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.

Welcome to Episode #269. Today, I want to talk about the power of events for jewelry marketing, and how figuring out your event strategy should be a major priority in 2024, if it’s not already on your radar. But before I talk about events, I also want to stress my special passion for email marketing and how it ties into this discussion. The latest data reveals that email marketing delivers impressive results, boasting an average ROI of $45 for every dollar invested in Retail, Ecommerce, and Consumer Goods/Services. This holiday season, I’ve witnessed firsthand with my clients who have robust email lists just how dominant email can be in converting sales. But how does this connect back to events, you might wonder? Well, to maximize the effectiveness of your email marketing endeavors, you need a robust subscriber list. Acquiring and nurturing this list isn’t a simple task. One effective approach is to venture out into the real world and participate in events. This way, your future fans can meet you in person, providing an opportunity to share their contact information with you. Whether or not they make a purchase at the event, they become valuable additions to your email list, enabling you to cultivate a lasting relationship with them over time. 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 our conversation with Hilary, I want to talk about the types of events you should be trying in 2024, how to collect email subscribers, and then what to do with those email subscribers once you’ve added them to your list.

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. I want to read a recent review from “three sisters design”. Thanks for listening, by the way! “Really a great show. Stumbled across it and now I’m hooked. Have learned so many items from the show and so appreciative for this podcast.” Thank you, the feedback really means a lot. So if you’re feeling generous this holiday season, I’d really encourage you out there to please write a review, or leave a comment on YouTube whatever you feel comfortable with.

Okay, let’s get into today’s episode, my Sparklers! This one’s all about events and how to make events work for your brand in 2024. So what are the types of events you should be trying in the new year? Let’s skip the usual talk about the typical jewelry industry events like trade shows, trunk shows, and pop-ups. If these events have been successful for your brand, by all means, continue with them in 2024. However, if you’re open to trying something different or new to events, here are some fresh ideas to consider for your 2024 marketing plan!

So number one, and I think this is probably my biggest tip for today. Consider taking advantage of live video on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok. In 2023, clients who consistently used live video reported impressive results. It can elevate your other social media content by boosting engagement and sustaining it for some time. Live videos offer a refreshing break from the typical scrolling experience for your followers and provide them with direct interaction with your brand. Even if they aren’t making immediate purchases, you’re building strong relationships and goodwill that will pay off in the long run.

Number two, consider revamping your approach to more conventional events like trunk shows and pop-ups. The usual routine can start feeling stale over time. How about injecting some novelty into these events? Consider choosing fun or intriguing themes for your pop-ups or setting up stations where customers can add personal touches to their jewelry pieces with engravings, birthstones, or custom elements. This personalization adds a unique touch to their purchases. Whatever makes sense for your business. This is obviously going to be different from one business to another. But what can you do to bring something a little bit unexpected and fun, so that we’re not falling asleep and snoozing because it’s the boring, sensational thing that everyone else is doing.

Number three, combine two event formats, potentially. So if you’re hosting an in person event, think about including a virtual component also, so that people who aren’t local to that event can also participate. I think it’s really frustrating. As a small business especially, you’re going to invest all this time and you’re promoting an event to the people that are local to where the event is taking place. But then you’re missing out on the whole rest of your audience who can’t attend, of course, it’s going to be a little bit more work to have like to format simultaneously or maybe close to each other. But I think again, it brings more people in and you will get more bang for your buck out of the promotions that you’re already going to be doing.

Number four, establish a consistent event schedule that has momentum throughout the year. I noticed that most brands I’m seeing it, they focus their events around the holiday season. It makes sense. More people are shopping for gifts more people are out buying things they save up their money for this time of year. But if you can think of events that maybe aren’t always sales focused but are just more focused on engaging the customer and you keep them more consistent throughout the year, think about what’s going to happen during that holiday season. When you have the event people will be more primed to purchase they will be familiar with what you’re doing and just more open to buying at your like big holiday event or whatever your big event is of the year.

Number five, please don’t assume that everyone is knowledgeable about jewelry or feels comfortable shopping for it. Many people find the process intimidating, especially if you sell at higher price points. So really be ready to engage. Put those attendees at ease even in a virtual setting. I have to say I’m in the jewelry industry. I feel very comfortable about jewelry and I did recently attend a pop up where I felt awkward because the people hosting it they kind of just like didn’t engage with me at all. It was very awkward. I mean some people might appreciate the opportunity to browse quietly but all the jewelry was behind glass. I did want to try things on see what the prices were like kind of maybe Consider purchasing something. But the environment wasn’t engaging or welcoming. I think they just assumed what I would have wanted from the experience. And they did not know I was in jewelry also. So I could have been any customer walking in from the street. So when you’re interacting with your customers with the people who attend the event, please do not assume anything about them. Make an effort to connect with them, get their vibe, try to see like, what are they looking for, it’s not the easiest thing, but invite them into your world.

