I share an interview with Ama McKinley, founder of waist bead jewelry brand Ilium Wing. In this episode, I talk to Ama about topics like branding and setting your jewelry brand apart in a crowded marketplace, marketing with a focus on genuine engagement and community building, the power of emerging platforms like Clubhouse, and tips for executing an on-brand lifestyle photoshoot for your jewelry brand.  Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2021/04/02/interview-with-jewelry-entrepreneur-ama-mckinley-of-ilium-wing/

All your marketing content should start with a plan and calendar. Do you have a formal planning system in place for your marketing? If not, you're probably scrambling to get your photo/video assets when you need them and possibly missing opportunities to connect with your target customers at optimal times. In this video, I explain why you should start planning your marketing content (social, email, website, and more) in a strategic way, teach you how you can do it in an accessible way (and scale as you grow), and share some of my favorite tools for planning. Read the transcript of the episode here: https://joyjoya.com/2021/03/27/jewelry-marketing-content-plan/

In episode #119, I explain the difference between "brand marketing" and "product marketing" and why the distinction matters so much for jewelry brands. If you want to understand how to truly distinguish yourself from your competition, then you'll definitely want to listen to this episode. You can find the transcript here: https://joyjoya.com/2021/03/18/brand-marketing-vs-product-marketing-for-jewelry-brands/

In episode #118, I answer a listener-submitted question. The anonymous listener asked, “How can we transition from a traditional brick-and-mortar jewelry store to an ecommerce jewelry brand?” They explained that they’re a small family business and that they’re struggling with the digital transformation. Listen for the answer. You can find the transcript here: https://joyjoya.com/2021/03/12/transition-to-jewelry-ecommerce/

I share my interview with Paul Spinak, founder of The Marketing Machine, an innovative and creative marketing agency located in downtown Raleigh NC. Paul is the agency’s creative director, marketing strategist, brand guardian, and sales force all wrapped up in one high-octane package.  We focus our discussion on two very nebulous topics that confuse many jewelry entrepreneurs - marketing strategy and branding. What in the world do these two terms mean, and how can you wrap your head around them as a small business owner? We’ll answer all those questions in this episode. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2021/03/05/paul-spinak-on-jewelry-branding/

In episode #116​ of the podcast, I share some of the most common marketing mindset mistakes that I observe day in and day out. In my opinion, marketing is just as much about mindset as it is about the strategies you implement. If you're able to master mindset and get out of your own way, then you'll absolutely be able to achieve your dreams. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2021/02/26/jewelry-marketing-mindset-mistakes/

I interview Jason Fleagle, a branding and marketing expert who has supported global brands like Abercrombie and Fitch and has worked with prominent figures like Kevin Harrington. He's currently a consultant and a catalyst success partner for individuals and organizations, coming alongside them, empowering them, and positioning them for growth. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2021/02/21/interview-with-jason-fleagle-content-marketing-for-jewelry-brands/

I share my own recording of a recent presentation I did about personalization in jewelry marketing. Would you like to discover how personalization can help you improve the customer experience and build stronger customer relationships? If so, then you'll definitely want to listen to this episode. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2021/02/14/personalization-jewelry-marketing/

In this episode, I interview Derek DeMoro and James Wright, the co-founders of Zigy, which is a social selling solution for the direct-to-consumer channel. As Derek described to me in a blurb about the company, "Zigy is LinkedIn, Instagram, Affiliate Networking, Match.com, Shopify, Tik Tok, a global marketplace and ecommerce analytics all mashed up into a single little app." Listen to learn more about this exciting new platform. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2021/02/08/interview-with-derek-demoro-and-james-wright-co-founders-of-zigy/

Laryssa interviews Jen Cullen Williams, a public relations and brand communications strategist who specializes in working with jewelry and luxury brands. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2021/01/31/interview-with-jen-cullen-williams-part-two/

Laryssa interviews Jen Cullen Williams, a public relations and brand communications strategist who specializes in working with jewelry and luxury brands. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2021/01/24/interview-with-jen-cullen-williams/

