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 0:32
In Episode #261, our discussion will focus on the art of serving your customers – and how that can be done through effective marketing. Often, jewelry business owners assume their customers already know their preferences and shopping techniques. However, it’s your role to act as knowledgeable guides. By leveraging innovative marketing strategies, you can assist your customers more effectively, not only meeting their needs but also advancing your own business objectives. 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 delve into our chat with Hilary, I’ll highlight the importance of service as a competitive edge. We’ll explore strategies for serving your customers that also align with your business objectives, and discuss ways to showcase your dedication to service as a unique strength.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 1:51
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 2:18
Okay, let’s get into today’s episode, my Sparklers! This one’s all being of service to your customers and how to do that through your marketing. So first, let’s talk about the importance of service as a competitive edge. So, for a jewelry brand, service should not just be a courtesy that you provide to your customers. Instead, I really really want you to see the service you provide as a competitive edge. You already know the jewelry industry is saturated with a ton of choices from the super established brands, to emerging designers and everything in between. And in this vast sea of options, when you are an independent brand, and you are looking for ways to stand out and get like a leg up on the competition, your commitment to exceptional service is one thing that can really make you stand out. So that means personalized consults, attention to individual tastes, prompt responses to inquiries, post purchase support, all of these things can transform a one-time customer into that loyal advocate. Furthermore, when you’re in an industry where purchases are so often driven by emotion, meaning, and significance, when you create memorable service experiences that resonate deeply with your customers, then your brand becomes a trusted confidant for basically life’s most precious moments. So while the sparkle of the gem might catch someone’s eye initially, that ongoing shine of unparalleled service is what is going to keep them coming back for more.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 4:11
So what does service even mean? I think that we all have our own preconceived notions of customer service. And the way I’m going to talk about it today, maybe some of it matches your thoughts, and some of it is just not what you think. For many people I think customer service means like calling a one 800 number or doing a live chat or even nowadays chatting with like an automated bot. This is not totally what I’m talking about, especially if you’re a smaller brand and you can be more nimble and creative. I think there are more opportunities beyond that than just having like the customer service hotline. So let me share some ways that you can be of service through your marketing. The first thing I want to say, if you do offer promotions, they don’t have to be discounts. We’ve talked about this in past episodes, any sort of like promotion or incentive. If you’re going to do those for your brand, I want you to prioritize the ones that enhance the shopping experience for your customer. And in that way, you don’t have to appear overly salesy or commercial. So, recently with Hilary, we did an ear party concept. So Hilary sells a lot of studs, we wanted to offer a promotion that, of course, the goal was to increase the average order value and to sell more products. But we were also really interested in providing the service to customers, especially those who have multiple piercings or want a more versatile looks in their jewelry wardrobe. That for this promotion, if you purchased a stud from one of her collections, then you could get 15% off another earring from a different collection. So the goal was to make it fun for the customer. Again, help them build their wardrobe. And just give them an enjoyable and rewarding shopping experience overall. So that’s kind of what I mean by using marketing as a tool for service.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 6:38
Some other ways you can do this, please, please please go back to the episode about merchandising in 257. And I think merchandising very much goes hand in hand with service. Because merchandising can be a tool to help your customers easily find and easily purchase the things that they want. If the shopping experience is challenging, frustrating, difficult, like looking for a needle in a haystack, that is really poor service. So you really want to think about the merchandising-marketing connection. And to that end, especially if you have a Shopify store, this might not be as much of a concern, because most Shopify themes are well optimized for mobile. But so many people shop on mobile now. So make sure that you are thinking about service in the lens of I want the shopping experience to be easy and fun, even on a small screen. Some other ideas would be to develop interactive tools, so like style quizzes, or product configurators. And this goes back to the episode about custom to help your customers to service them in choosing the product that is the right most right for them. So like if you were a skincare brand for example, this would look like a skin type quiz to help shoppers find the right products for their needs. So as a jewelry brand, maybe this is like a color personality thing or like a metal type or this could very much apply to like engagement ring shoppers. Again, make it fun and easy for people to shop. Another way you can be of service in your marketing is to respond to all comments on your Instagram, Facebook, wherever you’re posting, and closely monitor your DMs so that people do reach out to you, they’re not waiting days for an answer from you, because they may get lost in like message requests. And how frustrating is it as a customer to feel like you cannot contact the business if you have a question?