Number six, consider collaborative events. So partner with other business owners who cater to a similar clientele, they don’t necessarily have to sell jewelry, doing a collaborative event can really help you gain exposure to engage audiences from different niches.

Number seven, close the sale at events with special incentives. So if you’re going to do an event, think of a way to make that particular shopping experience special, more VIP, maybe there’s some sort of special promotion, discount offer incentive, they are there, those attendees are there in the moment. Sometimes they have their the jewelry they’re trying it on, it’s in their hands, they’re contemplating the decision, he pretty much have them there. Make it as compelling as possible. Of course, not everyone’s going to buy, but sweeten the deal, give them a reward for showing up, because that is no small thing that they’ve done for you.

And then number eight, leverage the 2020 for retail trend of reuse and remake. So there’s definitely a trend happening now it’s going to be more anticipated into 2024. Where, because people are trying to kind of curb consumption, maybe cut back on buying new things. They’re inclined to reuse and remake their possessions. So if your jewelry business offers custom pieces, or new can rework existing jewelry, then maybe have an event to align with this trend and cater to those preferences. So you can also potentially even organize events showing how people can take their existing clothes, accessories, jewelry, and take your jewelry and work it into their wardrobe. I think sometimes people need help and guidance with that. And that is just fun. And when you really can show someone how a piece of jewelry can fit into their life, it is so much harder for them to say no.

And then number nine, another event idea hosted demonstration or a master class. So again, instead of focusing solely on selling, consider conducting a demonstration or master class. These events don’t necessarily need to teach the attendees how to create your jewelry, but it can involve showcasing your craft in action. Things like sketching the designs, selecting gemstones, demonstrating metal smithing techniques, whatever best represents your brand.

Okay, so circling back to the email marketing piece of the puzzle, how do you collect email subscribers? So of course, this is going to be a top priority. It’s often easier to get someone’s email address than to make a sale. As you can imagine, that’s a lower barrier to entry. Especially if someone is just learning about your brand for the first time, they might be hesitant about making like an impulse buy. So make sure you have a straightforward way for people to sign up. Whether it’s through a simple like paper form an iPad, a QR code that people can scan with their phones so that they can get your email signup form directly. I think sometimes people prefer that convenience of using their own devices but regardless, the fewer steps required the better. Also, practice your approach when asking for email addresses. So if you have staff working with you then train those people to actively encourage email signups. They should be knowledgeable about the signup process, knowledgeable in sharing the benefits of joining the email list and how to handle any technical issues or possible questions that would come up. It’s of course helpful to offer a small incentive. Maybe you have a cute sticker or jewelry pouch or a ring sizer that they get right away if they sign up for or it’s a discount, or a contest or giveaway where people who add their email addresses that day will enter and get notified. So really highlight the prizes, the experiences create a sense of excitement and urgency. Also, let them know especially if you’re like engaging with them in this process, let them know what they can expect when they become a member of your email list. So what’s the value of that? Do they get first access to new products, exclusive access to sales? Do they get other types of like fun and interesting content? And if you’re doing email marketing, effectively, I would share hope that you have a lot to offer and that you’re delivering a ton of value to your subscribers.

Also very, very important. What do you do with those email subscribers? Once you’ve added them to your list, immediately acknowledge new subscribers with a welcome message, welcome flow, confirming their signup, these can definitely be automated, they should be automated. So this not only confirms their subscription, making it feel like more legitimate immediately building trust. But it reinforces that value of why they sign up for the first place and tells them a little bit more about your brand. Make sure that you have some kind of notice whether it’s in the welcome email or in the signup form that that email addresses are private, they won’t be shared with third parties highlight your commitment to data security. If it’s possible, though, don’t do this if it kind of creates additional steps or a barrier to entry. But if you can collect additional information, such as like their first name, or their birthday, or even in your own notes, like noting products that that person was interested in, then this data can help you later segment your email list for more targeted marketing.