Are you frustrated by the Instagram algorithm? I know the answer to that question is “yes”. If you’re like most jewelry brands, then you’re probably wondering why your posts are getting seen and liked by so few people. I understand that it's super frustrating to plan and create awesome content that doesn’t get noticed. Listen to this episode for tips that you can start implementing today. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2021/01/15/instagram-engagement-jewelry-brand/

Do you often find yourself deciding on your jewelry brand's social media post content the day that you’re going to post it? If you’re currently following this approach, then you’re likely experiencing one of two common problems: either your feed looks unplanned and lacks visual cohesiveness, or you’re missing out on opportunities to connect your social media strategy back to your overarching business and marketing strategies. To squeeze the best results from your social media marketing efforts, you’ll need to be planning your posts at least two weeks but ideally one month ahead of time. Listen to this episode to discover how to get your planning under control.   Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2021/01/07/jewelry-social-media-management-tools/    

After a rather abysmal, confusing, and challenging year, most jewelry business owners have high hopes for 2021. They’re starting the new year with bright eyes and a renewed commitment to their digital marketing strategies. What can we expect from the coming year? Where should you be investing your marketing dollars, and how should you be redistributing your budget? Based on industry trends and our own experience, we’ve put together five jewelry marketing predictions for 2021. Listen to this episode for more information. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2021/01/03/2021-jewelry-marketing-trends/

I recently stumbled upon a really interesting quote by Josh Hayes from Liftoff, a company that helps ecommerce brands optimize their mobile apps. In a blog post, Josh says, "Creatives aren’t a beauty contest, so let performance drive your ad appearance decisions. Oftentimes, the best performing creatives run counter intuitive to what we might think because they aren’t necessarily the most aesthetic. We see this time and time again." I completely agree with Josh's assertion about "creatives", which are the photos and videos that brands use in their Facebook and Instagram ads. When I build an advertising campaign for a client, I'm not necessarily looking for the client's most beautiful photo and video assets. In fact, the beautiful photos are usually the ones that perform the worst in advertisements. They tend to look too polished. Listen to this episode for more information about why jewelry marketing is not a beauty contest. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/12/10/jewelry-marketing-isnt-a-beauty-contest/

A hot-of-the-presses report titled "Adobe Analytics Holiday Forecast 2020" predicts that 42% of shopping will be done from smartphones this holiday season. Furthermore, the report states that "smartphone shopping dollars will grow by 55% YoY this season" and that "$28.1B more will be spent on smartphones this year". If your jewelry brand's website isn't optimized for an ideal mobile browsing and shopping experience, then you could potentially be missing out on critical sales. If your website is built on Shopify, then you're likely ahead of the game, since many Shopify themes are fully responsive, meaning they adjust for any screen size or resolution. It may be too late in the year to completely overhaul your website, but you can make some small changes that will immediately improve the mobile experience. Listen for tips. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/12/03/mobile-shopping-matters

In conversations with my clients, I often use the phrase "customer touchpoints", but I realize that "touchpoints" is a vague, catch-all term that could probably use some clarification. What are customer touchpoints exactly, and why is it important for your jewelry brand to remain consistent across all of them? In this episode, I'll explain where to find touchpoints and why they matter. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/11/25/customer-touchpoints-in-jewelry-marketing/

Who doesn't like free stuff? I can guarantee that your customers would surely appreciate it. In honor of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, we'd like to celebrate the spirit of giving. When was the last time you gave back to your followers and customers as a way of showing your appreciation? Hosting a giveaway can be one way to demonstrate your thanks. Listen to this episode to find out how you can do it successfully.   Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/11/12/how-to-host-a-giveaway-for-your-jewelry-brand/

In branding and marketing, color is so important because it can trigger powerful emotions and help solidify memories. When used strategically and with great care, color can also encourage certain behaviors; for example, red can captivate someone's attention, but it can also incite a negative reaction. In this podcast episode, we'll be discussing how you can use color to your benefit in jewelry marketing.   Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/11/04/color-in-jewelry-marketing

