146 - Laryssa and Liz on Post-Purchase Strategies to Keep Your Jewelry Customers Coming Back

Summary

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Episode 146: Laryssa and Liz on Post-Purchase Strategies to Keep Your Jewelry Customers Coming Back

Success With Jewelry Podcast
Date: October 13, 2025
Hosts: Laryssa Wirstiuk & Liz Kantner

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Episode Overview

This episode delves into one of the most crucial – yet often underestimated – pillars of a sustainable jewelry business: transforming first-time buyers into passionate repeat customers. Laryssa and Liz share actionable advice and heartfelt anecdotes, unraveling strategies to foster trust, deepen relationships, and encourage customers to become lifelong collectors. The conversation covers memorable purchase experiences, post-purchase communication, and genuine ways to nurture customer loyalty without feeling “salesy.”

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Value of Repeat Customers

• Cheaper to Retain Than Acquire:
  “It's cheaper to engage an existing customer than it is to acquire a new one.” — Laryssa (03:01)
• Importance During Slow Sales Periods:
  Liz advises brands experiencing slow sales to focus on existing customers and interested prospects rather than expending excessive effort on reach expansion.
  “Dig into the customers you already have or dig into people who have expressed interest in your work… that is a really powerful segment of your business that doesn't get enough attention.” — Liz (02:17)
• Obstacles in Jewelry – Price Point & Purchase Frequency:
  Both acknowledge the high price point in jewelry means buyers may not purchase frequently. However, engaging customers for seasonal or gifting occasions can keep them invested.
  “They can't necessarily buy something every month... but how can you invite them once a year to buy something or check in…?” — Liz (03:25)

2. Creating a Memorable First Purchase Experience

• Ease and Comfort:
  The buying process should be smooth and inviting, whether online, in-person, or via social channels.
  “Having an experience for people where they feel comfortable asking you questions… even if they're not purchasing at that time, you're still open to them.” — Liz (06:19)
• Thoughtful Touches:
  Packaging, handwritten notes, and surprise elements elevate the brand experience, making first-time buyers feel special.
  “Having thoughtful packaging, having a nice unboxing experience can be helpful…a surprise to make it feel extra exciting.” — Liz (06:57)

3. Smart Post-Purchase Communication

• Strategic Email Flows:
  Laryssa highlights the importance of post-purchase email automations.
  “What are the touch points you want to give them after that? A personalized email note. Maybe an email with care and cleaning tips. Maybe an email that personally invites them to write back…” — Laryssa (07:17)
  For lower-priced items, a “win back” email flow might start 75 days post-purchase. For luxury/high-ticket items, the interval can be longer.
• Personalized Follow-Ups:
  Handwritten notes, DMs, and personally following up on how a customer is enjoying their piece deepens the connection.
  “Maybe a quick DM: ‘How are you enjoying your piece? I'd love to see how you're styling it.’ That's really special.” — Liz (07:57)

4. Staying Connected Between Purchases

• Multiple Channels:
  Email marketing, social media, events, and in-person outreach help maintain relationships.
• Personal Invitations:
  Invite past buyers to trunk shows or markets; segment your email list for personalized invites to returning customers during holidays or special releases.
  “Personalized invites and one to one outreach goes a really long way. And it sounds tedious, but it shouldn't feel that way.” — Liz (08:28)
• Tagging & Tracking:
  Organizing contacts by event participation or purchase date makes targeted follow-ups manageable and relevant.
  “Tag the new subscribers with whatever the event was…so it's all organized in your email platform.” — Larissa (09:28)

5. Simple Organizational Practices

• Documentation is Key:
  Document as you go—don’t rely on memory for customer details.
  “When you think you're going to remember something, you won't remember it. Write it down.” — Liz (09:52)
• It’s Never Too Late to Start:
  If you’re not already organized, start now. Lists of past buyers, interested prospects, or habitual Q4 purchasers are a practical first step.
  “Like it's not too late, it's not too late.” — Liz (10:23)

6. Thoughtful Product Recommendations

• Tailored Outreach:
  Reach out with recommendations tied to previous purchases or stated interests (ex: favorite gemstones).
  “Oh, I know you love aquamarine. Here's a piece that's on my bench right now. Or here's a piece I just finished. Or… it reminded me of you.” — Liz (10:54)
• Utilize Wishlist Features:
  If available, monitor wishlists to see what customers might want next.
• Client Relationship Management (CRM):
  Keep track of birthdays, anniversaries, customer milestones, and reach out at opportune moments with relevant offerings.