In our upcoming conversation with Hilary, we will discuss her recent open studio event. We’ll delve into her strategies for engaging with visitors, explore how the collaborative aspect of the event impacted her outcomes positively, and gather valuable advice that she can offer to other jewelry brands looking to host similar events.

Hey, Hilary, nice to see you today. I’m really excited to talk about your recent event.

Hilary Finck 17:45
Great to see you too.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 17:47
So you recently had an open studio. And I’ll let you kind of tell a little bit more about that. But I think I really am excited to talk about this because I think there are jewelry designers out there who are like struggling to get over the hump of like doing their first event or maybe they’re not really sure what would work best for them in terms of an event. So I guess first give some background information like what is this open studios that you did.

Hilary Finck 18:15
There’s an organization in San Francisco called Art Span. And they put on fall open studios, where they help artists put on their open studios in the fall every year, they break up the city into different sections and so that each weekend, in like October, November, they feature different parts of the city. And if you want to be involved, you just have to become a member of art span. And then they’ll do a lot of promotions for you and then obviously have to do your own promotions. And with a building like the one I’m in it’s a huge old mattress factory that’s been converted to artists, studios and small businesses and things like that. So it’s kind of nice to have like that bigger building where we can all kind of play off of each other and help promote each other. But it’s, it’s great. It’s, you know, it’s city wide. There’s a lot of people that come through that just like get the brochure from Art Span. And they know about it every year. So it’s a well publicized event.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 19:15
So to prepare for this, I’m sure it’s not the easiest thing to kind of like get your studio ready and make it inviting, what were some of the things you do to get ready for the event?

Hilary Finck 19:25
Well, I clean it, I clean it really really well which is you know, not something I do every week. I like put a little story on Instagram making a little joke that I was actually doing my like my annual mopping. And then it’s funny, I got some comments back from other jewelers that are like I’ve never walked by Studio, you know? So I mean, I probably wouldn’t if it wasn’t broken studios, but you know, there’s just so much dust that’s generated from making jewelry that you know every surface no matter how often you might wipe things down, every surface just gets so dirty. So I like give my studio a deep clean. And that takes me like, all day. And then, you know, I get like nice food and snacks and drinks and flowers and things like that. So, you know, because I want the space to look nice besides just having my jewelry, you know, I want it to be clean, I want it to be inviting. And then I have all the little, you know, display things ready, I use these pretty little glass and brass boxes that I get from West Elm. They have all different sizes. They’re really nice and small that’s already there. But it’s just kind of, you know, how do I want to arrange the studio, what tables do I want to put it on? And it’s just it’s I actually really enjoy Open Studios because it gives me a little bit of a break from my bench this time of year, which is so intense otherwise. So I don’t mind having an excuse to like clean my studio and do other things.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 20:54
Are there any challenges with getting ready for the event? Are you pretty like used to it have a routine down pat, by now.

Hilary Finck 21:01
I’m pretty used to it. I mean, I would say the challenge is that it does take away from bench time at a time of year where you do need to be at the bench. So it’s kind of this like catch 22 where it’s really nice to have the break. But it’s also a little nerve racking. And now then, you know this coming week is or this week is Thanksgiving week, which I’m also not working a lot, just because of you know, my son’s on break from school and all that. So it’s almost going to be like a full week or almost two week break from my studio. And so getting back in is gonna be a little like, Okay, where was I? Like, what do I need to do? Like, you know, it’s kind of a rush to just get everything done again?

Laryssa Wirstiuk 21:44
Yeah, definitely. So most important thing during the event, you want to actually like engage with the people who come. So what do you do to kind of ensure that you’re chatting with everyone making sure they feel comfortable sharing things about your jewelry? What’s your like, strategy behind that?

Hilary Finck 22:01
Well, it’s funny, because it’s like one of these things where either there’s one person in your studio or all of a sudden there’s 15. And so like, that’s how it was the whole time it was it was fairly steady both days, because it’s a Saturday and Sunday event. Sunday’s are always a little bit slower. But you know, it really depends. I always, you know, welcome people in, I let them know that, you know, they’re more than welcome to try things on if they’d like, let me know if they have any questions. And I really just kind of let people take it in. And some people just come in and circle and they leave right away. And then some people really stay and then you know, I’ll notice that maybe they’re looking at a particular thing more closely. And I’ll say, Oh, do you know what that stone is? Or can I talk to you about the stone and like, once I get talking about stones, people just they love it, right? Because a lot of my jewelry has unique stones in it. And people love learning about stones and what they’re called. And you know, I mean, people are like blown away, blown away by like, Rutilated quartz and, you know, dendritic quartz, anything like that, that looks like there’s like a plant inside, you know, they’re blown away by opals. And really, they just love kind of being educated on what stones are. So it’s it’s a pretty easy conversation to have.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 23:23
Definitely, did you get any, like surprising or unexpected questions or like people that make you think about your jewelry, like in a different way that maybe you didn’t think about before?

