Kathleen Cutler

Getting Back to Work: How to Reconnect With Your Clients

Meeting your clients where they’re at while reopening.

Published

5 years ago

May 9, 2020

Kathleen Cutler

STARTING THIS WEEK, many jewelers are gaining the opportunity to open their storefronts again.

For many, this is a very welcome bit of news — but for some who haven’t thought about a reopen plan (or aren’t sure if the one they have will lead to success), it can be intimidating.

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So I’ve put together this handy list of three things you need to consider when reconnecting with your clients and reopening your business…

Consider Your “One-to-Many” Interactions

Your social media, email marketing, and more are perfect for sharing your plans for reopening.

Even with your doors open, things won’t exactly be business as usual and communicating any changes you might have in store hours or policies upfront is critical to your success.

Likewise, showcase your merchandise in advance so that your staff and clients can better practice social distancing and feel at ease with fewer people browsing in-person.

Photographs, videos, and virtual events are all highly effective ways to share what’s in your inventory and should be added to your regularly scheduled repertoire ASAP.

Consider Your “One-to-One” Interactions

After you’ve shared your reopening news with your community en masse, it’s time to focus on your one-on-one relationships.

Ideally, you’ve already reached out to your top 20% of clients during this crisis to check in on a personal level so that you can readily share your reopen news.

Invite them to browse your collection individually or find a specific reason for them to stop by if you can — like for a complimentary ring cleaning they’ll need after all this handwashing.

Upcoming birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and other special events are all great opportunities to showcase that you’re thinking of them and make suggestions for new pieces they might be interested in.

And if you haven’t checked in with your top clients since this crisis began, now is the time to touch base via phone, text, or email (depending on what your clients and customers prefer).

This interaction should be about human connection, not a sales pitch. News about your reopening can come naturally in the conversation or be shared at a later time.

Consider Maintaining a Digital Presence — and Even Having Dedicated Staff for This

Your storefront may be open, but you’re bound to have clients and customers who may be immuno-compromised or uncomfortable with the idea of going shopping in person.

Continuing to offer virtual appointments, hosting digital events, and enhancing the many ways people can reach you is critical to earning their business.

(Not to mention if a second wave does come, you’ll have the infrastructure you need to continue selling online.)

One of my clients who already had a lot of these elements in place was able to sell over 50 items in the month of April, even after she had shut the doors to her physical location.

With this kind of success, she hasn’t been in a rush to open her physical doors back up and can start by opening by appointment only and work with her best clients to make sure that she has a solid reopening strategy in place.

Four Decades of Excellence: How Wilkerson Transformed a Jeweler's Retirement into Celebration

After 45 years serving the Milwaukee community, Treiber & Straub Jewelers owner Michael Straub faced a significant life transition. At 75, the veteran jeweler made a personal decision many business owners understand: "I think it's time. I want to enjoy my wife with my grandchildren for the next 10, 15 years." Wilkerson's expertise transformed this major business transition into an extraordinary success. Their comprehensive approach to managing the going-out-of-business sale created unprecedented customer response—with lines forming outside the store and limits on how many shoppers could enter at once due to fire safety regulations. The results exceeded all expectations. "Wilkerson did a phenomenal job," Straub enthuses. "They were there for you through the whole thing, helped you with promoting it, helping you on day-to-day business. I can't speak enough for how well they did." The partnership didn't just facilitate a business closing; it created a celebratory finale to decades of service while allowing Straub to confidently step into his well-earned retirement.