Uncover the Story for Your Jewelry Brand

Laryssa Wirstiuk 0:00
Ready to break free from algorithms, vanity PR, and money-sucking ads? My name’s Laryssa Wirstiuk, and I’ve learned in 7 years of jewelry marketing that content is the crown jewel. My agency Joy Joya takes a holistic approach, leading with laser-focused storytelling, impactful content creation, and strategic content distribution. This method has worked for the solopreneur as well as the multi-million-dollar company, and now I’m sharing these systems and tactics with you. Here’s to standing out in the Sea of Sparkle.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 0:34
Welcome to Episode #264. Today, we’re diving into the importance of storytelling in your jewelry collections and products. I often encounter jewelry entrepreneurs who create products simply because an idea struck them, they want to make something pretty, they had a specific gemstone to utilize, or they identified a market opportunity. Yet, none of these factors inherently create a compelling story. They lack the depth and dimension necessary to elevate a product beyond a mere commodity. We must remember that jewelry, while desirable, is not a necessity like food or water. It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that your jewelry will automatically attract attention. But a piece of jewelry becomes infinitely more appealing when it’s accompanied by a story that resonates with the customer on a deeper level. Unearthing and sharing these stories can sometimes be challenging, but that’s exactly what we’ll be exploring in today’s episode. We’ll be looking at this topic through the lens of Hilary Finck Jewelry, who we’ve been spotlighting as a jewelry brand case study. For those joining our podcast series for the first time this season, I’d suggest starting with Episode #252. Doing so will introduce you to Hilary and allow you to follow this narrative from its inception. Before we dive into our conversation with Hilary, I’d like to delve into the importance of intertwining your brand with a narrative. I’ll explore the methods to extract a compelling story from your product or collection and, importantly, how to articulate and amplify that narrative to make it clear and resonant for your audience.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 2:41
But before we get to the solid gold, I’d like to take a moment to remind you that this podcast has both audio and video – so you can either listen on your favorite podcast platform or watch on YouTube by searching “Joy Joya”. You can support the podcast for free by taking the time not only to subscribe but also to leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. If you leave a review, I might read it on a future episode – please let me know what you think about this episode or about any other major takeaways you’ve had recently.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 3:11
Okay, let’s get into today’s episode, my Sparklers! This one’s all about teasing out a story when no obvious one exists. Some jewelry brands seamlessly weave storytelling into their products, creating an effortless narrative for each new piece they release. One brand that comes to mind is Nora Sermez, who crafts dreamy and whimsical jewelry in 14K and 18K gold. Each piece is imbued with a strong story and a distinct identity, making them feel truly special, even if they are not one-of-a-kind. Take, for example, the “Artifact 12: Onyx Lullaby Baby” ring. Listed as a best seller on the ecommerce site since 2021, its description reads, “Looking out the bedroom window to adore the moon and the stars. Imagining what the future will hold. As the midnight sky sings its final lullaby, close your eyes and fall asleep. Quietly moving from this earth and into your fantasy of dreams.” This isn’t merely a piece of jewelry; it’s a work of art inspired by the mysteries of the nighttime sky. I recently tuned into an episode of the podcast “How I Built This,” which delves into the stories of entrepreneurs and the businesses or movements they’ve created. In one particular episode, the founders of Sir Kensington’s, a condiment brand, share their journey of entering the market with the ambitious goal of revolutionizing ketchup and taking on industry giant, Heinz. Determined to reimagine ketchup, the founders of Sir Kensington’s wanted their product to stand out from the plethora of Heinz variations lining store shelves. In pursuit of this goal, they not only developed a unique formula and packaging but also incorporated storytelling into their brand. The character of Sir Kensington was born – a sophisticated, elderly English gentleman who embodies the American perception of British luxury and delicacy. This entirely fictional tale of Sir Kensington became the backbone and ethos of the brand, setting it apart in a crowded market. And that made me feel inspired to talk about storytelling, which I’ve covered at length on this podcast. But I think it continues to be a pain point and always will be a challenge for jewelry entrepreneurs. You all are SO creative but sometimes telling stories about your own products feels like an impossible task.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 7:06
So let’s talk about the importance of mixing brand with narrative or storytelling. Again, I’ve covered this before, but I think that it needs to be said, again and again. In this industry, there are so many reasons why storytelling is important. One: differentiation, you know, or maybe you don’t know, the jewelry market is super saturated. So many products may appear similar, especially at first glance, if a customer is just starting their shopping journey. So if you have a unique narrative that can help your brand stand out from competitors. Two: emotional connection, jewelry is often purchased for significant life events, or as gifts, or self gifts. So if you have a compelling story that can resonate with customers on an emotional level, and make the product feel more personalized and meaningful. Three: brand identity. So having a story can like reinforce your brand identity, it can shout your values and your ethos from the rooftops, it helps simplify it for the customer. So they immediately know what your brand stands for, and what makes it unique. Number four, customer engagement stories are more memorable than facts or features. So if you have a compelling story that can engage your customers, people will remember your brand, and it will make customers more loyal to you. And then lastly, enhanced value perception. So a story can really add value to a piece of jewelry, by providing context and meaning. And in an industry where there’s often premium pricing and things like the cost of gold and materials are always going up, meaning the cost of goods is always going up, it helps enhance the perceived value of your products.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 9:16