Hilary Finck 23:32
I mean, not so much. There’s always interesting characters that come in to Open Studios just because it is like a city wide kind of publicized event. And so you know, you do get just, you get some weirdos in there that are just gonna say, all sorts of things. And, you know, I just let it go, you know, and just blow it off. But I’m mean, in terms of something memorable. I mean, I had, I met so many people this year that came to my open studios that I only know through Instagram. So it was, it was so great. You know, people that I’ve been chatting with for a couple years from collectors that I had never met before that just hadn’t been able to make it open studios before. And this is like the only in person event I’ll do locally, this fall. And usually this year, um, so I don’t know, it was it was pretty awesome in that respect. It just kind of like nothing bad. You know, it’s it’s like things are always usually really good at Open Studios. And that was like the extra little icing on the cake was meeting all these people this year.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 24:41
So one thing you mentioned was you share the building with other makers and creators, would you say or I guess speak to that collaborative environment and how it kind of helps with the success of the event?

Hilary Finck 24:54
Yeah, it’s great. There’s a lot of this year there was about 18 other artists in our building that were participating, which is the most we’ve had in a long time. And we have a few new artists this year that have like really good followings on Instagram and good clientele. And so we all do a lot of cross promotion, through Instagram through our newsletters highlighting other artists. And so and you know, like, whenever people are asking me like, oh, who else do you like in the building? Like always, like, Oh, I love you know, the ceramics ladies down the hall and the painter down in the basement. And, you know, I mean, it’s, there’s, there’s such incredible artists in the building. So it’s, it’s not, it’s not difficult to refer and recommend and share. And then it’s also just nice, because it’s like, the one time of year that we are all all of us artists are actually like, out and about, and like in each other studios and being like, Oh, I’ve never met you before. But we’ve both been here for five years, you know, because a lot of us just like walk in our studios and close our doors and start working. So it’s just always a really nice thing in that way to meet the other artists in the building.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 26:03
That does sound really nice. I like that.

Hilary Finck 26:06
Yeah. A lot of fun. And then I always buy little gifts too. Oh, yeah.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 26:13
Yeah, I feel like it would be hard not want to buy stuff.

Hilary Finck 26:18
Yeah, yeah, there’s some great artists in the building.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 26:21
So you had mentioned that one really rewarding thing was like meeting those people you knew from Instagram, which I think is really cool. Was there anything else that you came out of this year that you felt was really rewarding for you?

Hilary Finck 26:33
You know, I just think it was the general feedback. People were excited to see my jewelry, which always feels really nice, and just very complimentary, and very, you know, just very kind. And it’s just, that’s what I love about Open Studios is just like the openness, friendliness, just like the sharing the community. I don’t know I love it. Some artists don’t love it as much they you know, it’s a lot of work. But I, I always come out of it just feeling great. And it just feels very rewarding. And it’s comfortable. Because it’s my own studio. It’s not like I’m flipping all this stuff to some, you know, conference center or whatever. It’s just, it’s cozy, and it’s nice. And my studio is really bright and sunny with like two walls of windows. So people always come in and they’re like, oh, my gosh, look at your studio. And I don’t know, it just, it just feels great.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 27:36
So for those listening, who are their jewelry designers who may want to do this type of event, even if they don’t have like the back the city backing to kind of get this organized. Do you have any advice to them?

Hilary Finck 27:49
I mean, yeah, I would assume it would be hard to do. If you don’t have some, like collaboration you can do with other artists. You know, I would say if you’re able to, to, to like maybe you know, if it’s not like a city wide thing that’s not sponsored by an organization and you’re you’re sitting. Yeah, definitely collaborate with some other artists. And it doesn’t have to necessarily be other jewelry artists, probably you probably don’t want it to be other jewelry artists, you know, you could do like a little holiday fare or holiday czar in your studio or in someone else’s studio. I mean, use your mailing list like crazy use Instagram like crazy. It’s also hard just because on Instagram, you know, your followers can be all over the world. They’re not necessarily local. So Oh, and then one thing that I did this year, which was different is I didn’t I didn’t put my address of my studio on Instagram. I felt a little weird about it this year. So I made it seem maybe a little more exclusive by saying, RSVP, and I’ll send you the address. But I don’t think it’s necessarily something you can do on your own unless you know you have a really good local following. And that they’ll come. Yeah, yeah, that’s why I think the collaboration with other artists is really important.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 29:14
Now that you’ve gone through this a few times, you’re an expert, is there anything you would change in the future? Or you would still want to try or do you feel like pretty comfortable with with the setup as you have it?

