SPEAKER_01
Ready to break free from algorithms, vanity PR, and money sucking ads? My name is Larissa Worstiek and I've learned in seven years of jewelry marketing that content is the crown jewel. My agency Joy Joya takes a holistic approach leading with a laser focused storytelling impactful content creation and strategic content distribution. This method has worked for the solopreneur as well as the multimillion dollar company and now I'm sharing the same systems and tactics with you.
Here's to standing out in the sea of sparkle. In today's episode 258 we're diving deep into the world of drops and how they can be a game changer for your jewelry marketing strategy. Drops which refer to the release of products in limited quantities or for a limited time can really create a sense of urgency and scarcity.
This approach can be instrumental in compelling your audience to make quick purchasing decisions. For those of you already utilizing the drop model we'll be talking about advanced tactics to enhance the success of your releases and by fine-tuning your strategy you can boost sales, accelerate sell-out times, and keep your fans eagerly anticipating every release. This approach can be particularly enticing for jewelry brands like yours where exclusivity and uniqueness are often valued.
So let's talk about all the vast opportunities that drops can offer in capturing and sustaining your audience's attention. We'll be looking at this topic through the lens of Hillary Fink Jewelery who we've been spotlighting as a jewelry brand case study and if you're joining this podcast series for the first time this season I'd suggest starting with episode 252. Doing so will introduce you to Hillary and allow you to follow this narrative from the beginning.
Before jumping into our chat with Hillary today I'll talk about why more jewelry brands are embracing drops, how you can use drops, the best way to market your drops, and steps you can take to improve on your future drops. 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 always 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'd love to know what you think about this episode or about any takeaways you've had recently. Okay without further delay let's get into today's episode My Sparklers. This one is all about drops and how you can utilize them to boost your marketing and sales efforts especially if you sell products in limited quantities and or one-of-a-kind products.
So first let's talk about why have more jewelry brands been embracing drops in recent years. I want you to imagine a world where your jewelry brand isn't just selling products but instead you're offering exclusive experiences and this is the power that the drop method or model can bring for your customers. So the beauty of drops really lies in their ability to infuse your brand with exclusivity.
So when you release limited edition or one-of-a-kind pieces then customers will really start to perceive them as rare treasures that they need to get their hands on. But it's also not just about exclusivity. Think about that excitement and anticipation that you can cultivate among your clientele.
When you schedule these releases you're not merely presenting a product you're hosting an event and your audience will go out of their way to mark their calendars and eagerly await what's next. So consider the urgency that this model just naturally instills. When you have limited stock and limited time frames then customers really feel compelled to act promptly.
That fear of missing out can be such a powerful motivator pushing them toward making quicker purchase decisions and thus boosting your sales. This model can also really invigorate your brand's engagement on social platforms. So the buzz, the discussions, the social shares surrounding each drop will amplify your brand's visibility, foster richer interactions.
And then from the practical perspective, drops can really simplify inventory management for you. When you're releasing products in this manner then you can gauge real-time interest which allows you to adjust your future production runs and then minimize having like surplus inventory that's just sitting around on your website or on your store shelves. And for marketing in general this drop model offers you what I like to see as a dynamic canvas.
So with each new release you have that opportunity to experiment, to refine, to perfect your campaigns. And that means ultimately as you move through it with each new drop you will reach your best return on investment. So the recurrent event like nature of drops will really help you cultivate a community of collectors and enthusiasts who consistently come back.
And they're keen on being the first to get their hands on your latest creations. Doesn't that sound pretty amazing? So let's talk about how you, my sparkler, can use drops and adapt them to your brand and goals because of course every jewelry business is different. So how can you use drops to your advantage? I truly believe that any jewelry brand regardless of your business model can harness the potential of the drop method.
So at its core as we've talked about this drop strategy is about offering limited time or limited quantity exclusives that captivate attention and drive urgency. So whether you're dealing in high-end luxury, affordable fashion jewelry, artisanal handcrafted pieces, you can find ways to curate special collections or one of a kind pieces to release as drops. And then when you carefully align these releases with your brand narrative, with your target audience preferences and market demand, you can create that buzz.