Did you know that nearly 50% of subscribers decide to open a message based on the subject line? The first step to getting a subscriber to read your email is to get that subscriber to open your email. Otherwise, nothing else matters: forget your amazing coupon code and say goodbye to the time you spent crafting clever copywriting and impactful calls to action. Arguably, your subject line matters more than any other aspect of your jewelry brand's email campaign. In this episode, we'll share some email subject line types, so you can diversify your approach to email marketing. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/10/29/jewelry-email-marketing-subject-lines/

In celebration of the Halloween holiday, I’m shocking you with something spooky: the worst jewelry marketing vampires of all. They drain you of all your time and money, even when you think you’re doing all the right things with your marketing. These vampires can eventually make you lose faith in marketing, so you think twice before trying new marketing initiatives in the future. Listen to this episode to discover how you can identify and avoid these vampires. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/10/22/jewelry-marketing-vampires-drain-time-and-money/

Not only have I reached a very important milestone in my podcasting journey, but I’m also officially publishing Jewelry Marketing Joy. I’m excited to celebrate 100 episodes of the Joy Joya Jewelry Marketing Podcast and the launch of my book, which is the first-of-its-kind resource for the industry.  Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/10/08/jewelry-marketing-joy-is-officially-here/

We interview Arthur Root, the co-founder and CEO of Nostra, a startup that has created an innovative new ecommerce tool for brands that want to provide their customers with more personalized shopping experiences. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/10/01/interview-with-arthur-root-co-founder-and-ceo-of-nostra/

Developed by Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto in the early 1900s, the Pareto principle, or "the 80-20 rule", states that approximately 80% of the results come from 20% of the causes or efforts. Did you know that the Pareto principle has a place in jewelry marketing? When it comes to marketing, a common trend among many jewelry businesses is that 80% of revenue will actually only come from 20% of customers because that minority consists of the best and most loyal customers who buy frequently. Do you find that's true with your business? Listen to this episode to learn more. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/09/24/whats-the-80-20-rule-in-jewelry-marketing/

Given the fact that 2020 has been such a strange and difficult year for many reasons, you probably can’t even imagine the holiday season at this point. Alternatively, you may actually be looking forward to the holidays, since you feel confident that you’ll be able to make up for any sales you lost in March and April, when COVID-19 was at its peak in the US. This podcast episode will be released around the first day of fall, so you might be drinking your pumpkin spice latte or, if you’re like me, buying all the fall-scented candles from Home Goods. You may not be ready for candy canes and Santa Claus, but I hope this episode will encourage you to think about holiday planning and why it matters now. Keep listening to learn more. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/09/18/planning-jewelry-ecommerce-for-holiday-2020/

My full-length book JEWELRY MARKETING JOY is now available for pre-order on Amazon. To learn more about the book and to find out how you can get your paperback copy, visit jewelrymarketingjoy.com.

If you collect email addresses on your website or sell anything from your ecommerce storefront, then you have access to sensitive data that your customers would definitely not want exposed. Jewelry businesses of every size - even the small ones - should be actively protecting customer data and addressing their customers' privacy concerns. No business is immune to data breaches and cyber attacks. Listen to this episode for more information. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/09/03/data-protection-and-privacy-in-jewelry-marketing/

With my background in creative writing, I personally love writing product descriptions. I find them to be extremely challenging in the best way, not only because the short word count is limiting but also because finding new things to say about jewelry can be difficult (“beautiful” gets old quickly). Listen to this episode to find out how to improve your product descriptions, which will enhance the customer experience and help you tell the story of your products. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/08/27/how-to-improve-your-jewelry-product-descriptions/

What are the best practices for jewelry ecommerce homepages, and which features and elements should your homepage definitely include? In this episode, we’ll share some best practices and tips. As you think about the following features and elements, remember: the goal is to actually get your customers off your homepage, so they can shop products within your site.   Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/08/20/how-to-optimize-your-jewelry-ecommerce-homepage/