Sounds great, right? So what is the big problem then? The problem is that a lot of jewelry brands, they don’t have an obvious story, or the truth of the brand is not interesting or emotional. So you almost have to like tease it out, or even embellish or create a story. So if you do have a natural inclination as a brand, towards storytelling, maybe for example, you value the spiritual meanings of gemstones and their metaphysical properties. You kind of have a built-in way to make stories about your products. If you personally as the maker have a very strong connection to your designs, like let’s say, one of your designs was inspired by a significant life event or personal achievement, and you feel comfortable sharing that, then that’s also a natural narrative. And you don’t really have to work hard to pull out a story. But most brands don’t have these built in stories. So how do you extract this from your brand? First of all, you really, really, really, really, I say this all the time, but you really need to understand your customers’ values and concerns to ensure that whatever story, whatever message you’re telling, or you decide to tell, aligns with something that matters to the customer, and that will resonate with them. So for example, if your customers really love nostalgia, if they love a vintage aesthetic, then that’s a story that you can tell related to your designs. Maybe you talk about the historical inspiration behind your jewelry pieces, the historical figures, who your pieces are named after and why. It really just depends what your customers are going to connect with.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 11:30
Two: you can pay attention to the language that your customers use when they’re talking about your jewelry. And use that language in your own communication. So incorporate similar phrasing, kind of take on your customers perception of your story and adapt it as your own. Number three, think about some really compelling autobiographies. Or if you don’t read autobiographies, maybe you’ve seen like movies about interesting people. If you are the face of your brand, think about how you can create a narrative for your brand that goes beyond your standard like cover letter for a job, because that’s what I see on so many jewelry designers’ websites, it literally reads like a job application very far from the most interesting autobiography you could read or even an interesting character in a novel. So start to think outside of the box of your story beyond a job application. Nobody wants that. We’re not shopping jewelry because we want a job in HR, and we’re hiring you for all your skills and experience. No, let’s move away from that. Number four, think about maybe creating a fictional character or story that represents your brand. Similar to the example I shared earlier about the Sir Kensington mascot. This is definitely going to be challenging if you’ve already established a brand. But I think there are always ways to add depth to your brand story, even if you’re established. So this is not about deceiving your customers. I’m not suggesting you should lie. But it’s about creating a metaphor that can better communicate and embody your brand values. And then lastly, if we’re talking about figures of speech, you can embellish upon the truth or add more depth to it. Reality is usually really boring because we’re all living it.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 13:56
Think about poets, they don’t always will they rarely write the truth as it happened. No, they’re not like a court reporter or something or even a reporter for a newspaper. They’re using figures of speech to take the truth of the story. And to make it more emotionally impactful by embellishing on it or using language in an interesting way. I’m sure you’re all familiar with the Robert Frost poem, “The Road Not Taken”, where there’s two roads diverging in a wood, and he wants to take the one less traveled by. That poem would not nearly be as powerful or as famous if Frost just sat down and wrote, “I had to choose between two paths in a forest and picked the less popular one, which significantly affected my life.” He adds layers of meaning to it, so that we have time to pause and think and reflect and connect his sentiments to our own lives. So maybe think about how you can take a seemingly boring story if it’s told one way, and make it more interesting, inspiring with layers of meaning, and emotion.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 15:30
Okay, so how then do you share and amplify this story once you have nailed it down? I think this is, if not as important maybe more important than the story itself. So how can you ensure that your narrative reaches the right audience? I mean, some of the obvious things. Use social media, that’s a great way to share your brand story through visually appealing images, engaging captions, video content, all ways to kind of tackle your story from different directions, content marketing, so you can leverage content on your website or blog to share your story in more depth. Even through customer testimonials and feedback. You can also share your story from like a different direction or viewpoint, email marketing is an excellent way to share your story with your subscribers, you can personalize your emails to make them even more relatable and engaging collaborations. So partnering with brand ambassadors, influencers, other brands that also aligned with your values to help you amplify your story, share your narrative and reach a new audience. Also, your packaging and branding materials is your packaging, really doing the work of telling your story so that when someone opens a box with your jewelry, are they not only seeing your product, but also feeling absorbing, digesting your story. So that could be maybe like a small card, or a QR code that leads them to a web page with more information. This is a space where you can really get creative with your storytelling. But remember, overall consistency is gonna be key. So make sure your story is consistent across all platforms and touch points to create that cohesive brand image. I feel like I share this information a lot. But it really is the most important thing about successfully marketing, a jewelry brand. And at the same time, it’s one of the hardest aspects of building a jewelry brand, and not many are able to achieve it.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 17:58
Coming up in our chat with Hilary, we’ll talk about Hilary’s Captured Collection and the stories she tells about – as well as more stories she could be telling.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 18:17
Hey, Hilary, how you doing today?