You can bolster engagement and the best part stimulate sales. With thoughtful planning and execution, this drop method can be tailored to fit any brand's objectives. So you can choose to make your product drop universally accessible or you can grant exclusive access to say just your email subscribers, which enhances subscriber value.
And if you do something like provide early access or unique offers to your email subscribers, then you're just adding new levels of exclusivity, loyalty, high-end engagement, making your customers, your true fans and followers feel so special, but also retaining the option for more broadly releasing the drop later. So that's just one way that a brand can approach this and like tailor it to their existing customers and their existing way of marketing to them. So what really is the best way to market your drops? Say you're sold, you're like, okay, Larissa, I want to do this.
How do you communicate a drop to your customers? First, I want you to know if you're just starting this for the first time, unless you already have a super hyper engaged following, you may not come out with a bang on your first drop. I think it takes time to kind of build the expectation and to get people waiting for your drop, but that's no reason not to start. Everyone has to start somewhere.
So promoting product drops effectively requires this synergy between email marketing and social media marketing so that you can really maximize reach and engagement. So I just want to share a few best practices for both. Let's start with email.
I really love a drop preview or teaser email, mostly because in your email marketing, you can't assume that your entire subscriber list is seeing all your emails. So if you kind of just literally drop something to them, you can't assume that everyone's going to see it. And then when the performance doesn't meet your expectations, you're going to get discouraged.
So you have to warm up your audience a little bit. That could be one preview or teaser email. That could be more than one.
Don't be afraid to create anticipation. Again, because not everyone is even going to see all of those emails. So in those previews, make sure you're using compelling visuals.
Make sure your copy is engaging and creating excitement is genuine, building anticipation. And then when you have that captivating subject line, when you create a sense of exclusivity, when you have a clear call to action, and you set the expectation for the drop, you're really warming up your audience to have a successful product drop. In your emails, you can also consider adding things like countdown timers in like your regular campaigns, for example, to emphasize the urgency and to remind people when it's coming.
You can have sneak peeks. So maybe there's like exclusive previews or even behind the scenes content. Make sure you always have a clear call to action and to emphasize that the drop will either have limited availability or be for a limited time.
And then even after the drop, you could consider doing some follow up email. So if there's still product left over or if time is running out, again, don't just give up and assume, okay, well, people saw the drop, they should be ordering now. No, you need to put out a last chance email or an almost sold out notification again to drive urgency.
And assuming that most of your list isn't even seeing it. So don't just give up after you send the actual drop notification. And then with social media, share teaser content behind the scenes kind of give sneak peeks to create curiosity and hype.
Do countdowns in Instagram stories, you may even want to have some kind of exclusive offer for social media followers. Also, going live on social media is a good way to give that more personal touch, whether you personally want to show the products or create anticipation by doing some kind of sneak peek or some kind of build up. I think having that personal content, I think having that personal connection through live is a really good way to make the drop feel like more real.
Now let's talk about steps you can take to improve on your future drops. So if you've already implemented drops and you're looking for ways to optimize and improve, I want you to consider the following. You know, I love data and feedback after every drop, you can't just move to the next one without looking at what the results were because how are you going to get better? So after each drop, you want to examine sales figures, your website traffic, your customer feedback, really try to understand what worked and what didn't work so that you can refine your approach.
Engage with your community. Try to really build a rapport with your audience on social media, especially the ones that do seem very responsive to your drops, the ones that do seem to get excited, the ones that do purchase right away. Understand what motivates them and what kind of products they'll want in the future so that you can continue improving.
Work on optimizing your timing. So identify the best days and times for your audience. Again, that means analyzing previous drops to see when engagement and conversion rates were highest.
And please enhance scarcity. Don't be afraid to emphasize things like limited quantities, exclusive additions, limited time. Those things can boost demands.