We interview Liz Kantner, a self-described marketer, content creator, jewelry brand advocate, and more. Though not a jewelry designer herself, Liz is passionate about helping independent jewelry artists - especially emerging designers - thrive in the modern marketplace. After graduating college with a degree in marketing and communications and then building her work experience in marketing, Liz took her first jewelry industry job as Digital Marketing Manager for Todd Reed in Boulder Colorado. In 2016, she left Todd Reed to launch Stay Gold, which allows her to accept new jewelry clients and work independently. Throughout her career in the industry, she's curated the New Designer Gallery for JA New York and the Designer Jewelry section of Premiere. In addition, she’s been featured in JCK Magazine, INSTORE Magazine, and National Jeweler.  Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/08/13/interview-with-liz-kantner-jewelry-marketer-and-designer-advocate/

In last week’s episode, we explained how you can determine an appropriate jewelry marketing budget and plan your marketing spend based on your current circumstances and goals. If you’re struggling to imagine how that money will be spent, then you’ll definitely want to listen to this episode, which explains how much you can expect to pay for various types of marketing services when enlisting the assistance of an outside consultant or agency. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/08/06/what-you-can-expect-to-pay-for-jewelry-marketing/

You may have heard the phrase “You have to spend money to make money”, and that definitely applies to jewelry brands that want to increase market share and remain competitive in their respective categories. How much should you be spending on marketing your jewelry brand every year, and how should you be distributing that marketing budget across multiple marketing channels? In this episode, we’ll help you plan your marketing spend in a strategic way. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/07/30/determining-your-jewelry-marketing-budget/

Jewelry entrepreneurs often use the terms “marketing strategy” and “marketing plan” interchangeably. However, the two things are not the same, and you actually need both for your jewelry business. In this podcast episode, we’ll discuss how the two documents differ and how you can start putting both together. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/07/24/what's-the-difference-between-a-jewelry-marketing-strategy-and-plan?/

In “Jewelry Marketing in the Time of Coronavirus“ (episode 72), we discussed the importance of multichannel and omnichannel for jewelry brands. However, we haven’t really explored these two sales models in detail, and we never really explained how multichannel marketing is different from omnichannel marketing. We’ll elaborate in this episode. https://joyjoya.com/2020/07/16/multichannel-vs-omnichannel-marketing-for-jewelry-brands/

Have you ever used a funnel to transfer a large amount of liquid to a container with a narrow opening? You can probably imagine how a funnel is shaped, with a wide top and a graduated, triangular shape that leads to a small spout. Did you know that a funnel should also play an important role in your jewelry marketing strategy? In marketing, a funnel refers to the steps you'll need to take in order to nurture your prospective customers, so they can eventually become life-long fans of your jewelry brand. To put it simply, the funnel describes the buyer’s journey from awareness to purchase. In this episode, we'll explain how you can use a funnel to your advantage. https://joyjoya.com/2020/07/09/what-does-a-funnel-have-to-do-with-jewelry-marketing/

In my experience speaking to jewelry entrepreneurs, I find there’s a lot of confusion about the terms “marketing”, “public relations”, and “sales”, which are sometimes used interchangeably. Though these business functions often support each other, they’re very different. In this episode, I’m going to clarify what each one means, so you can feel confident utilizing the three functions in your business. https://joyjoya.com/2020/07/06/how-does-jewelry-marketing-differ-from-jewelry-pr-and-sales

We interview Sneh Parmar, the CEO and co-founder of Lucky Labs. Unlike most guests on this podcast, Sneh is not part of the jewelry industry. However, the Lucky Moments platform that Sneh has developed through his company could potentially help omnichannel jewelry brands, especially if they want to more effectively connect digital and physical shopping experiences for customers. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/06/26/interview-with-sneh-parmar,-next-gen-ecommerce-innovator/

If you're not spending more time, energy, effort, and money on your jewelry product pages than you are on basically every other part of your ecommerce website, you could be sabotaging your conversion rate. Yes, product pages are more important than even your homepage! In this episode, we'll explain why jewelry product page optimization matters and how you can start optimizing those pages. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/06/18/5-ways-to-optimize-ecommerce-jewelry-product-pages/