Hilary Finck 18:19
Hi, Laryssa I’m doing great to see you.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 18:21
Good. Nice to see you all so so I want to talk about your captured collection, which I think is pretty much your most popular collection with your customers. So I want to share with our podcast audience, what do you think makes it special? And what does it mean to you?

Hilary Finck 18:40
Well, as far as I know, there’s no one that sets stones that way with just having the stones held in place with the crossbar with the little balled up ends. And so I think you know, that alone has some significance in terms of people know that when they get a piece from my captured collection, no one else is going to have a piece like that. And what it allows for is you know, people love One of a Kind people want something that’s really special and particular to them and their tastes. And then what it also does is it allows me to like really have fun with gemstones. So I love finding really unique and interesting gemstones and that setting the unique setting and then finding the unique stone like together they really complements each other and creates a piece that no one else will have.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 19:33
Yeah, and that’s so I think that’s so attractive to especially the collectors of your jewelry. I mean what a story to be able to tell people about the piece and it’s all about the gemstone and where the gemstone came from. And if there is like a unique story, you literally just shared a story with me about a jade piece that you had that I thought was really cool.

Hilary Finck 19:54
Yeah, that Jade that’s in this latest collection that I just put out today. It was offered to me by some of my gem dealers in Rhode Island. And they have a friend who’s a Russian gem dealer, and they keep a lot of his stones for him in the United States. So when he comes to do shows, he just has his gems here. And so when the piece of Cypher Siberian nephrite, in the 3d, I don’t actually know how to say that word, Jade, and it’s a gorgeous oval, it’s like a nice, big oval. And when Russia invaded Ukraine, you know, last year, two years ago, however long it’s been now my goodness, he lives in Russia with his family, and he got really upset because like, I’m gonna have to leave the country because I don’t like what’s going on. And he didn’t feel safe. But he was afraid that if he left the country, his accounts would be locked, and he wouldn’t be able to access his money. So he contacted his friends in Rhode Island people that I get my jobs from. And he said, Hey, please open up my vault and start selling my best stones so that if when I leave Russia, you guys can wire money to me, and I’ll have you know, some money to get started on again. And so I was in contact with them looking for some Jade cabbage monster studs. And they’re like, Yeah, we have those. But we also have this amazing date. And they showed it to me, and I was like, I have to have it. It’s just totally gorgeous. So yeah, and I told someone that story today. She was curious about the piece. And then I relayed that story to her. And she she loved that story. She bought the piece. So I mean, that’s the thing about jewelry, it tells a story.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 21:34
Absolutely. I think that’s so interesting. And it’s a shame. It’s sometimes hard to like, say all of that on a product page. But if you can have an actual conversation with your customers, and they are interested, there’s such an opportunity to like, tell the stories in more depth.