People have a fear of missing out and I don't want to tell you to capitalize on someone's fear. But if you feel like you have something great and you want your audience to connect with them, let them know that they only have a limited time to buy and see that as a service. Because if they want it and they miss it, they will be upset.
So help them understand that. And then work on expanding post purchase engagement. So after your drop, you want to engage with customers through things like thank yous, feedback requests, or even sharing and showcasing their user generated content to build loyalty and anticipation for the next drop that you do.
And what is my very most favorite tip? Plan ahead. The more that you do drops, the more that you'll realize that if you're able to plan ahead in advance, not only for yourself, but for your audience to give them ample notice and to build anticipation, the drops will just be that much more successful than the ones that kind of come together at the last minute. So in our interview with Hilary, that's coming right now, we'll be diving into her latest Opal orbs collection.
So these Opals have garnered significant attention and popularity among her collectors. Recognizing this, Hilary decided to introduce some new additions such as the hoop earrings with Opal orbs. And for this launch, we also unveiled a refreshed email template, which not only provides a direct link to the entire collection, but also has specific buttons for individual products.
And we've incorporated several other new features in this campaign. So stay tuned to discover what those exciting changes were and how they are helping her with her product drops. Hi, Hilary.
I'm excited to chat with you about your Opal orbs today. Hi, Larissa. I am too.
Nice to see you. Nice to see you as well. So first, why don't you in your own words tell our audience a little bit about those Opal orbs,
SPEAKER_00
which I know your current customers love and collect? Sure. So I get the Opal orbs cut personally for me by a stone cutter in India. And he was introduced to me from one of my clients, actually.
And he's the same person that I get my Moonstone orbs from. And then I also get some like really beautiful, perfectly clear Moonstone cabs for studs and other things. And so I was actually able to meet him in Tucson this past year.
And it was just so nice to be able to put like a face to the name and because otherwise we just communicate on Instagram. And so, you know, from time to time, he'll send me little DMs like, Hey, I cut these, I cut these, are you interested? And he just sent me a message just with all these pictures of these beautiful Opal orbs that he had cut and of various sizes. And so I said, Yeah, let's do it.
I'm out of orbs right now. So let's go for it. And so I just thought it was a nice treat for my customers, especially the ones that collect my orbs.
I have some that own, you know, the Moonstone or they own the related courts or and they own the Opal orbs. So thought, Yeah, why not have a little treat for my customers? That's so amazing that you have
SPEAKER_01
that relationship with the cutter. I think it's becoming more, I guess, prevalent now that jewelry designers have those kind of relationships with their suppliers, but it's still it's still kind of rare. I mean, especially for a more mass produced jewelry.
So it's amazing that you're able to
SPEAKER_00
say that to your clients. Yeah, I love it. I have a few different stone cutters like that.
And I think what's really nice is, you know, it's hard to buy stones just from like looking at a picture. And so, you know, you get all these stones in and they're usually really great if I say, Hey, you know what, this one didn't really look the way it looked in the picture. Or I noticed there's this thing with it.
Can I send it back? And a lot of times, especially if they're in India, they're like, Yeah, no, we'll just bother sending it back. We'll just credit it for another one. And they're just usually really understanding and really nice about everything.
Why do you think Opals have
SPEAKER_01
become so popular with your collectors? It's kind of amazing to me that Opals are still as popular
SPEAKER_00
as they are. I kind of think they're never going to go out of style. First of all, they're amazing stones, right? I mean, the whole idea that a stone can change color and has all these colorful flashes and, you know, just the way the story of like how they're made geologically is really cool too.
So I mean, it's hard to pinpoint why Opals are so popular. But my clients love them. When I put out the Opals collection last May, it was the best collection drop I've ever had.
And I just I mean, they're beautiful stones. How can you not love them? Yeah, it's true. They are very
SPEAKER_01
cool. I loved the terms that you released, especially the more like orangey warm kind of ones. They
SPEAKER_00
were very cool. Oh, that orange sunset or that's the first one that went and I knew it would be. It was my favorite.
