Holiday Planning Starts Now
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While summer vacation plans are just heating up, retailers know they must keep the cooler weather months top of mind. Fourth-quarter sales will be here before you know it, and they account for a big chunk of annual revenue. To prepare for successful sales seasons, store owners must start early and make thoughtful plans long before the holidays arrive.
To do so, makers and merchants need to consider every aspect of seasonal prep, from buying the right inventory to having the most memorable marketing campaigns to effectively using every tool in the marketerâs arsenal to drive shoppers online and in store to buy gifts. To get products in hand on time, Heather Brown of The Kingswood Company urges retailers to ask manufacturers âwhen orders must be placed to receive shipments in time for holiday sales,â says the vice president of content and editorial.
For great marketing campaigns, make sure product and lifestyle (model) photography is professionally executed, and use the visuals wisely to command attention. Ostbyeâs merchandise manager Theresa Namie finds that âmaking Reels with everyday peopleâ captures many eyeballs.
Finally, use the right tools to reach shoppers. Worthwhile resources include social media, especially Instagram, conversational and engaging written posts that ignite viewersâ curiosityâas opposed to hard sellsâas well as emotion-inspiring and romantic product back stories. Creating low-key settings that allow shoppers to peruse products while enjoying another primary activity (think spa treatments or vintage car shows) are also encouraged.
âBring the customer and the product together,â recommends Sam Hupp, vice president of sales and marketing for Paris 1901. âNow sales are about providing a value for the customerâs time.â
Hot Sellers for 4th Quarter
By this point in the year, many holiday inventories have already been ordered, with merchants hoping their selections will sell well across the product categories. While some jewelry choices never surprise, many more are often educated gambles by makers and merchants.
âWe look at everything in the jewelry market, magazines, trade shows, runway shows, retail stores, employees, reality TV, and social media,â says Theresa Namie, marketing manager of Ostbye. âThen we focus in on what would be special enough to last longer than a seasonal trend and would price well in that category.â
Her best-sellers routinely include a Christmas cross along with new looks with wide appeal (think flowers) to present low-risk options. Happily, retailer requests can skew more adventurousâlike this year as store owners have asked for bold gold, gemstones, and a new elevated silver and diamond line, she adds.
âRetailers have been asking for yellow gold in fashion jewelry, elevated silver designs, color, organic motifs, signet rings, and wide band designs,â says Namie.
At Paris 1901, Sam Hupp, vice president of sales and marketing, is hoping that two new collections will speak to customers and their clients. Hupp has a menâs line called ETHOS and a new lab-grown diamond line called Monte Luna, with styles designed to appeal to demi-fine jewelry fans. The latter was created specifically for consumers who are âleaning into jewelry at a price to enhance their wardrobes,â he says.
âYou can turn a look into something new with amazing new diamond and ruby earrings,â he continues. âOr adding layered bracelets can change the appearance of a basic shirt.â
His firmâs 2024 offerings already have an advantage because of his teamâs keen product analyses.
âWe have a few incredible menâs pendants and chains that are already beating last yearâs sales,â he says. âFor women, our diamond accent demi-bracelets will be the go-to for approachable jewelry gift giving.â
His retailers are also asking for romanceable product and stories to engage customers. These will help build trust and keep shoppers in stores longer, ultimately leading to improved sales. For sure, sharing insights, market trends, and successful concepts are critical for all.
âThe days of everyone against everyone are over since the pandemic,â observes Hupp. âNow, we need to encourage and help each other find success. Ultimately, market growth helps us all.â
Imperial Pearl is hoping that more 4th quarter sales will take shape in the form of some of its newest collections. Think silver and karat gold, pearls and flowers, 14k gold and pearls, and a seven-piece sterling silver capsule collection.
Goldstar Jewelleryâs Steven Lerche, chief operating officer, hopes his firmâs relaunch of mined diamonds will be appreciated. âWe need to get the consumer re-excited about natural diamonds,â he says. There will still be lab-created diamonds in assortments, however, due to consumer demand and flexibility of styling.
âLab-created diamonds have made unattainable price points attainable with the use of small fancies and creative shapes of diamonds that would normally only be accessible to the affluent who shopped top brands,â he says.
Aneri Jewels is banking on seasonal-themed motifs to resonate with shoppers. Director Nancy Italia-Gajera says those items will âevoke the spirit of celebration and gifting.â Thatâs why she anticipates her firmâs Snowflake diamond pendant will be a 4th quarter hit. That, along with new gemstone cuts and color combinations, will âkeep our collections fresh and appealing to evolving consumer tastes,â she adds.
KGS Jewels is banking on medallion pendants in 14k gold with diamond accents to land in the holiday gift piles of many, while Shefi Diamonds thinks its yellow diamonds, yellow textured gold, enamel, and rubellite tourmaline offerings will sell well.
âThe secret to crafting jewelry that everyone wants is sticking to timeless designs,â reveals marketing director Surbhi Jain. âClassics never lose their appeal.â
And to serve as the cherry on top of jewelry gifts, The Kingswood Company suggests retailers add cleaning products to inventories as stocking stuffers or teachersâ or hostess gifts. âJewelry care and cleaning products provide the perfect add-on to holiday sales,â says Heather Brown, vice president of content and editorial.
Magical Product Campaigns
Those returning from North Americaâs biggest trade jewelry buying experience will have more than suitcases in hand; theyâll also have orders for what merchantsâ hope will be hot sellers for the holidays. But inventory is just one part of the 4th quarter equationâanother is marketing and how to get clients into stores. To make that happen, manufacturers make myriad visual tools available for customers to use.