Hilary Finck 21:48
Yeah, I didn’t put that story on the product page. I was like, that’s just too much. I’m so glad she asked. Because I wanted to tell someone that story, you know?

Laryssa Wirstiuk 21:57
Yeah, definitely. So I also talking about stories I really liked. You had shared with me like the origin story behind captured, I would love for you to kind of tell that and how it started back in the early 2000s.

Hilary Finck 22:11
Sure, I remember exactly. So I was on your beach up in Marin County. And they have these really cool, really beautiful, like black spiral shells with a little bit of mother of pearl and then like orange at the like center of the tip of the spiral. And they’re just that to me, they’re just stunning. And I was collecting a few of them. And I was like, God, I just want to put these in some jewelry, you know, and then you find like, beach stones and just other things that washed up on the beach was just like, they’re just so pretty. But you know, they’re usually these stills, not so much, but a lot of seashells. They’re just kind of like odd shapes. Right? And they’re kind of big and bulky. You’re like, how did how would I put this in jewelry. And so I just have this idea like, well, I’ll just kind of put it in like a box this thing. And I didn’t want to do prom settings, because that just seems I don’t know. And so I was like, well, I’ll just like, put it across the front and put a crossbar across the back. And I was like, Oh, that’s pretty cool, actually. And so I made a lot of the jewelry at first was just the seashells and then some beach stones, but mostly with seashells. And every piece I made has, was sold pretty quickly. And then I lived in Connecticut for a while in the early 2000s. Also, and would find beach stones and shells on the beach was there. And then I started selling in this gallery there. And then people were like, Oh, I have this seashell. And so I was doing kind of custom work with other people’s shells. And so yeah, then when I restarted my business in 2018, I was just doing like hand hammered. And Fleek is your. And then like a year later, I was like, Oh, right. I used to do that captured seashells. And I was like, oh, I should do that again. Then I was like, Oh, I bet that will look really nice with gemstones. And so I was like, Oh yeah, let me see how it is with gemstones. And I was like, Oh, wow, gemstones are really fun. Like, so I’ve never really used gemstones before. So yeah, it took a while to get where I am. But that’s the story.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 24:24
Yeah, I think that’s very interesting. And I’d love to find other ways to kind of share that with clients too. It’s so hard to like convey all of that, you know, when they’re just looking at a picture of the piece and they don’t really understand like, where it came from and the origin and the evolution so it’d be cool to like, look for more ways to to share that. Well.

Hilary Finck 24:44
I think the blog posts that you guys were working on is a great way and I’m excited for this next newsletter to come out that’s about capture because I think people will a lot of people don’t know, you know, and I actually started sourcing some seashells again. And I plan on doing a little, maybe a little mini collection with them next year, so we’ll see.

Hilary Finck 25:09
Yeah, yeah, I don’t know, I sourced some from this place that sells a bunch of, you know, just interesting seashells. They’re overrun. Gosh, where was this place, Philippines or something like that anyway. So I got some in the mail, and they’re pretty cool. It’s hard to really understand the size and what you’re going to be getting. But there’s, there’s some good ones in there. So yeah.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 25:33
So the thing that is interesting to me about captured even just like what the name kind of represents, is this symbolism of something literally being captured or held or like captivated? I guess. And I’m wondering how much you personally, like intended to put that in there? Or if I’m just like reading into it? Or how much do your clients like connect with that?