And it was just, oh man, that was stunning. I would love to get some more of those
SPEAKER_01
like fiery orbs again. Yeah, it was beautiful. So another thing that was special about this Opal drop was you added hoop earrings, which were very cool.
So tell me a little bit more about the
SPEAKER_00
decision to do that. So my stone cutter, you know, usually he just sends orbs that are around 10 millimeters and maybe a little bit bigger. At this time, he sent orbs that were like seven and eight millimeters as well.
And I thought, well, they're a little when I got them in person, I thought they're a little too small for, I think, charms for a necklace. And so I was initially thinking, oh, I'll just do like a French hook and hang them from French hook. And I did make some that originally that were on a hook and out and it just still wasn't right to me.
And then I thought, oh, I make these hand hammered hoops that are great for earring charms. I've made custom earring terms in the past. And I thought, why don't I make these into little earring charms for the hoops? And so I slid one on and I really loved it.
And then the great thing about them is that if you just want to wear the hoop, then you just have hoops, you can just slide the charm off of it. And you have like a really nice classic hoops. So I think it's kind of a win-win situation.
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, it's like a two for one purchase. Wow. How can you go wrong with that? So what was it like for you with this drop? This was the first time we're using like a different look, a different template for your campaign. And another thing we're doing differently is like actually calling out all the individual products.
And we were able to do that because it was a smaller drop. There were only nine products. So how did you feel about kind of presenting it to
SPEAKER_00
your customers in this new way? I think in the end, it looked really good. We'd sent out, you guys had sent out some test emails to me and I was a little like, just because I'm used to my emails being really minimal. And I usually only have like maybe one or two shop buttons.
And you guys had done what is great. And you put shop buttons with every product. And I just thought it looked a little too like shoppy, you know, which is the whole point is to have people click and you know, want to buy these pieces.
So it was just a little, it was just different for me. And so, you know, we lighten things up and just a little bit changed the format.
SPEAKER_01
And I'm just really happy with the end result. We're very used to clients being like a little bit shocked by like a change in the way their email looks. And I think to your, what you said, that all the shop buttons I think can be overwhelming to people when they're looking at it from the perspective of their own business, they don't want to be like a hard sell.
And so, I totally understand that. But the reality is just like the conventions of email marketing and how brands send and the behavior of people looking at emails, like you need all those like psychological cues. It seems like overkill when you're looking at it from like a design perspective.
But in that moment of someone literally just looking at their email for like a second, it helps like cue them into clicking. Exactly. And I was just like, I just think they know
SPEAKER_00
that they should click on the pictures, right? You guys were like, yeah, you would think you would
SPEAKER_01
think but like in practice, it doesn't work that way. Did you get any feedback from subscribers? Did anyone notice a new template? Did anyone say anything about it?
SPEAKER_00
Yes, two people that I got in touch with or that got in touch with me about the new, they said how much they love the shop buttons. Oh, that's so funny. Yeah, they really appreciated that it was just really easy to shop because the what happened in the past is that I'll do these releases.
And so I'll have my preview email and I'll say, hey, everything's going up online tomorrow. And here's all the pictures of what it looks like. You know, the pieces are going to be dropped, but they don't have buttons because it's not released yet, right? And so then the day that the actual drop happens, I send an email that's like, here's just a picture of all the pieces together and like a medley.
And then I just have one button that says, you know, shop the new collection. And so I have gotten feedback in the past from people saying, you know, we'd love it if we saw more of the actual pictures in that second email and we can just click on what we want. But I've always had this, and maybe it's totally wrong from marketing standpoint.
I'm like, well, I don't want them to just go look at one thing. I want them to click on the whole collection, spend some time on my website. But what I forget is that like, this is kind of like a quick thing, you know, people want to buy these sometimes they sell out fast.