Hilary Finck 29:26
I’m pretty comfortable with the setup. I’ve got the you know, I’ve got the setup and the, you know, the jewelry armature and all of that all nailed down. And, you know, I know what to do with cleaning my studio and I mean, it’s a lot of work. Yeah, I guess I wish we had more control over what weekend was our neighborhood. That would be nice, because I don’t know if I would have chose last week Last weekend for it, because that’s actually when I would have rather had a sale. I don’t know it kind of that part. I don’t love that I don’t get to choose the date. But that’s out of my control

Laryssa Wirstiuk 30:13
Year round, like any time of year, or are they like just in the fall?

Hilary Finck 30:19
Yeah, just in the fall. And sometimes our building will put on a spring open studios where it’s just us trying to promote it, and we don’t get as much foot traffic at all. So it makes and I probably won’t do that again, because it’s just too much work for not a lot of foot traffic. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It’s, it’s, um, it really does take a big, collaborative effort. But it’s also a big city. So I don’t know, maybe smaller towns that are just more tight knit and have more community. Maybe it would be easier.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 30:50
Yeah, that’s a good point. Something to consider for, for everyone out there. Like find a way to make it work for you.

Hilary Finck 30:56
Yeah, people love being in your studio. You know, they love seeing where it’s made. You know, I usually like lay out some tools. People are always asking me questions about like, my soldering station, or like, what is that thing? You know? People love the rolling mill. keep kids away from the rolling mill. You know, goodness, if one of them stuck your finger in there. Oh, my gosh. I know. But yeah, I just I just think it’s a lot of fun. Cool.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 31:25
Well, thanks. Hilary was great to hear more about the open studio and I hope more people out there try some events in 2024.

Hilary Finck 31:33
Yeah, me too. Yeah. Thanks a lot. Laryssa This was fun.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 31:36
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.

So if you’re new around here, THE GOLD MINE is a segment where I get personal and share insights on entrepreneurship, mindset, success, growth in all things business. On this week’s GOLD MINE podcast, I’m going to be delving into the thought-provoking idea that “The storyteller is more important than the story.” I recently came across this concept while listening to one of my favorite podcasts, “This Old Marketing” (I’ll provide a link in the show notes). During their discussion about the impact of AI on brand storytelling and marketing, they highlighted the notion that “The storyteller becomes more important than the story.” While I can’t take credit for this phrase, it truly resonated with me, prompting me to jot it down in my phone’s Notes app. So, what does this idea mean? The context they explored was related to the rise of AI, which tends to standardize content and information. As AI becomes more prevalent, everything can start to feel the same. Consumers may trust content less because they often assume it originates from AI. However, when there’s a person they admire, like, and trust associated with the content, and the material is conveyed in that person’s authentic voice, the personality becomes even more significant than the story or content itself. Consider this concept in the context of a jewelry brand. Here’s an example. While it’s essential for a sustainable jewelry brand to share its sustainability efforts, transparent supply chain, and ethical practices, these messages have become quite common nowadays. What can truly set this type of brand apart is if its founder possesses a captivating personality that embodies the principles of sustainability in jewelry. When they share the brand’s story through their unique perspective and narrative style, it transforms the messaging from something ordinary into something distinctive and authentic. Now, I don’t necessarily have any grievances against AI, at least not in this podcast episode. However, I’ve noticed that many jewelry brands use AI as a shortcut to meet a marketing requirement, believing it’s a quick path to success. As we’ve discussed on this podcast before, merely ticking a marketing box, whether done through AI or another method, is never the ultimate solution. While AI can serve as a tool, it should never be the final answer. In essence, I encourage you to reflect on the quote, “The storyteller is more important than the story.” Consider how your brand can establish itself as a compelling storyteller that people truly know, like, and trust. In today’s landscape, the story alone may not be enough anymore. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this concept. Feel free to drop me a message via Instagram DM, leave a review on the podcast, or comment on our YouTube channel. Let’s engage in a discussion about it!

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