7. Emotional Impact & Brand Loyalty

• “Sales as a Service”:
  Personalized attention isn’t pushy; it’s a kindness that enhances the customer experience.
  “When people remember things about you, it feels really good.” — Liz (12:21)
• Unforgettable Small Details:
  Experiences such as personalized notes or luxurious packaging stand out and increase the likelihood of repeat purchases and recommendations. Liz shares her own positive memories with brands like May Lindstrom and La Labo, reinforcing the power of memorable touchpoints.
  “How the designer, how the business made you feel, I think is really important.” — Liz (12:45)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Value of Repeat Buyers:
  “Repeat buyers are the foundation of a business and it doesn't feel as, maybe as exciting as getting new customers all the time… but it's really important. It is the foundation of a long term business.” — Liz (15:35)

• On Touchpoints After Purchase:
  “Every touch point is really important. Like that packaging, you know, like after you get the sale is kind of a crucial time, right? The packaging, the follow up, the little details like the handwritten note…” — Liz (15:47)

• On Emotional Connection:
  “Sales as a service…when people remember things about you, it feels really good.” — Liz (12:21)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:50 – 03:55 – Why repeat buyers matter; challenges and opportunities in the jewelry industry
• 04:25 – 07:17 – Timing and style of post-purchase communications
• 07:17 – 08:25 – Enhancing the unboxing and follow-up experience
• 08:28 – 09:52 – Using events and one-to-one outreach for long-term connection
• 09:52 – 10:54 – Organization tactics and not letting details slip through the cracks
• 10:54 – 12:45 – Personalized product recommendations & building a CRM
• 12:45 – 15:47 – Emotional resonance of thoughtful customer experiences
• 15:35 – End – Recap and emphasis on the long-term value of repeat buyers

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Summary & Takeaways

Laryssa and Liz advocate for consistent, heartfelt engagement with existing customers as the bedrock of jewelry business longevity. They stress that every interaction—no matter how small—can turn a single purchase into a relationship, and a one-time buyer into a lasting collector and brand advocate. Personalization, organization, and a service-oriented mindset are at the core of their recommended strategies. These tactics nurture trust, generate word-of-mouth, and convert customer satisfaction into business stability and organic growth.

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For jewelry designers and entrepreneurs:
Lean into your community. Build lasting relationships. Focus on the customer experience after the sale as much as before—and watch your brand flourish.

Transcript

[Liz]

Welcome to the Success With Jewelry Podcast. Your go to source for real conversations about business marketing and what it actually takes to succeed as a jewelry brand Today.

[Larissa]

I'm Larissa, the strategist, systems queen and the one who finds joy in turning big marketing challenges into step by step plans that actually work. Email marketing and generating revenue through it is the specialty of my agency, Joy.

[Liz]

Joya and I'm Liz, your creative compass and advocate for designers doing things differently. I live for brilliant brand storytelling, beautiful visuals, and helping designers confidently show up and shine. I founded the Stay Gold Collective to create community and support for independent jewelry brands.

[Larissa]

Together we bring you nearly two decades of jewelry marketing experience and on this podcast we're pulling back the curtain on everything we've learned. Whether you're just starting out or scaling to your next big milestone, you'll get honest insights, helpful tips, and maybe a few laughs along the way.

[Liz]

This is episode 146. Today we're talking about one of the most important parts of building a sustainable jewelry business. Turning first time buyers into repeat customers. Getting that first sale is exciting, but the real growth comes when customers come back again and again. Repeat buyers spend more, refer friends, and become your most loyal advocates. So how do you nurture those relationships in a way that feels natural and aligned with your brand? In this episode, we'll explore how to create a memorable first experience, build trust after the sale, and keep your customers engaged so they're excited to return. And if you're an insider, we're sharing practical strategies you can put into action right away. From post purchase communication to loyalty touchpoints that help turn happy buyers into lifelong collectors of your work. Let's get into it.

[Larissa]

Yes, yes, there's one very big marketing like.

[Liz]

What's the word?