And so they want the one product they want, they want to click on and buy it right away. So I, I do think
SPEAKER_01
it's the right thing to do. Yeah, I mean, what you said how it makes sense that you want people to like look at more products. But usually, yeah, people will see one thing that they want.
And if they can't immediately find it, then they get frustrated and they're not going to bother like looking around. So it's kind of like an opposite weird way to think about it for sure.
SPEAKER_00
No, it's total lesson learned. It makes perfect sense.
SPEAKER_01
So some of the results we had that were really exciting to give you the data. So that first drop when we first released it, it was about the same average open rate like year to date. You've been at around 61%.
And this campaign had 58. So it was like, right there in line with everything else. But the thing that was really different and that got me super excited was it had a 16.
3% click through rate, which was the second highest only to 16.7, which was January 2022. And I can't remember what exactly you did then or what kind of magic you did, but it far exceeded the clicks.
So it shows us that like, those subscribers are ready to receive emails from you and like the same percentage is kind of always there for you. But now more people were inspired to actually click through to the website. And if I had to guess, I would see the shop buttons help a little bit with that, but maybe also individually like calling out products and getting people curious about each one and about the prices and things like that, that probably helped motivate too.
SPEAKER_00
I was so happy with those results. 16% click rate is awesome.
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, I mean, that's like a dream. For you, it's not surprising because I know like how committed your collectors are, but like for a normal, everyday jewelry brand, that would be like amazing. Like we would have a party to celebrate that.
A party? I like parties. Yeah, we could still have a party. And Hillary did sell out of all the charms before the end of the weekend.
And I forgot to ask you typically, how quickly do things sell out? Was that like comparable to the performance in the past or faster or slower?
SPEAKER_00
Like how did that work out? Yeah. So the most Opal orbs I put out before were just, it was just three and I mixed them in with some other pieces. And they sold immediately, they were the first three pieces that sold.
And so this time, I think I sold three on the first day and then like two on the second day and the sixth one on the day after that or something like that.
SPEAKER_01
So I was super happy about it. It's great. And we did do one other different thing that Hillary's never done before.
We did a resend on Sunday because there were the Hoops left over by that point. And we just wanted to make sure people knew that they didn't think everything had sold out and that there was still an opportunity to buy. And so we tried two different versions of that email.
We sent one to people who had clicked but didn't purchase. And then we sent another to people who hadn't engaged at all. Just to kind of get a sense of like what is the behavior of people like looking at these campaigns.
And those emails didn't end up selling the Hoops or the rest of the products, but we still had a very decent engagement, especially on that people who clicked but didn't purchase. I believe it was like seven or eight percent. So people were still looking.
They wanted to see what was left. Right. So how did that make you feel to like try
SPEAKER_00
that out? Well, at first I was like, no, don't send them another email. I don't want to bother them. Especially because we're sending another email a couple days later after that.
And I was like, oh, just please don't bother them. And you and your team, you guys were like, hey, Hillary, all of our clients send these emails out of collection drop just to let people know what's left. And I was like, oh, okay.
I don't know. I just need to get that out of my head that I'm bothering my clients. So I was fine with it.
And the design was beautiful. I thought it just,
SPEAKER_01
the email looked great. Yeah. And the cool thing that we were able to utilize also since we're usually making emails like days before they send. So the potential issue here is like, if we choose the products to put in there, who knows, they could be sold out by Sunday, and then we don't want to like make anyone upset.
So Klabio allows us to have dynamic products there where we just like change a setting and it will only show what's available. And that way, even if someone doesn't open that email for like another day or two later and say, those products are sold out, they'll never be misled to like think that a product is still available. And I think that's really important, like having a good relationship with your customers.
SPEAKER_00
Yeah. I thought that was awesome. I think that's a really great feature from Klabio.
And I didn't know that because I had emailed you on Sunday when the last orb term sold. And I was like, uh-oh, I don't know if you guys have already designed the email, but the last term sold. So you'll have to redesign the email and you guys were like, no, no, no, it's fine.
Yeah. It's really cool.
