If I had to start my jewelry business over tomorrow and could only keep one asset from my prior business, what do you think it would be? What is the one most important and critical element to the success of every business? Why, nothing other than your in-house, customer mailing list of course! You do have one, don’t you?
Ok, you might say, why is your customer mailing list so important? First of all, its ultimately much easier to sell to customers you’ve already served than trying to sell to new customers who have never been in your store. These customers are predisposed to buy from you!
The second reason is that its much cheaper to market to your in-house mailing list with affordable direct mail and postcards than it is to do what I call “Spray and Pray” mass marketing such as newspapers, billboards, etc.
Thirdly, its easy to segment your in-house mailing list (mine numbers approx. 14,000) by any demographic you choose. For instance, I suggest you mail special offers, notifications of new lines, events to the “Top 20%” of your mailing list. In other words, the 20% who have spent the most with my store, hear from me more often! You may also choose to mail to only married couples or customers with a birthday during the month of October as other examples.
Its also critically important that you reach out and “Touch” your clients at least six or more times per year… if you are not, you are missing the boat my friends! Why do you think the big box stores (you know who I mean) mail special offers and catalogs to their clients every month or more? SIMPLY BECAUSE IT WORKS!!! If it didn’t work, do you really think the mass merchandisers would keep sending you their direct mail offers? Of course not!!!
Yes, my secret weapon that spells success, is my in-house mailing list! It repeatedly churns out a great return on investment that no other form of advertising/marketing can even come close to!
If you have not started your own customer mailing list, let me give you a few tips:
- Above all else, start collecting the name, addresses, telephone, e-mail, birthday and anniversary dates of each client you serve.
- Tell clients that you’ll put them in your “VIP CLUB” and send them a card with a gift certificate to spend in your store on their birthday and anniversary.
- At least once a week, e-mail a special offer to those from whom you’ve collected e-mail addresses.
- Send special direct mail or e-mail offers to the “Top 20%” of your customer list more frequently.
Bill Warren is president of The Gold Mine Fine Jewelry & Gifts, Inc., a successful jewelry store in the Hudson, NC. He recently formed Warren Marketing Systems, a company dedicated to helping small to medium size jewelers achieve success through innovative marketing. He regularly speaks at jewelry shows and conventions and also is a member of the Marketing Wizards Alliance. If you would like to receive more money making ideas like those in this article, consider subscribing to the Marketing Wizards Alliance Newsletter. To do so or to contact Bill, call 828-729-1020 or e-mail goldman86@bellsouth.net.
