One of the biggest complaints I hear from jewellery store owners is the amount of time it takes to actively pursue a social media presence. Yet another common complaint is employees that are glued to their smartphones during work hours. Why not solve both problems at the same time? Let your employees be brand ambassadors for your store on social media with your business accounts as well as their own accounts.
First of all you need to establish guidelines. These should be spelled out in your employee handbook. Have rules for how they use each account. Make it clear that live, in the store customers come first and posting should only happen during breaks or slow times. There is nothing worse than a customer seeing your entire staff pecking away at their phones.
On your business account, provide a clear brand message and point of view that promotes your goals and identity. Make sure that religion, politics and other controversial topics never appear on your business account. You want your account to be friendly, open and positive.
Have limitations on what may or may not be posted. Selfies on the showroom floor, photos of happy customers with their new jewellery, exciting new acquisitions, a video of your benchman performing a difficult repair, or a rendering of your newest CAD design are all wonderful things to post on social media. Your messy office, photos of your safe or other security features must be forbidden. If you are in a tourist area, photos and information about interesting places to visit can help establish you as a local expert.
Encourage employees to use their own accounts to help promote your store. People like to shop with friends and this could add to their sales and commissions if used properly. Full disclosure is a must! If they promote or recommend your store they need to add a statement of their relationship to the business. If they post a strong opinion that may be taken as your store’s viewpoint, they need to include a disclaimer stating that it is their own opinion and not the opinion of the store. You want full honesty and transparency. If they are going to use their own social accounts to promote your store you will need to come to an agreement, in writing, to “friend” you and allow you to be able to view their posts.
But in general, let your employees use their own common sense without interference or need to get approval for every post. You want it to be fun and enjoyable. After all, it is SOCIAL media and you want them to be sociable.
Have weekly contests with a prize for the best post. Choose an item or service that you want to promote and offer a bonus to the employee that generates the most sales from their social media efforts.
You need to be on social media and your employees are already there, so this can be a win-win for you and your team.