Hilary Finck 25:59
It was never an intent at the beginning of it to, for it to be to be like something that could be a story, right? It was more like, what am I going to call this thing that I do, and it just seemed capture just seemed to work. And in a way with the stones and seashells, especially IB, I think it really evokes something, we’re like, Oh, I’ve captured the seashell like it belongs in the ocean or on the beach, and now I’ve captured in this piece, and you’re gonna wear it around your neck. I think there’s a huge opportunity there for storytelling, and storytelling is not necessarily my skill. So I, you know, I think it’s an amazing opportunity for more marketing around that. So maybe that’s something we can work on. But I do think it evokes something in my clients, I think. I know that a lot of my clients has said that they feel like the jewelry is protected. So yeah, I’m sure there’s something that that can be done there that I’m not doing.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 27:09
Yeah, there’s the idea to have like someone like capturing your heart or something like that. So there could be like the love element in like gifting it perhaps.

Hilary Finck 27:19
Definitely. Yeah. I think there’s a huge opportunity for Valentine’s Day, right? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, which I haven’t really pushed that at all. So that would be really fun.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 27:32
So do you find that this collection when you kind of started leaning into it more? Did it evolve your brand as a whole? Or did it kind of not really contribute to that at all?

Hilary Finck 27:42
It changed everything. Yeah, that is when my business really took off was when I started making these captured pieces. And I think that’s the I just feel so fortunate, because you know, everyone is always like, find your niche, find something that sets you apart. And this was just something that was kind of accidental, you know, it’s not like, I was like, Hmm, let me think of this thing to do that is no one else is doing. I mean, I think that’s what happens with artists and designers, we just want to make things and I don’t necessarily think we’re like sitting there thinking, I must do something that’s different. It just, you know, we’re artists, this is just what we do. Um, but I yeah, it’s just been really great. Ever since I started, you know, working with the gemstones, when people love color, people love gemstones. And so and people love one of a kind. So it’s been, it’s been great. Um, I couldn’t be happier about it.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 28:40
Do you have ideas for ways you want to kind of market it differently, but maybe you’re not sure how to approach it or something you’ve been wanting to do, but we don’t have time to do? What are your thoughts about that?

Hilary Finck 28:52
I mean, I think they’re, like the word play could be used a little bit more in marketing things on my website, maybe in you know, some of the banner images. You know, definitely with emails, you know, kind of using that word play a little bit more. I think I tend to get a little bit weary of things that sound a little too precious are a little too special. So I think that’s probably why I’ve shied away from it. Like it’s like being almost a little too intentional with creating that connection, but in a way, I mean, isn’t that what marketing and you know, coffee is about is creating those connections with words. So it’s just I think it’s something that you know, since I’m not a brand expert or a marketing expert, it’s, it hasn’t necessarily felt comfortable for me.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 29:42
But I can see I can see that though. I, on a personal level. I really like subtlety, too. But I think if you’re thinking about most people, they are not thinking so abstractly. They literally need you to like tell them what’s up, like what this means and what does it mean to them? And so being a little bit more obvious and over is is nice for a lot of people, I think.

Hilary Finck 30:10
Yeah, I think so too.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 30:13
So how do you see this collection evolving? Moving forward? Do you have other ideas or visions for it?

Hilary Finck 30:20
I’d like to start using some more faceted stones. Because I’ve done that with custom work when people you know, they have like a family, some family jewelry, or just some loose stones, and some of them have been faceted. And it’s like, okay, wait, how am I going to do this because you know, the back is pointy. So I’ve created a kind of adapted my captured style to fit, you know, whatever shape or size the facet stone is. And I haven’t just bought faceted stones, though. I just I love cabs and rows cuts so much. But I would like to I had planned on putting out like a really small like five piece luxury holiday collection that was just going to be faceted stones, but it just didn’t really come into fruition. So I’ll do something like that next year. So yeah, more faceted stones. And I like when I’m able to kind of put more than one stone together in a piece. So I’ve been thinking about how I can source stones differently a little bit more intentionally in terms of like, Oh, these two would look good together. Or if I can start working with some gem cutters to get stones cut a certain way for me, you know, like, oh, I want these three colors, these three stones, you know, fit this way and have some shapes and things cut like that. And then I just got to try and make multi gem.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 31:49
That’s awesome.

