In The Digital Doc, Smart Age Solutions answers jewelers’ questions about how to use digital marketing on the local level to bring in more customers and make more sales.
Do you have a question for the Digital Doc? Send it to digitaldoc@smartagesolutions.com.
Q: I have leftover budget that I didn’t use from the past year. How do I use it effectively before it’s wasted?
A: If you have budget left to spend this year, your customers are also gearing up to spend money for the holiday season. Think about what their needs are for the final months of the year and cater to that need in your marketing. Make it easy for them to decide to spend their budget with you. When it comes to budget you have to “use it or lose it” before the year ends. In other words, not using your marketing budget to the fullest extent means that you could potentially lose leads because your competitors have a better digital marketing strategy. Help customers realize this point.
Q: The end of 2019 is always abrupt. How do I create a marketing plan for the new year?
A: Before 2019 has come to a close, make sure you’ve given your customers a takeaway or incentive for them to come back in the new year. For example, offer discounts on future services, gift cards, and jewelry that pairs well with products they’ve already purchased. It’s important to give your customers a reason to remember your name after your holiday campaigns have ended. This is particularly important for generating sales in preparation for Valentine’s Day in February.
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Q: It seems like every year I am rushing to put a marketing plan in place for Q4. When is the best time to start planning?
A: Start the year with a plan in place! You can reflect on what aspects of your holiday 2019 campaigns did and did not work well when they’re fresh on your mind. Customers begin holiday shopping as early as July (Bazaarvoice). Capitalize on times with lower traffic to put a system in place that helps you get a head start. Don’t forget that when sales slow down, customers are likely in the research phase where they look for inspiration and product information online. Be the opportunity that they are waiting for with quality digital content like an active and engaging social media presence, a robust and user friendly website, and more.
