ACCORDING TO FORBES magazine, within the first seven seconds of meeting people, you form an impression of who they are, and some research suggests a tenth of a second is all it takes to start determining traits like trustworthiness.
So as a jewelry brand or manufacturer, what would retailers say is their first impression of you or your company? How do you create a great first impression, whether it be through your website, a virtual trade show, LinkedIn, FaceTime, Zoom, or an in-store appointment?
Let’s start with your website and/or an upcoming virtual trade show. If retailers do not know you, your website would be the first impression, or if they attend a virtual trade show, your advertisement, homepage, or live presentation is the first impression. Of course, it is important to dress to the occasion and smile, but the retailer’s true first impression is your visual marketing or signage.
Does this signage make the retailer curious and want to see more on your website? Or in the instance of a virtual trade show, does your marketing appeal to them to make them want to see your presentation? And the biggest question, does this signage or marketing make you stand out from your competition?
The two mistakes I see the most with brand marketing is that they are either too generic or have too much content within the ads. At the beginning of 2020, I remember looking at the Centurion Jewelry Shows catalog showcasing all the brands who would be exhibiting for retailers to browse through before attending the show. I came across many ads that showed a logo with multiple semi-mounts. As a former retail buyer, this would not draw me to want to visit this booth. Why? Because it shows only semi-mounts, and most buyers will tell you they need more semi-mounts like they need more holes in their heads.
Think about this … does showcasing semi-mounts explain your brand and visually show why you’re different? Let’s say your brand is strictly a semi-mount business. How do you market this in a creative way that makes retailers curious to learn more? Either the design must be unique to draw the attention, or it must use words that speak in the retailer’s language, like “handmade,” “always in stock,” or “made with a half-carat to 3-carat center stone.” However, these words should be used sparingly. Having too much content (like multiple sentences, too many bullet points, or paragraphs within the ad) can be distracting.
Make sure the product is what draws the attention, not long, drawn-out paragraphs of content. This theory can be utilized on any type of creative or branding, such as your website, mailers, or an ad used for a trade publication. Especially in today’s time with minimal trade shows being held, consider how you present your brand digitally with your ads or your website, as this is the retailer’s first impression on your brand. I recommend next time before approving creative to ask yourself: Would a retailer think I am different from my competition with this ad, and would this make them want to talk to me?