Hilary Finck 31:50
Yeah, people love them. And they’re really fun to make too. And then I tried to make a wooden bangle, I don’t know, I was gonna have set that beautiful Jade that I got into this, like I have this like it’s still in my head. I’m like, Oh, I just have this idea for this gorgeous wooden bangle and all set the trade in that like my captured setting. And so I I tried, I tried carving a wooden bangle out of acacia, which is really, really hard wood, and I just did not have the right tools for it. And it was it just took me it took me all day and it looks just absolutely terrible. So I was like, Okay, I’m not a woodworker. So I don’t know, I’ve been thinking like maybe that’s something that I work with someone else on is getting someone to carve shapes for me because they have the right tools and they know what they’re doing. Yeah, that’s in the back of my head.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 32:48
Yeah, yeah, for sure. I like that idea. Definitely something to look forward to.

Hilary Finck 32:52
Yeah, I have a lot of ideas. It’s just I don’t always have the time to develop them.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 32:58
Sure. I get that. Yeah. Well, it was really cool to learn more about captured and I know everyone listening and watching will be excited to see what’s to come.

Hilary Finck 33:08
Oh, yeah. Thanks. I get excited about it too, because sometimes I don’t know what’s going to.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 33:13
What did you think about the interview? Are you excited to follow Hilary on this journey? I highly encourage you to check out Hilary’s website hilaryfinck.com and follow her on Instagram @hilaryfinckjewelry. Link in the show notes as well. Let me know in a podcast review or YouTube comment what you think about this new journey. Okay, let’s get into THE GOLD MINE.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 33:41
Welcome to another edition of THE GOLD MINE – a segment where I get personal and share insights on entrepreneurship, mindset, success, growth, and all things business. THE GOLD MINE allows me to share topics and insights close to my heart. In this week’s GOLD MINE, I want to talk about a seemingly unrelated topic: dentists. Stay with me here; I promise it’s relevant! You wouldn’t attempt to manage your own dental health, performing deep cleanings or filling your cavities, right? Even dentists themselves rely on other dentists for their dental care, as they can’t effectively see inside their own mouths. In many aspects of your life, you trust professionals to help you maintain your health and keep things running smoothly. Yet, when it comes to your business, I’ve noticed that many of you think you should handle every single function on your own. Budget constraints often lead entrepreneurs to believe they can’t afford support, but in today’s world, there are countless solutions available, ranging from consultants and groups to virtual assistants and freelance experts on platforms like Upwork. It surprises me how few jewelry entrepreneurs are utilizing these valuable resources, choosing instead to tackle everything themselves. Marketing, like any other business function, is complex and ever-evolving. While I’ve been in the marketing field for nearly 15 years, I constantly have to adapt to changes in the landscape. The marketing world of 2010 is vastly different from that of 2023. Even if you understand the fundamental principles of marketing, staying up-to-date with current trends and strategies is a job in itself. And really, you shouldn’t have to divert your focus from other areas of your business where you could be making a more significant impact. Marketing might not be viewed with the same level of reverence as professions like dentistry, but that doesn’t make it any less crucial. There’s no shame in admitting that you don’t know everything there is to know about marketing. Acknowledging your blind spots and recognizing that you’re not an expert will ultimately take you further than attempting to tackle everything on your own. As we approach 2024, I encourage you to consider seeking an outside perspective. Just like with dental care, even if you’re doing everything right—flossing daily, brushing your teeth, and avoiding harmful foods and drinks—you still can’t see beneath the surface. The same applies to marketing. You don’t know what you don’t know, and sometimes you need to leave certain tasks to the experts. This way, you can focus on what you do best, while also maintaining consistency and commitment to your business. What did you think? Let me know in an Instagram DM, podcast review or YouTube comment.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 39:01
Did you have any questions about today’s episode? You can always email me Laryssa at laryssa@joyjoya.com. If you loved this podcast, please share it with a friend who’d appreciate it. And don’t forget to subscribe as well as leave a review on Apple Podcasts. If you’re completely new to digital marketing, then you’ll want to purchase and read a copy of my book JEWELRY MARKETING JOY. Visit joyjoya.com/book for more information.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai