COLUMNISTS
SELLING
LEONARD ZELL
Zip up your website
Where is your store’s phone
number?
For some reason I will never understand
why phone numbers are listed under
‘My Contacts’ at the bottom of almost
all jeweller’s websites. Worse yet, some
jewellers want customers to just email
them. Your telephone can be your
best salesperson. It is the only way a
customer can contact you to have a two-
way conversation. How else could you
explain in detail the jewellery you have
they inquired about and invite them to
your store? Why put up a barrier? Your
phone number should be displayed in
the upper right hand corner of the first
page of your website and in most, if not
on all pages. The more it shows the more
it implies to customers to call you. It’s a
win-win situation.
Is there a photograph of the
inside and outside of your store?
I find most of these under the heading,
‘About Us’ which is at the bottom of
the site. Most first time customers have
never seen your store so why not invite
them in showing a large photograph of
54 JEWELLERY FOCUS
the inside of your store and a smaller
one of the outside on the first page?
I seldom see them, but those that I
do look unprofessional. They all look
like they were taken by a personal
camera to save a few pounds instead
of hiring a professional photographer.
I recommend you spend the money
because you will find the difference is
amazing and the quality of your web site
is a reflection of you.
Here is a Zelling tip. Have customers
in your store when the pictures are
taken showing their sides or backs for
privacy. This is much more inviting then
showing an empty store. Additionally
have one or two people in a photograph
walking by the front of your store. If
you have a shop also have a photograph
showing your jeweller at work.
I ran an experiment taking pictures of
a monument, a large tree and a historical
fort with log cabins. I took one with no
people in them and the other with a few
people looking on. The latter was the
preferred one by almost all I showed
them to because when seeing people in
the photo they could relate to to them
and imagine themselves being there.
This is why I recommend showing
customers inside and outside your store.
If it does not interfere with the
architecture or ambiance of your store,
I recommend large transparencies with
romantic scenes of a bride putting on an
engagement ring, or the groom putting
the ring on her hand. You can also show
a women trying on a diamond ring, or
necklace or any romantic scene that tells
a story. These are available from some of
your vendors.
These visuals your customers will
relate because they tell a story and
‘‘
Here is a
Zelling
tip. Have
customers
in your store
when the
pictures
are taken
showing
their sides
or backs
for privacy.
This is
much more
inviting then
showing an
empty store.
‘‘
T
oo many jewellers think of their
web site as a necessary evil. “We
cannot compete with those
large jewellery websites like Amazon
so why make the investment”, is what
I hear from most jewellers. They are
correct on one hand. They will sell a
fraction of what Amazon and others do,
but on the other hand these jewellers
have the advantage of having a store to
invite their customers to. Now is the
time to zip up your website and show
your store in a way that is appealing for
customers to come into.
connect to their emotions. Use
them as a background on your
website as well. Remember what
Confucius said: “One picture
equals ten thousand words.” I
know many of you like to show
photographs of you and your
salespeople with their names. I
recommend you check with your
insurance company first because
this could pose a security risk.
I also recommend photographs
of your jewellery should be
done professionally unless you
have the right equipment. Each
piece should stand out and look
appealing. This implies you have
quality jewellery. In most cases,
rings should be photographed in
three-quarter view to make them
look more realistic. Many vendors
have excellent photographs of their
jewellery available.
How do you put this all together?
I recommend using a web designer
and interview several. You can show
them this article and examples of
other sites you like to give them an
idea of what you have in mind.Your
website is viewed every day. Make
it count.
To help you get started, go to Leonard’s website,
www.zellit.com and order his best selling sales manual
of proven jewellery sales techniques. Now available,
“Leonard Zell Live” a full day sales seminar recorded live
on 3 CDs. You may also email Leonard at [email protected]
for further information on this article and for answers to
any of your questions on selling and management.
Leonard welcomes your feedback and especially ideas you
have that made your website successful. He will include
them in his next article on web sites. Please email them to
Leonard at [email protected]
February 2018 | jewelleryfocus.co.uk