Laryssa Wirstiuk 8:58
Also, content can promote service so create blog posts videos, ebooks, explaining your jewelry, the behind the scenes, how it’s made, how to style. This is a way to provide value and service to your customers. And it helps your customers make informed and confident purchase decisions. You can consider implementing a loyalty program. So this is an awesome way to provide service, reward your loyal customers with exclusive deals, early access, special content. This makes people feel taken care of and paid attention to. I would say also regardless of the size of your business, it’s essential to designate a section on your website or online shop for your customer service policies and then put those policies into practice. I think many small businesses neglect this they think it’s sent. They don’t have like a dedicated customer service team, they don’t think to like, write out their policies and make them super clear. But on the flip side, your customer doesn’t necessarily know how big or small you are. And the policies related to shipping returns, sizing repairs, whatever, whatever. That can help foster trust and make you seem more legitimate as a business. And also, beyond the purchase, service means engaging with your customers. So celebrating their special occasions like their birthdays, their anniversaries, celebrating them for their purchase, as again, I talked about in previous episodes, this not only delights your customers, but will also strengthen brand loyalty.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 10:52
So if you’re a brand that’s committed to service, how do you let your customers know that this is important to you? I have two ideas. First of all, share behind the scenes content on your website or social media platforms that spotlight your dedication to service. So this could include short video testimonials from your satisfied customers of photos theory showcasing the process of accommodating a special request or like a custom project, stories about how your team or other people you work with suppliers, how you all go the extra mile for your customers, you can pair these stories with captions, or narratives that underline your brand values centered on exceptional service. Second, you can introduce a clear and prominently displayed service guarantee on your website or in your store. So if you have a promise that you’ll respond in a certain amount of time, that can be like a badge or if you have a lifetime repair guarantee that could be like a badge. If you offer custom design consultation, put that front and center. I think that these like call out trust factors can really make a difference in that service aspect in your business. And it it all connects to marketing and storytelling as well. So coming up in this chat with Hilary, we’re going to explore how me and my team are assisting her in her being able to better serve her customers with distinctive promotions, and more regular marketing efforts focused on being of service to these people who truly collect her products.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 12:39
Hi, Hilary. Thanks for joining me today.

Hilary Finck 12:42
Hi Laryssa Thank you. Good to see you.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 12:44
Yeah, good to see you too. So when we’re recording this we are teasing to your email subscribers a new drop of stud earrings. And I would love to hear from you what is special about this drop and why do you think your collectors will be excited about seeing it?

Hilary Finck 13:03
Well, at least once a year I put out a studs collection. I just think it’s fun to have like this be a group of pieces together as one type of collection. I like it as a category in itself just because even if people were more statement type earrings, I think everyone loves studs. You know you don’t I think it’s just some days you want to leave the house to something simple on so I think it’s just a nice jewelry category to have. And then I have a couple of new pieces. I’m excited about the the turquoise bead earrings are made with a string of vintage Persian turquoise beads that I got in Tucson. So I have a limited supply of those. And then the square coin Pearl studs. I’m excited about those just because they’re pretty big. They’re kind of like having like a button on your earring. I think you had said that’s kind of what it reminded you flourish. That’s a great description. So they’re like if there ever was like a statement stud, I think that the pearls are kind of in that category.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 14:10
Yeah, those pearls were nice. They kind of seem vintage inspired like more like 50s like clip on earrings or something. So yeah, I hope I hope they sell for sure. Yeah, me too. So during one of the meetings we had when we were talking about this, we I brainstormed a promo to try because I’m like Hillary needs to sell more. She needs to boost her average order value. So but we also don’t want to do promos that like quote unquote cheapen your brand or your product. So instead, let’s encourage people to order more to build out their jewelry wardrobe. So this particular promo is going to be if someone buys one of these new studs, then they can add on a stud from your hand here. hammered more like essential metal collection for 15% off. So an incentive to get people to order more? What was your initial reaction to trying something new like this?

Hilary Finck 15:12
Well, it is what I was like, Oh, I don’t know, because we just had a I just had a sale for my, you know, business anniversary and my personal birthday. And so I thought, I don’t know if we should do another sale, but then it kind of grew on me, the more that we talked about it, how, you know, the whole purpose is to like, kind of celebrate studs, and celebrate being able to like build your quote, unquote, Year party or set party if you have multiple piercings. So it really grew on me. And I think it is a nice way for people to that may not, you know, explore through my website much, I think it’s a great way for people to see that there are these smaller options and just kind of these more everyday options that they could they could have.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 15:53
Yeah, and it makes it feel like sales is more of a service, that you’re kind of like what you’re saying helping people build out their wardrobe, especially if you have multiple piercings, like, it’s nice to have different options to mix things up. So we’re helping the customer.

