By: Duvall O’Steen. 
Originally published in National Jeweler.

Email marketing remains a top tool for attracting and retaining customers. Here’s how to up your inbox game.

According to the latest research, email marketing is the single most reliable channel for nurturing leads and the second most effective tool for sales conversion (second only to in-person events).

For both B2C and B2B jewelry companies, email marketing is one of the most powerful tools for content distribution, and that’s why building your email subscriber database should be a primary goal for jewelry brands and retailers alike.

According to WordPress website hosting provider Kinsta.com, more than 4 billion people used email in 2020. Tapping into that audience with targeted emails to opt-in subscribers can effectively enhance your customer relationships, converting leads to buyers and promoting frequency of purchase among existing customers.

Here are some tips for growing your subscriber database. Put them to use now for the best results in the all-important fourth quarter.

Website Data Capture

If your marketing and social media are doing a good job of driving traffic to your website, make sure to capture those customers and keep in touch with them.

Build easy and efficient opt-in tools for customers to sign up for your email marketing.

Many brands have pop-up boxes that appear on the home page asking visitors to sign up for their blog or email campaigns. E-commerce sites also regularly have opt-in buttons or defaults that grant you permission to keep in touch with new customers.

Kathleen Cutler, luxury sales expert and founder of The High-End Sales Society, suggests inviting customers into your inner world. 

And when you do, “be sure to share what is in it for them. Do they get behind-the-scenes looks, invitations to exclusive events?”  

She also suggests that you never stop promoting the benefits of being a brand follower. 

“Always promote your email list! Make sure you are looking for opportunities to sprinkle mentions of the perks of being on your email list in your social media posts and in all of your marketing. Spell out how potential customers can join and why they should.”

“If your content resolves your most frequently asked questions or showcases features that may need more education, your followers are more likely to open those emails.”— Kathleen Cutler, The High-End Sales Society 

Extending Reach/Finding New Customers

According to digital marketing expert Laryssa Wirstiuk of Joy Joya, great content is essential. She encourages all brands and retailers to create content that readers will want to pass along.

And be sure to make your email campaigns shareable.

“Include a link at the bottom of your emails to share/forward the email to a friend,” she said. “Hopefully, the email will make such a positive impression that the other person will sign up for your emails too.”

Wirstiuk also suggests implementing a refer-a-friend program.

Providing customers with referral incentives can drive new traffic to your website. With email opt-ins on your site, you can capture their data and potentially convert them to a new customer. 

“Even if the referred friend doesn’t buy on a first visit, they will likely sign up for your email campaign to learn more and follow your brand,” Wirstiuk said.

Promotions & Lead Magnets

Promotions are another way to find new leads and gain access to new customers who will potentially opt in to your email list. 

Wirstiuk suggests hosting cross-promotional activities and events, like giveaways with other brands and businesses. 

“Find businesses that aren’t direct competitors but share your target customer base. Then, join forces to give away something compelling. Require entrants to provide their email addresses in order to enter the giveaway.”

Further, she suggests creating lead magnets. 

“The term lead magnet refers to anything that prompts a target customer to give you their information, usually in exchange for something. For jewelry brands, that could be a style guide download or even a freebie like a ring sizer or polishing cloth,” Wirstiuk said.

“If you can promise something that offers value but that doesn’t eat into your bottom line, then you can potentially gain many new email addresses.”

Content Quality, Frequency & Segmenting

Many brands struggle with the question of frequency. How much is too much when it comes to email marketing? 

According to the experts we consulted, developing exceptional content is crucial because it allows you to communicate more often. 

Cutler advises emailing your list regularly and creating content that solves problems or answers questions. 

“One of our clients added $1.3 million last year by regularly showing up in her collectors’ inboxes,” she said. 

“If your content resolves your most frequently asked questions or showcases features that may need more education, such as how to care for specific stones or how to style your pieces, your followers are more likely to open those emails and enjoy them and share them with their contacts.” 

Segmenting your email lists can also create success and further refine your content. 

When capturing consumer data, request demographic information and personal preferences that allow you to send targeted emails based on the customer’s specific interests.