment and mention Southern Jewelry News is now on Twitter.Com @sjmajewelrynews. If you haven’t already followed Southern Jewelry News on Twitter, I encourage you to do so. Through their Twitter updates, you’ll have the chance to read SJN articles you may have missed, view all the latest Show Schedules, see the latest Industry News, Breaking News and much, much more.
Now that Southern Jewelry News is on Twitter, you can also connect with them directly by either sending them a DM (direct message) or using the @ sign to reply to something they have posted on their account.
Next month – What is Social Capital and how can you develop and enhance it for your business?
Ann Glynn is a managing partner of GJB Partners, LLC, a company that provides technology, experience and information to assist members of the jewelry industry. GJB Partners works with its clients to improve their business and profitability through a combination of Internet-based opportunities, including the Twitter Social Networking Service. If you’d like more information on using Twitter to enhance your business, contact Ann at 504-615-1191 or e-mail info@gjbpartners.com.
