Hi Everyone! Looking for some feedback on my little marketing plan

[jmaustin]

Hey Everyone I just joined this forum. I have been into business and self development for a few years now and hope we can have some great discussions. I am currently starting a business and wanted to tell you a bit about it in hopes you could offer some feedback.

So I am starting a high end jewellery retailer that will sell online and in person.
I believe we can be successful due to the following reasons: we have an expert on staff with many years in the business, we plan to keep our overhead really low by just renting a small office out of an already established jewellery location, we will compete with ONLINE prices, we offer one on one consultation in person, Skype, chat etc.

Our aim is to sell particularly to local clients so that they will come see us in person and establish a relationship. Our online sales will probably take off more next year.

Anyways as I see it our disadvantages are: small location (no bells ad whistles of a fancy retail store) and also that we have not yet established the credibility and reputation of a store thats been around for a while.

My plan will include the following: Full social media platform with forum posts, reviews of famous/ celebrity jewellery, trying to give give give as much interesting content as possible as well as try to engage with our following as much as possible via video Q and A, forum posts etc.

How does this sound?
I also want to release a special secret buyers guide in exchange for peoples emails. In this guide I am considering talking about why we are better than the competition: we have better more credible certifications, we don't have the high overhead of large stores, and also listing specific examples of how other online businesses may misrepresent their products to the customers...

*I am particularly concerned about this part as Im afraid I may stir up a hornets nest. Is it considered bad practice for a new business to attempt to discredit other competitors by specifically stating what they do better and showing how competitors misrepresent their products?

I know this was lengthy... sorry... any help would mean so much!
thanks

[Lynn Terry]

Hi JM,

Your plans sound good. A buyers guide would be incredibly helpful. You don't necessarily have to "trash the competition" to give people a list of things to check or look for when choosing a jeweler. Frame it from their perspective - how to choose, how to not get overcharged, etc.

Done right, referrals should be your best source. Online you can do well with a heavy social presence and great personal interaction. Position yourself as the go-to person for Q&A on all things jewelry!

[jmaustin]

Hi JM,

Your plans sound good. A buyers guide would be incredibly helpful. You don't necessarily have to "trash the competition" to give people a list of things to check or look for when choosing a jeweler. Frame it from their perspective - how to choose, how to not get overcharged, etc.

Done right, referrals should be your best source. Online you can do well with a heavy social presence and great personal interaction. Position yourself as the go-to person for Q&A on all things jewelry!

Thanks so much Terry for your response!

So in terms of the buyers guide I am wanting to release it as a sort of "secret tips from a pro" thing based on our years in the jewellery industry. On one hand I believe that this could go over really well since because we want to talk about some sales traps customers can fall into and then pitch our own company at the end as a sort of solution to these problems.
But lets say for instance we talk about examples of how diamonds bought at a chain store often don't have the best possible certification, or how there may be certain flaws the companies attempt to cover up ( for instance one large store sold a certain diamond at what appeared to be a good price, however upon close inspection there were some undesirable things about the cutting)... If we point out these examples, could that not anger the other stores so much they might slander us?

Are there particular strategies a starting up business can take to show how their product is superior to the competitors in a way that won't anger the competition too much?

[Lynn Terry]

You can come at it from a different angle, such as teaching your readers how to find out the quality of a diamond or cutting, what certification is ideal and why, and basically just give them a list of things to be wary of and aware of - along with the "how" and "why".

Simply educate your market on what to look for, and show them examples (from your own collection).

[jmaustin]

You can come at it from a different angle, such as teaching your readers how to find out the quality of a diamond or cutting, what certification is ideal and why, and basically just give them a list of things to be wary of and aware of - along with the "how" and "why".

Simply educate your market on what to look for, and show them examples (from your own collection).

Thanks allot! I think I will revise my guide a bit. This was very helpful thanks

[cwvps]

I would just add that Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram may be the best social media for you as they are image based and through them you can show what you are all about. Pinterest is maybe the best because you can create specific boards and use hashtags to make them even more visible.

[SaraAssists]

I like Lynn Terry's tips. For your Q and A videos, you might try Periscope to see if that platform works. It's interactive, you can do it on the go, and you get immediate feedback.

Another angle for your buyers guide would be a comparison chart. Do a side by side analysis. List everything your product has and next to it list other brands with similar products. On the list check off or mark with x the benefits and features.

[jmaustin]

Thanks allot everyone for the help. I am in full startup mode right now and just building the pages as we speak

[alanorourke]

When you are small nothing says credibility like PR. Once you have the press talking about you no one will talk about your size.

[jmaustin]

When you are small nothing says credibility like PR. Once you have the press talking about you no one will talk about your size.

Thanks! Do you all have any tips on how to get noticed by local press?>

Im having a press release made up to send around, is that adequate? Should I phone them too? Any tips would be amazing!