TIP #1
Omni Is Key.

Meet customers where they are—and they are all over the place. Everyone shops differently now. Some shop strictly online while others are eager to return to stores; many bounce around physical and digital channels.

“If you just focus on one thing, you’re only going to get that part of the market. If we only sold online at Brian Gavin Diamonds, we’d only get certain types of people because 70% to 80% of the country will never buy a piece of jewelry online. You’ll never touch those if you are not in both places.”

HOW TO RECONNECT: Offer more options for the evolving shopper. Make it easy to buy online before try-on in-store, or shop in-store with home delivery. Equip stores to accept—indeed welcome—returns of online purchases. “The average person is used to this flexibility. Providing that dual experience will make us a lot more appealing.”

TIP #2
Perks to Pamper.

Prioritize the experience over the purchase as Apple does with its “town square” store format, a setting that’s more community than commerce. This shifts the mindset to: “I’m going to have this really fun experience. And, by the way, I am buying glasses.”

HOW TO RECONNECT: Cultivate a welcoming atmosphere with extras like a premium coffee bar—even adult libations. “We have to add those perks because there’s a lot going against us for why we shouldn’t go into the store,” Gavin says.

TIP #3
The Personality Prerogative.

As Oscar Wilde said, “It's beauty that captures your attention; personality that captures your heart.”

Shared values and interests are key connection points. At Brian Gavin Diamonds, gemstone enthusiasts are tickled to visit with Gavin’s father, Brian, a master craftsman and sixth-generation diamond cutter. Share your sparkle to connect on a deeper level.

HOW TO RECONNECT: “I’m not saying every optometrist has to be on Snapchat and TikTok doing crazy things, but remind people why you are so special and present that in your branding.” Gavin says it’s his ECP’s old-school personality that keeps him loyal. “If he left, I wouldn’t go there anymore.”

TIP #4
Meet the Metaverse.

“People may not be ready for this: the metaverse. A total virtual reality experience is in its early days. We don’t know how it is going to be, but it is coming. It’s already starting.”

HOW TO RECONNECT: Start thinking now about implications of people wearing virtual reality headsets to travel, shop, and interact with others via an all-digital experience.

“It’s easy to put blinders up and say, ‘Eh, I don’t think it’s applicable to me.’ But that doesn’t mean you should block it out completely. It’s not bad to try something—with goals: How could it affect my business positively? How could it improve the customer experience, get more people in the door?

“At a bare minimum, start to think: ‘Is this applicable to me?’ That’s different than saying, ‘I don’t want to hear about it.’”