Imagery is everythingâfrom lifestyle model shots to still life to styles on white (also called pack shots), consumers need to see the product from many angles to drive home a desire to own it. Marketing surrounding new product releases can involve these three types of photography for each campaign. Frequency of efforts varies.
At Ostbye, Merchandise Manager Theresa Namie has three product releases a year, all with its own creative. At Paris 1901, full campaigns are shot once a year but are supplemented by âsmaller launches with updated assets,â says Sam Hupp, vice president of sales. At KGS Jewels, new visuals are shot monthly, while Aneri Jewels shoots four times a year.
âWe create new campaign imagery quarterly to keep our marketing fresh and aligned with seasonal trends,â explains Nancy Italia-Gajera, Aneriâs director.
Heather Brown of The Kingswood Company is also well-versed in the importance of visuals.
âWe understand that providing beautiful high-end imagery for our full production line is imperative,â says the vice president of content and editorial. âOur image development is handled in-house by our talented design team.â
Other opinions vary on whether to handle the imagery in house or outsource it. Namie does both depending on the tasks at hand. âFor us it is just a matter of who can do [the job] best,â she explains. Most interviewees execute creative within company walls for cost-effectiveness and better control over brand imaging.
To create effective campaigns, consider a color scheme that will work across all four seasons. Effects and props should be simple. âWe strive to keep the jewelry prominent by not using too busy of backgrounds,â observes Namie.
Consistency and a thoughtful approach are also key. According to Hupp, donât break out the 5 ct. diamond rings for a message thatâs supposed to speak to younger clients. âKnow the end purpose before developing any new assets,â he says.
Italia-Gajera urges peers to remember the most important aspect of new brand imageryâ âIts ability to evoke emotion and convey the essence of the brand,â she says. Further, visuals should âresonate with the target audience and effectively communicate brand values.â
Once visuals are complete, put them into action. Photography is so important for use in ads, signage, and e-blasts as well as on websites and across social media platforms.
Namie creates content shared in weekly texts and/or emails and has marketing resources available online, while Hupp develops assets for partners to use on social media, in email, and for banner ads. And based on sales reports, the marketing team at Shefi Diamonds crafts âstunningâ social media posts for retailers on request, according to marketing director Surbhi Jain.
âKeep your audience interested!â urges Namie. âAttract, not sell.â
A Marketerâs Toolbox
Reach is everything when it comes to marketing, and manufacturers have plenty of ideas on how clients can achieve their goals. Not surprisingly, social mediaâand specifically, Instagramâtops the list of most important tools to use.
âSocial media is the number one way to directly receive and give feedback from your customers,â explains Sam Hupp, vice president of sales and marketing for Paris 1901. âBringing along your customers in your business journey is necessary to develop a âgenuineâ reputation. You build trust when you share your successes and struggles. Sometimes jewelers donât realize that a social media account isnât simply another advertising platform, rather it should be positioned as a window to the day-to-day business.â
Nearly every expert interviewed insist that retailers use Instagram, calling it a powerful, must-use tool.
âAn active account ⌠helps leverage visual storytelling, foster engagement, expand reach, and facilitate direct sales, ultimately driving growth and success for the business,â says Surbhi Jain, marketing director of Shefi Diamonds.
How you craft messages counts, too. Hupp paints a vivid example for those unveiling new collections. âThey can be promoted as âCome see our new collectionâ or âI canât believe we were fortunate to get to work with (collection owner) and bring (collection) to our showcases,ââ he says. ââThe way theyâve done (fill in the blank) is so amazing to us.â Option A is an ad, direct and a clean CTA, but option B provides an indirect CTA and engages the curiosity of the consumer.â
Successful initiatives can also include Facebook and Instagram Lives, notes Theresa Namie, merchandise manager of Ostbye.
âOn these, retailers can talk about what is trending, fashion accessorizing, and teaching about gemstones and diamondsâall things that attract interest instead of just pure selling,â she says.
More examples that get results can also (ironically) minimize the focus of the product for sale.
âThere are jewelers in the Phoenix area that partner with classic car groups,â observes Hupp. âThey will bring in watch vendors for pop-ups while having the classic cars shown in their parking lots on certain Saturdays. The days of the hard sell are over.â
Still more exemplary moves include on-target signage and storytelling. Nancy Italia-Gajera, director, Aneri Jewels, recalls one campaign that featured âheartwarming stories of love and connection, paired with stunning visuals of our jewelry,â she says. âThis resonated deeply with customers and resulted in increased engagement and sales.â
Other tips to strengthen marketing include visualization and tenacity. Namie recalls recent advice from a marketing guru whom she heard speak: âWrite down three adjectives that describe your brand, would your employees and customers say the same thing?â she asks. âBuild your store personality around those that you want to reach and live your brand. Restart. Refresh. Refocus. As many times as you need, just donât give up.â
Know your customer and how they like to be communicated with, offer customized content and personalization, foster transparency and trust, and âengage in value-driven marketing that resonates with customersâ beliefs,â says Jain.
More toolbox tactics should include Reels, holiday fliers, and other creative that celebrates the products. âAudiences today want to see real-life images,â insists Namie.
âItâs business suicide if a wholesaler isnât providing all the assets (digital and physical) to customers to allow them to market products,â adds Hupp. âGive clients the tools and let them speak to their clientele the best way they know how. Often you see larger vendors forcing a direction. When that happens, the messages are often lost due to the variation in the markets. Give retailers options in their assets to use what they believe works best.â
Private-label products and created content, including how-toâs and trends, can also appeal to customers, says Heather Brown, vice president of content and editorial for The Kingswood Company.
âWhen consumers return home with a branded product ⌠itâs like taking out a mini billboard in their home,â she says with her companyâs jewelry cleaning products in mind. âOur company offers customers a number of resources to support their marketing efforts.â