After reading a recent article from Business of Fashion titled "Now’s the Time for Brand Founders to Speak Up. Here’s How.", we were inspired to consider how jewelry founders can be the faces of their brands. Especially this year, when consumers are craving personal and meaningful relationships with the businesses they support, a founder can physically embody a brand's values. In this new episode, we'll share five ways you can do that. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/06/11/5-tips-for-being-the-"founder-voice"-of-your-jewelry-brand/

In our recent episode "Jewelry Marketing for a Post-COVID-19 Future", we emphasized the fact that customer experience will need to remain at the center of all your jewelry marketing efforts in 2020 and for the foreseeable future. One of the most effective ways to improve customer experience is to be personal with your marketing and outreach. In this new episode, we'll share five ways you can do that. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/05/29/5-ways-to-get-personal-with-jewelry-marketing/

We interview Liana Kadisha Cohn, the co-founder of Switch, a jewelry rental service that offers customers the opportunity to borrow unlimited designer, fine, one-of-a-kind, and vintage jewelry for a monthly subscription fee. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/05/22/interview-with-liana-kadisha-cohn-co-founder-of-switch/

Since late March, we’ve been doing a lot of thinking, reading, writing, and speaking about the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on retail in general and the jewelry industry in particular. We’ve also spoken to many industry experts and have watched many webinars on the subject, in an effort to gain some clarity and better serve our clients. Now that businesses are slowly starting to reopen, and life is regaining at least some hints of normalcy, we’re trying to imagine the post-COVID-19 future. How will consumers’ shopping habits change, and how will jewelry brands need to position themselves in the marketplace to meet consumers’ needs and expectations? We’re certainly not holding the crystal ball, but we have a few ideas, which we’ll share in this episode. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/05/15/jewelry-marketing-for-a-post-covid-19-future/

We interview Deb LaBudde, founder and CEO of Memo, a highly-curated ecommerce fine jewelry retailer that offers customers a very unique and innovative shopping experience – at home. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/05/08/interview-with-deb-labudde-founder-and-ceo-of-memo/

Since the implementation of “shelter in place” rules during the coronavirus pandemic, more jewelry brands have been opting to replace their lucrative in-person event marketing strategy with a virtual one, taking advantage of free platforms like Instagram Live. Through these platforms, brands are able to connect with their audiences in real time, engaging and interacting with them in a meaningful way. Have you been wondering how you can also use Instagram Live creatively and effectively? Continue reading this post, since we’ll be sharing some of the best practices for using the platform and even pass along some tips from jewelry designer Julie Lamb, who’s been hosting many Live broadcasts over the past few weeks. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/05/01/best-practices-for-jewelry-brands-using-instagram-live/

We interview Tracy Matthews, successful jewelry business owner and Chief Visionary Officer of Flourish & Thrive Academy, which helps other jewelry business owners launch, grow, and scale profitable businesses. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/04/24/interview-with-tracy-matthews,-cvo-of-flourish-&-thrive-academy/

I recently invited my clients and Instagram followers to submit their questions about running a jewelry business in the time of coronavirus. This post is part three of a (so far) three-part series, and I'll be answering three questions at a time. If you'd still like to submit a question, you can always email me [email protected], and I'll do my best to answer it. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/04/17/questions-from-jewelry-brands-about-coronavirus-and-the-jewelry-industry-part3/

I recently invited my clients and Instagram followers to submit their questions about running a jewelry business in the time of coronavirus. This post is part two of a (so far) three-part series, and I'll be answering three questions at a time. If you'd still like to submit a question, you can always email me [email protected], and I'll do my best to answer it. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/04/11/questions-from-jewelry-brands-about-coronavirus-and-the-jewelry-industry-part2/

I recently invited my clients and Instagram followers to submit their questions about running a jewelry business in the time of coronavirus. This post is part one of a (so far) three-part series, and I'll be answering three questions at a time. If you'd still like to submit a question, you can always email me [email protected], and I'll do my best to answer it. Check out the accompanying blog post here: https://joyjoya.com/2020/04/03/questions-from-jewelry-brands-about-coronavirus-and-the-jewelry-industry-part1/