Marketing Tips For Jewelers: The Difference Between Lead Generation & Lead Nurturing

With online shopping and consumer research for jewelry-related products increasing each year (up 58% from 2018 and 81% respectively) building an online presence is no longer a luxury for jewelers; it is now a must. One of the best ways to stimulate more business online is with lead generation.

This technique gets potential customers onto your website, and provides them with something of value -- such as an educational piece of content or a special offer -- to entice them to either visit your jewelry store or make an online purchase.

With that being said, simply getting a user onto your web pages or entered into a sales funnel isn’t enough to convert them into a customer. It’s up to you to nurture those leads long enough, and with the most relevant set of actions, to get them to buy in to your brand and the products you sell. This is why it is important for jewelers to understand the distinct differences between lead generation and lead nurturing, as it can make all the difference when it comes to increasing sales and attracting long-term customers.

Understanding Lead Generation

Generating leads for your jewelry store online boils down to creating a unique and enticing offer that you can market to the masses.

These offers are typically referred to as ‘lead magnets’ and are placed on a page on your website, accompanying a contact form to capture the user’s information.

Some great examples of lead magnets for jewelers include:

• eBook or educational guide (I.E. a guide to buying an engagement ring)
• Discount codes for online purchases
• Series of educational blog posts
• Printable coupons for in-store discounts

Regardless of the lead magnet you choose, the goal here is to capture the user’s email address (and other information) in order to enter them into a sales funnel. It is in this funnel where they will (hopefully) convert into an actual customer. However, the buck doesn’t stop here.

Implementing The Right Lead Nurturing Strategy

Once a user has begun their buyer’s journey, a great deal of nurturing is required to turn them into a customer. For jewelers, lead nurturing accounts for over 20% of online sales of high priced products (such as loose diamonds or engagement rings).

Why is this? It’s simple. Consumers tend to take their time when making important buying decisions. While an expensive piece of jewelry isn’t exactly on the same financial level of a car or home, it’s still a large investment, and one your buyer will want to mull over before they decide to purchase.

During this process, carrying out a meticulous set of actions has proven to be an effective way to build trust and entice a user to become a buyer. However, the set of actions you carry out will depend heavily on a variety of factors, including the lead magnet you’re promoting.

For example, if you’ve created an eBook to help users buy the right engagement ring, a good nurturing campaign would include sending a series of follow-up emails and additional blog posts over a 2-3 month period. This is the time it typically takes consumers to buy a ring, so it’s important to be prevalent throughout their journey with helpful tips along the way.

In Conclusion

You should now have a clear understanding of lead generation and lead nurturing, along with the importance of both strategies when it comes to converting more customers.

For jewelers, your goal should be to build a strong relationship with your potential customers by providing value before they even make a purchase. If you need guidance or want to ensure your jewelry store is implementing the proper lead generation strategy, be sure to partner with a reputable digital marketing agency. At GemFind Digital Solutions, we help jewelers find new ways to not only increase leads, but successfully convert them as well. Contact us today to get started!