Welcomemat Services Discusses Jewlery Store Marketing

A recent Sunday morning cartoon shows a man going about his daily routine the week before Mother’s Day. Everywhere he goes, there are floral shops, card stores and jewelry stores advertising the holiday with banners, fliers and coupons. He pays them no mind, going about his routine as usual. The last strip in the comic shows the man frantically running around the day before Mother’s Day, purchasing a card and flowers. As he stands in line at the jewelry counter, he chats with another male shopper who says, “Whew, Mother’s Day really snuck up on us this year, huh?” Our main shopper agrees and says, “It looks like they would advertise it or something.”

While this strip is comical, it also serves as a serious reminder for business owners that advertising may not always have its desired effect. Unfortunately, advertising sometimes goes virtually unnoticed. Jewelry stores often struggle to come up with ways to remind clients about special events and occasions and get them in the store to make purchases. Consumers are constantly being targeted by every form of media. It can be hard to break through the clutter and reach a potential buyer.

A recent study conducted by Franchising World magazine found that 75 percent of a company’s client base lives within 10 minutes of their location. This study proves the importance of neighborhood marketing. “This targeted market is easy to reach if you have the right resources,” says Welcomemat Services, Inc.

President Brian Mattingly. Welcomemat Services is a Atlanta-based direct marketing firm that specializes in new mover marketing. The company sends out a monthly mailing to specifically-targeted new movers by zip code, featuring gift check offers from local businesses. These businesses can include anything from Mexican restaurants to jewelers. Welcomemat’s unique package  breaks through the advertising clutter because of the upscale appearance of the package and carefully targeted demographic.

Harrison, Newsome and Fryer Jewelers of Charleston, S.C. began targeting new movers with Welcomemat in November of 2004. The jewelry store has enjoyed a high response rate since then. The store offers a free watch battery and one free jewelry appraisal. This offer has led the store to see many new faces and has increased sales, says owner Paula Fryer. “We have people come in to get a watch battery replaced and they end up buying a necklace for their wife or mother.” Fryer says once clients have had a positive experience in the store, they often return. “If customers like what we have to offer and enjoyed the service they received here, they will think of us the next time a special occasion comes up.” Fryer has seen many of her new Welcomemat customers turn into repeat customers. “For minimal cost, we are able to bring in new customers who will spend money.”

Welcomemat offers tools with its service that help jewelers like Fryer keep track of their new customers. Each gift check is imprinted with a patent-pending barcode that can be used to capture demographic information about each new client. Fryer can then have a list of clients to include in future mailings. Many jewelers keep lists of clients’ birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions and send out reminders before the special day. The Welcomemat database aids in that process, says Fryer. “Welcomemat has many tools that can be beneficial to all business owners, including jewelers,” said Fryer. “It definitely helps increase bottom-line profits.”

For more information about Welcomemat Services, visit www.welcomematservices.com.