This week's Daily Gold Nuggets explain that storytelling through your emails, blog or Facebook posts will build better long term (buying) relationships with your customers than direct advertising. This technique is usually only employable during this time of the year when your customers are more open-hearted to hear stories and share their own experiences.
The next story you share should be sent 7 to 10 days before Christmas. In it, share details about your customer holiday party or your office party. Of course, if you are not having one of those parties this year then you should simply reminisce moments from previous years.
If you held an in-store event, then share the photos and tell your readers how much your party-goers enjoyed themselves. Was there a gift exchange or a contest? Include those details, and use real names if the event was this year. Someone will likely share or tweet your story if their name is mentioned.
If you are storytelling about your employee party, you should also include details of the gift exchange. If you didn't have a gift exchange this year, then in your story say, "I am reminded of a previous year when everyone went crazy over a 'Bruce the Shark' Disney doll." Of course you should not use "Bruce" if he wasn't really part of your story, but hopefully you get the point.
Make sure you express how you were feeling as well. Explain how you looked around and saw the fun and felt the warmth, and you appreciate how special this time of year is for everyone. This all might seem sappy or sentimental, but remember what we said on Monday this week; the intent of these stories is to build a relationship by letting the customers know more about you on a personal level. But don't overdo it.
There are two more blogs/emails to send before December is over. The next one should be the Monday before Christmas of this year. Make sure to post it before 10am so your readers will see it when they get to their office.
This email will have a slightly different strategy. You might have to contrive this story, or retell another story from previous years again. You will also include a special offer only for your readers.
That Monday's story needs to begin by saying something like this: "I was able to help someone with something special over the weekend and I wanted to share..."
Now think back to a time during your career in jewelry and remember one of the best stories of how you helped a customer. Was it a shaky guy picking out an engagement ring? Was it a couple that randomly came in, but then he bought a surprise gift that made her cry right there in the store? That's the type of story you want to share in hopes your readers will empathize with that customer's point of view.
After you finish that story, you will then include something like this: "I know only a few of you are reading these stories, and I thank you. If anyone is looking for a last minute gift this week, give me a call or stop by the store. If you mention this story, I'll take an extra __% off the price."
Then continue writing the email/blog after that solicitation. You don't want the solicitation to be at the end of the post. It needs to be in the middle so only your real readers will see it. We suggest making it a mafia-type offer that is really unlike any other offer you have this season. With limited readership, you shouldn't be afraid of losing too many profits from it.
There's another specific technique this employs. Most people are extremely busy those last few days before Christmas, and many will not have the time to read your story. But eventually they will. When they realize the truly remarkable offer they missed they will make a mental note to pay more attention to your emails and blog posts in the future. In other words, your future message will develop a higher immediate readership rate.
The last paragraph of your email/blog should include details of your own last minute planning, and how much you are looking forward to your long work hours to be over.
In tomorrow's Daily Gold Nugget we'll share the format for the final story in this series.