SPEAKER_01
Yeah. We have to anticipate these things because it's possible that they can happen for sure. Yeah. Yeah. And then in terms of, so you do have some hoops left and everyone listening, if you want some good hoops, you should go check them out because they're very cool. But I'm curious what you think, like what happens for you in the past when you have things left over from drops? What are you playing to do with the earrings? I'm never too worried about it.
I
SPEAKER_00
know pieces always sell eventually, or I can send these off to some of the shops that carry my work. I like to actually have a robust, ready to ship section. So in a way, it's a good thing that when collections don't totally sell out because then it just means there's always something for people to choose from when they go to my website.
Just at random times, it's not a collection drop. I mean, I've had people email me before and get upset with me when they go to my website and all they see are sold out signs like in certain collections. And I'm like, I don't think, sorry.
I don't know what to say. So I think it's, I think it's actually totally okay. And I think it's always fun to kind of re-merchandise them and images.
I'll choose some other pieces and do like a group shot with them. And just it's fun to have options to play with.
SPEAKER_01
Yeah, I was thinking too, when you were talking about the two in one kind of thing, I intellectually knew that about these earrings. But like when you look at them, you kind of don't imagine that for yourself or imagine the flexibility of how that could work. So it might be good to like present that also in the future.
Yeah, I need to take some pictures of them with
SPEAKER_00
them off of the hoops. And I need to get some pictures of these on model too. Which is always tricky for me.
And I know, especially with earrings, people always want to know how they look. So it's just getting model shots is always hard for me. But yeah, there's so many ways to market these.
And then also I've thought about how fun it would be to just start making mismatched earring charms, just in general, just to let people choose. I mean, I've done custom ones before that are like mothers earring charms that are the birthstones of their kids. So like one was Tans and I and one was Garnet and they look really pretty together.
And I love the idea of mismatched charms too. So I think it's something that I need to kind of prioritize to design for
SPEAKER_01
just future offerings. Yeah, that's a really fun idea. And then it's like more collectability, you know, collect more charms, put them on your earrings have lots of flexibility.
Yeah.
SPEAKER_00
Yeah, and I mean, these terms also there is a little like a little the bail, I guess, there is a whole there though, like if somebody wanted to string it with like a letter cord or something that goes through, I mean, you can't fit a class through it necessarily, but they can do really whatever they want with these two, they're very versatile. Could you see them on a bracelet or is it too small for that? I think they'd probably look great on a bracelet. In fact, maybe I should
SPEAKER_01
start thinking about designing them for bracelets. There you go. We're working through product ideas here live.
Yeah, definitely. Well, it was great to learn more about your opal orbs. And I hope everyone will go check them out too, because they're very cool.
So thanks, Hilary, for joining me
SPEAKER_00
today. You're welcome. Thanks for talking about the opal orbs with me.
It was fun. What did you
SPEAKER_01
think about today's interview with Hilary? Are you excited to continue following her on this journey? I highly encourage you to check out Hilary's website, HilaryFank.com, and follow her on Instagram at HilaryFankJewelry. I'll put those links in the show notes as well.
Let me know in a podcast review or YouTube comment what you think about this journey. Okay, let's get into the gold mine. Welcome to another edition of the gold mine, a segment where I get personal and share insights on entrepreneurship, mindset, success, growth, all things business.
It allows me to get a little more personal and share maybe a piece of my heart. Let's get into this week's gold mine. I'm going to be talking about a mindset shift from, quote, designing for you to, quote, designing for us.
As I'm sure you know my sparklers out there, the creation process can sometimes feel really solitary. I talk to designers all the time. I know that they're pouring their heart and soul into pieces.
They are hoping that what they make resonates with the market. But I think there might be another way to consider this is a more collaborative approach. It's especially suited to certain designers.
And that may be you. So let's explore this shift in a way of thinking. So the old model, traditionally, many designers operate under the making stuff for you mindset.
So they envision a piece, they create it, they present it to the world, they hope for acceptance and praise. And while this approach has merits, it can also be somewhat detached. It's like crafting in a vacuum.
