Sometimes the information we publish gets very focused on a single topic and perhaps those reading get confused with what is important from day to day. Honestly, it's difficult to really point a finger and say what's more important than another.
We're going to take a step back and try to list the most popular internet marketing ideas for retail jewelers according to specific categories. We always try to maintain or focus on local retailers, but even e-tailers can take advantage of our ideas.
Some of the items below are repeated in each category, and this list is by no means all-inclusive. The items in each list are also not in any particular order since different internet marketing experts will rank them all differently.
To attract new non-mobile customers to your store:
1. Need a website.
2. Website needs to be optimized for search engines.
3. Purchase PPC advertising, like Google AdWords
4. Link building with local stores.
5. Set up a Facebook Business Page and use it daily.
6. Regularly update your Google Places account.
7. Archive your weekly or monthly newsletters in HTML format on your website.
8. Request customers to write online reviews for you.
9. Issue press releases at least once a month.
10. Set up a YouTube Channel and upload new videos regularly.
11. Use Google Analytics to tell you how your website fails, and what needs to be added.
12. Occasionally publish industry related articles and publish them online in places other than in your blog.
13. Maintain a blog on a regular basis.
To attract new mobile customers to your store:
1. Need a mobi website, or one that functions at least marginally on a cell phone.
2. Purchase mobile PPC advertising, like Google AdWords
3. Regularly update your Google Places account.
4. Create and maintain a Foursquare special for people checking in to your store.
5. Create your spot on GoWalla.
6. Create and maintain your Whrrl account with a special offer.
7. Create your place in the SCVNGR system.
8. Be the first to check into your Facebook Place and then request ownership of it from Facebook.
9. Put logos of any of the above 5 location-based services in your window to let foot traffic recognize them.
10. Create a QR Code for your Google Places and put it in your window.
To build a new relationship with the local twenty-something generation:
1. Need a website.
2. Need a mobi website.
3. Set up a YouTube Channel and upload new videos regularly.
4. Set up a Facebook Business Page and use it daily.
5. Purchase targeted advertising on Facebook.
6. Use your smartphone to post photos to DailyBooth, Panoramio or Photobucket.
7. Publish a lot of educational content on your website.
8. Upload product inventory to your website's catalog (selling not required).
9. Upload your product inventory into Google Merchant Center.
10. Link building with other local stores.
11. Purchase print ads in local university newspapers, include a QR Code to your website.
12. Set up a Twitter account and use it daily.
13. Create an opt-in email list as a tab on your Facebook Business Page.
14. Create an opt-in email list on your website.
15. Regularly update your Google Places account.
16. Create and maintain a Foursquare special for people checking in to your store.
17. Create your spot on GoWalla.
18. Create and maintain your Whrrl account with a special offer.
19. Create your place in the SCVNGR system.
20. Be the first to check into your Facebook Place and then request ownership of it from Facebook.
21. Put logos of any of the above 5 location-based services in your window to let foot traffic recognize them.
22. Create a QR Code for your Google Places and put it in your window.
23. Hold a contest using one of the location-based services.
To maintain a long-term relationship with customers:
1. Need a website.
2. Set up a Facebook Business Page and use it daily.
3. Upload product inventory to your website's catalog (selling not required).
4. Link building with other local stores.
5. Set up a Twitter account and use it daily.
6. Regularly update your Google Places account.
7. Create an opt-in email list as a tab on your Facebook Business Page.
8. Create an opt-in email list on your website.
9. Send out regular newsletters via email.
10. Archive your weekly or monthly newsletters in HTML format on your website.
11. Use direct mail that includes direct response codes of some type so the customer must visit your website to receive the special offer or invitation.
12. Allow your customers to create wish lists on your website.
13. Maintain a blog on a regular basis.
14. Send emails to your opt-in list once a month to let them know what's new in your blog.
15. Share every new blog post to your Facebook Business Page.
When you are ready for some type of e-commerce:
1. Need a secure and PCI compliant website with a shopping cart.
2. Need a secure mobi website.
3. Upload product inventory to your website's catalog.
4. Establish a PayPal account for simple BuyNow buttons.
5. Establish a merchant account for your website if you are not using PayPal.
6. Website needs to be optimized for search engines.
7. Purchase PPC advertising, like Google AdWords
8. Link building with other local stores.
9. Link building with any other website if you are selling nationally.
10. Set up a YouTube Channel and upload new videos regularly.
11. Issue press releases at least once a month.
12. Set up a Facebook Business Page and use it daily.
13. Promote your Facebook Business Page to a wide audience.
14. Send Facebook Updates to your fans when you have online special offers.
15. Upload your product inventory into Google Merchant Center.
16. Measure your ROI using Google Analytics.
17. Redesign your website as needed to increase your conversions.
If you want to beat your competition:
1. Do everything listed above.
2. Do one step at a time so you are not overwhelmed.
3. Educate yourself on what's needed to do each action item.
4. Don't do it yourself; oversee the entire process.
As we said above, this is not an exhaustive list. But many of the items on this list we have been researching and tracking first hand for at least 9 months, although a lot of data we have spans back 7 years.
Not every strategy will work in every area. Naturally, if you live in a cell phone dead zone you can simply cross off all the mobile marketing ideas. Touristy areas will have different results than metropolitan areas.
However, if the technology is available, you should start using it sooner rather than later.
