Kathleen Cutler

How to Stay Down-to-Earth With Your Clients While Taking Advantage of Modern Tech

When connecting with your customers, nothing beats the human touch.

Published

1 year ago

February 16, 2023

Kathleen Cutler Instore February 2023 Issue

WHEN ASKED WHAT holds them back from continuing the conversation after a collector has purchased or a lead has reached out, most jewelers say:

They don’t have enough time
They don’t know what to say
They don’t want to be pushy

And it’s not just jewelers who struggle with this; according to studies, nearly half of all sales professionals across all industries don’t follow up when clients go quiet.

Building relationships in our digital world can be challenging, which explains why so few are doing it effectively (if they’re bothering to try at all). The good news is your clients are looking to find their jeweler for life (and ideally for generations to come)!

Here’s how you can combine the conveniences of modern technology with the power of old-school relationship-building.

Focus on what’s important and urgent.

When sending a follow-up, remember these two words: “Why now?” You are more likely to receive a response if you can connect with your clients’ big why and meet them where they’re at.

If you find yourself tempted to ask something like, “So, is there any special occasion coming up that you’d like to celebrate with some new jewelry?”, take a step back and instead connect with what’s happening in their life. Remember: not every interaction will be about sales. Reaching out is just as important when thanking someone for attending your event, for referring a new client to you or just because.

Avoid over-automating your clienteling.

It may be tempting to automate certain elements of your clienteling process, such as an annual cleaning reminder, but it can lead to accidentally reminding a couple of a painful separation (or even worse). Staying up to date with your clients or at least skimming their social media profiles will help keep your communication on target.

Having a framework takes the guesswork out of helping clients and strengthens your relationships, so lean into those templates, timelines and trackers. Just be sure that you’re giving your clienteling a final read out loud before hitting send.

Embrace imperfection and just get started.

Odds are that right now, there’s someone that you’ve been meaning to reach out to, whether it’s to confirm a delivery, send a quick congratulations, or follow up on a custom quote. Even beyond clients, there are many connections in your business that are key to growing your collector base, from business and collaborative partnerships to family and friends.

Even if all you did this week is send out that one message that keeps falling to the bottom of your to-do list, you will have created a connection that you can nurture over time — which is what legacy connections are all about.

This Third-Generation Jeweler Was Ready for Retirement. He Called Wilkerson

Retirement is never easy, especially when it means the end to a business that was founded in 1884. But for Laura and Sam Sipe, it was time to put their own needs first. They decided to close J.C. Sipe Jewelers, one of Indianapolis’ most trusted names in fine jewelry, and call Wilkerson. “Laura and I decided the conditions were right,” says Sam. Wilkerson handled every detail in their going-out-of-business sale, from marketing to manning the sales floor. “The main goal was to sell our existing inventory that’s all paid for and turn that into cash for our retirement,” says Sam. “It’s been very, very productive.” Would they recommend Wilkerson to other jewelers who want to enjoy their golden years? Absolutely! “Call Wilkerson,” says Laura. “They can help you achieve your goals so you’ll be able to move into retirement comfortably.”