And in that case, the audience is kind of just merely a passive recipient. So the new way of thinking that I am suggesting here is the idea of making stuff for us, which implies collaboration and really shared ownership. So instead of solely dictating as the designer what is beautiful or trendy or what comes to your brain on a whim, it's more about understanding and echoing the collective desires of your target customer.
There are needs in the aspirations of the community that you're really designing for and to think of it more as a community rather than as a consumer of your creativity. And I don't think this is necessarily right for everyone. But I think that it's particularly a good idea for those who maybe you're the face of your brand.
And you do feel a profound connection with your target audience, but maybe you haven't figured out how to fully express or communicate that. So if you as a designer see your own stories and your own values and your own perspective mirrored in the audience that you want to be reaching and touching and resonating with, then this more collaborative approach can amplify your authenticity as a brand. Maybe for others, this collaborative approach can feel forced and it doesn't align with the brand's essence, but I think it's one worth considering.
So what does it mean to kind of live the brand and design or make for us? I think one way to communicate this philosophy is for you as a designer to one, wear your own product and wear it passionately, passionately showing the us. How do you style the brand and design? How do you live with you in your everyday life? So that way you're not only demonstrating your personal connection as the creator, but also as someone who integrates these designs into their lives and that way inspiring your audience. So sharing personal stories, sharing the meanings behind each piece, all those things can deepen the deep in the bond you have with each other.
It makes all the jewelry pieces feel like more than just an accessory and instead a narrative of shared experiences and emotions. So if that does sound like something you want to explore and play with a little more, these are some action steps that you can try. One, engage with your audience.
So use those social media polls, feedback sessions, even in-person like collaborative events to directly involve your audience in your design process. Show them behind the scenes. Show them that you're making for them and listen to their preferences too and incorporate them into your designs.
Make them a part of the journey. Definitely get personal as personal as you feel comfortable getting and that can be a very curated version of yourself. You don't have to like show yourself in the bathroom or something, but choose the aspects of yourself that you want to make personal.
Share anecdotes from your life that have influenced your designs, whether it's a trip that inspired a collection or a family heirloom that sparked a new idea. Let your audience into your world so that you can form a deeper bond with them. Definitely show them how you style.
So don't just create. I want you to demonstrate as well. Wear your pieces, share photos or videos of how you style them in daily life.
This provides a genuine endorsement of your products and it helps people understand like how can they actually wear this stuff. What is it going to look like if I invite it into my life? Talk about your favorites. So spotlight a few pieces that holds extra special meaning for you and talk about why and how that might also connect with your customers.
Share behind the scenes so people love seeing the process. Show the design phase, the crafting process, even show mistakes or missteps, because people love imperfection and vulnerability. And to that point, be super honest and transparent.
Have an open dialogue to foster trust. You yourself, I would try to stay updated, immerse yourself in trends, cultural shifts, shared experiences that might resonate with your target audience so that you're kind of like keeping your finger on the pulse of that. Incorporate feedback.
If you get feedback, if you get suggestions, if you hear preferences from your target audience, I'm not saying like, don't, you don't totally have to just give yourself up to your audience. But I think it means a lot when you incorporate those things into your work. It shows that you are listening.
You can try hosting collaborative events. So consider organizing events where your clientele can co-design or customize pieces. That way you can work on building community and then celebrate that community.
So spotlight those customers who wear your pieces. It shows that you acknowledge that they belong to your community, to a community, and it emphasizes that you're genuinely interested in building out that community. So if you're a designer that you feel intrinsically connected with your audience, this for us mindset, again, can foster more inclusivity, make it about mutual inspiration, shared stories, and shared emotions.
What do you think? Let me know in an Instagram DM, podcast review, or YouTube comment. That's it for today. Did you have questions about today's episode? You can always email me, Larissa, that's L-A-R-Y-S-S-A at JoyJoya.
com. If you love 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 slash book for more information.