Hilary Finck 16:11
Exactly. I mean, that’s the way things need to be framed for me, because I, you know, I’m always gonna be toward the, you know, me, I’m just like, oh, I don’t want to bother anyone. You know, I’m not very good salesperson necessarily. So I thought it was a great idea. I’m happy to try it.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 16:28
Yeah. Do you? How do you think that your customers will respond? Are you not really sure at this point?

Hilary Finck 16:35
Yeah, I’m not really sure. I know that there’s people that are excited about some of the sets that are dropping, but I know that they’re definitely not expecting what we’re about to do. So I I’m just really curious to see how people respond to it.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 16:51
Definitely. And also, we started talking through ways of presenting that. So like, another thing we’re going to try with Hillary is using a Shopify app, I think it’s called Sella or something that makes it super easy for someone to add that additional product to cart without having to like dig too much in the website to figure out well, what exactly can I buy?

Hilary Finck 17:15
Mm hmm. That’s a great app. It’s a really, really good idea. So again, yeah, it’s just kind of a nice way, like you were just saying, to just show what else might be available in show that there’s little discount going on. And it’s not a very, like, obtrusive looking display or anything. It’s it’s very nice looking, too. So yeah, that’s a great idea.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 17:37
Yeah. Excited to see what happens with that. Yeah, me too.

Hilary Finck 17:41
Experimentation is good.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 17:43
Yeah, absolutely. So we’ve also been talking about the holidays, a lot. It’s like, mid September when we’re recording this, but we’re already talking through like Black Friday, and promotions leading up to Black Friday. And you also have your only in person event that you’re going to be doing before the holidays, too. So knowing from your past experience that you’re very busy for this event, we kind of started to brainstorm ways to position that in addition to the launch of your holiday pieces. So how are you kind of feeling about how it’s all rolling out?

Hilary Finck 18:21
Um, well, there’s a lot that’s going to be happening for the rest of the year. And so thank goodness for the content calendar. And thank goodness for your team, because it just helps keep it all straight. That’s for sure. I’m just going to be really busy. And I think that’s just generally how it goes this time of year I have. Let’s see another collection dropped in Tober, November and December, which might sound crazy, but I love making jewelry and I love having new pieces for people to look at. And then I have you know, my stores that are asking for holiday orders. So I think I figured out that I have about 60 new pieces to make in about 60 days. You know, well, no problem. No problem at all. Let’s see. We do a yoga, which is really going to help a lot. It’ll be fine. It’s it’s just it’s gonna be a lot of fun.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 19:20
Yeah, you got this.

Hilary Finck 19:24
For the content calendar, though, because it really helps you see just you know, where things are in terms of spacing between the drops and where to put the sails. I don’t know, I never know where to sail.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 19:36
So, yeah, and not to your point not only see internally, but like, what are the dates that are just happening in the world like, you know, Veterans Day in November, when is Black Friday, like, when is all this stuff happening? And so it’s good, though, look at that in the context of everything else. Definitely. We did run by I like the idea of doing a virtual event to correspond with your open studio. But I know it’s just a lot given that you have to make the 60 products and be at the actual event. But I think we came up with some alternative ideas just in terms of timing and making sure that people who can’t come still feel like they are taking care of and they are still getting, you know, communications and product updates from you.

Hilary Finck 20:26
I would love to a live event. Sometime I wish I was more. I wish I felt more natural, like for a live Instagram type of a sale. There are I feel like there are a lot to organize and put on in especially at a time like this when it’s so busy. So I’m not sure if I’ll do it, I most likely won’t do it. But I think it would be nice to have some I know in the past, when I’ve promoted my Open Studios, people that don’t live in the Bay Area, have they have gotten in touch with me and said, Hey, I’d love to see what you what kind of samples you have. And so it is a really good idea. We’ll just see what happens, there’s a certain amount of like marketing, then, you know, sales that I just do on the fly, unfortunately. So we’ll see how it goes.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 21:21
Also just thinking on the fly, maybe after the studio event, you can open up to like appointments or something with things that are leftover just to give those people like that one on one time with you. But we can talk about that more too. Because again, I know it’s a lot.

Hilary Finck 21:39
Yeah, I also think that’s a great idea. I do a lot of emailing and a lot of DMing and even texting with some of my clients. What I generally don’t do a lot of this is phone calls or video chats. And I know especially with jewelry, it’s really important to see it on. And it’s not always possible for me to get model shots with my jewelry, since I tend to put out collections so frequently. So I think my clients would really love that. And I think it would be it’s a great way to get to know my clients will look better to be fun.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 22:13
Yeah. And their relationship is so key. Yeah. So now that we’re talking about holiday, what are you most excited about? And what are some goals that you have?

Hilary Finck 22:25
I’m super excited about stones I’ve chosen for the rest of the year. It’ll be, you know, kind of similar color scheme for October and other different color scheme for November and then a special pop of stones for December that I’m really excited about. I mean, that’s just kind of the fun of having gemstones in your collection is just being able to lay them all out and go through them and, you know, put them together, see what it’ll look nice together. So I’m really excited about that. And I just, I just like to see what people gravitate to, you know, I let I like this time of year where people are excited to shop, they’re excited to buy special pieces for their friends, for their family for their loved ones. So and it’s just and then once it’s all over, it’s like, Ah, okay, you know, we get like two weeks to take off and regroup. And it’s like this time of year just goes by so fast. It’s so true.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 23:20
And that just made me remember to you’re talking about being excited about seeing what people buy we had just talked about earlier today, with the studs. One of your customers noticed in your preview that you had sold silver, and she was really excited about that. So it’s good for us to like hear that feedback from people.

Hilary Finck 23:42
Yes, and that’s why I continue to have more affordable pieces in my collections just because I don’t want to ever, I don’t want to leave people out. And I love working in silver. I wear I wear a lot of silver myself. So it’s not like I have a thing against silver. It’s just like once you start working in gold, it’s really hard to kind of not just because it is just such a lovely and beautiful material to work with. And it looks so gorgeous with gemstones. But yeah, I love getting feedback like that for my clients. It’s really important that I try to not make everyone happy because you can’t write but just keep those really important. Long term clients happy.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 24:21
Well, thanks, Hillary. It was great chatting today. You too. Thanks, Laryssa.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 24:25
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 24:48
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. Let’s get into this week’s GOLD MINE! Today I’m unpacking the topic of “change for the sake of change”. While I’d love to claim I had this idea myself, it was sparked by a captivating piece on the Marketoonist marketing blog (you can find the link to the post in the show notes). A particular line from it jumped out at me: “Marketers are the first to get bored by their own marketing.” This insight struck a chord, especially when considering solopreneur jewelry business owners, like many of you listening or watching right now. After all, you’re not just crafting jewelry; you’re also crafting their brand’s message. Even small-to-medium jewelry businesses with a marketing employee or small marketing team may be able to relate. It’s a common pitfall: when you’re feeling restless or unsatisfied with your business’s progress, the first instinct is often to overhaul the marketing. Suddenly, there’s a desire to reinvent the wheel—adopt a new brand voice, shift the visual themes in emails every time, and generally shuffle everything up. The logic? If it’s become mundane to us, surely our customers must be yawning too. Yet, I urge you with all sincerity: don’t rush into change, especially not on a whim or out of mere boredom. Such shifts should be grounded in concrete data and strategic analysis. It’s a misstep to repeatedly flip your brand’s messaging or aesthetics several times a year. Each change should be deliberate, methodical, and anchored in purpose. Why? Because what might seem repetitive or stale to you could be consistent and reliable to your customers. There’s a misconception in marketing about messages becoming “worn out” or stale. This phenomenon is termed “wear-out”. However, rigorous research challenges this notion. The data suggests, “Wear-out…may not be an issue with consumers at all. It’s only marketers that grow tired of their communications. Wear-out is their problem, not that of the market.” Building on this, the Marketoonist post introduces an alternative approach: the concept of “wear-in”. It’s about fostering familiarity and trust, allowing customers to settle into a consistent, dependable relationship with your brand. So what else can you do when you’re feeling frustrated and think your marketing’s to blame? When you feel that itch of frustration and are tempted to “blow things up,” it’s essential to take a moment to reflect. Instead of immediately overhauling your entire marketing strategy, consider seeking feedback. Engage with loyal customers through surveys or one-on-one interactions to gather insights on their perceptions and needs. Collaborate with peers, and maybe even consider a mentorship. These approaches can provide fresh perspectives and invigorate your passion without the risks that come with impulsive changes. Remember, evolution is essential in business, but it should be a journey of informed steps rather than leaps into the unknown. What did you think? Let me know in an Instagram DM, podcast review or YouTube comment.

Laryssa Wirstiuk 30:02
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