[Larissa]

Like wisdom out there. I don't know how to describe it, but it's cheaper to engage an existing customer than it is to acquire a new one. So from a business sense perspective, you need to keep engaging your past customers to make them repeat ones.

[Liz]

It is so important if you're stuck out there right now with low sales. I know a lot of designers are in a slow period right now or feeling the effects of all the things happening in the world. Dig into the customers you already have or dig into people who have expressed interest in your work because that is a really powerful segment of your business that doesn't get enough attention because so many people think, oh well, if I have more, if I expand my reach. But it's kind of like what I.

[Larissa]

Say about Instagram all the time.

[Liz]

Is dig into the followers you already have, talk to them, and they'll be engaged and then you'll expand your reach.

[Larissa]

Yes. Because as someone encounters you for the first time, you have so many more hurdles to get over and there's so much more that they have to learn about you if someone's already familiar with you, like there's, there's a built in trust there, I think a pushback with jewelry.

[Liz]

And this concept is that depending on your price point, people can't buy, you.

[Larissa]

Know, a ton of your product.

[Liz]

They can't necessarily buy something every month or anything like that. But it is important to think about how can you invite them once a year to buy something or check in with them maybe every quarter or twice a year. Because there are, you know, they have the earrings, they can get the pendant, or maybe they can gift something to someone or ask for a birthday gift. There's a lot of different ways that people can keep adding to their collection and people do want to keep adding to their collection and their jewelry box.

[Larissa]

Mm, I like that you brought that up. About the objection because in like email marketing land, so there is a sequence called a customer win back. It's in like an automation or a flow that does what you're saying to like win back customers. And the normal delay that you wait to send that is 75 days. And that's for just like kind of the average brand. So not like high end.

[Liz]

So.

[Larissa]

So this is not something that is doing every month. So 75 days for, I don't know, let's say like a $50 product. So just extend that timeline based on, well, when does it make sense for someone to buy Again, reason reasonably.

[Liz]

Yeah, that's great. But even 75 days, I mean, if you have top collectors that you want to nurture, I would say it would be fair to reach out to them every quarter. And maybe it wouldn't be a formal win back, wouldn't be necessarily a hard sales approach, but it could be a quick DM or text message, hey, how's your summer going? Kind of thing, or you know, I hope, I hope you're having a nice holiday season, things like that. That's. Those are nice touch points that help nurture your clients.

[Larissa]

That's a great point too. Yes.

[Liz]

So why repeat customers matter? We talked about a little bit of this. But higher lifetime value compared to new customers. Um, they're more likely to refer their friends and family if somebody's per. Had a great experience purchasing from you the first time and maybe have. Has a couple of your pieces, they're likely to talk about that to their network, which is a really important thing. And yeah, repeat sales provide stability and predictability for your business. And so especially this time of year, looking back, who buys from me every holiday season, you probably have people or have patterns that maybe you aren't paying attention to.

[Larissa]

Yeah, that's a common recommendation we make for in Klaviyo, for example, it's like create a segment of people that and you can say purchased between whatever November 1 and December 31 or whatever your window is for that period and then send them an email directly because those are people that could potentially buy again for holiday.

[Liz]

Mm. And I think an important piece of what we're talking about right now is creating a memorable first purchase experience so that they do come back. So that's probably step one. So a clear, easy buying process, whether it's online or in person or even, you know, if you have a store or if you, your DMs are open, having an experience for people where they feel comfortable asking you questions and you, even if they're not purchasing at that time, you're still open to them trying stuff on and you're excited for them to try stuff on or ask questions and you're excited to give them the information that could make them feel really confident in asking more questions and then eventually buying something but making it really easy for people. And then we talked about this a couple episodes ago. But having thoughtful packaging, having a nice unboxing experience can be helpful. Having thoughtful touches or a surprise to make it feel extra exciting.

[Larissa]

Yeah. And just bringing it back. I'm going to keep bringing it back to the email marketing piece, but having a really good post purchase flow. So after someone makes their first purchase, like what are the touch points you want to give them after that? A personalized email note. Maybe an email with some like care and cleaning tips. Maybe an email that personally invites them to write back to you like if they have questions or concerns or doubts. Because like you're saying, Liz, you need to feel accessible and open. And I think if you don't go out of your way to invite people to communicate with you, they might feel shy or not know how.

[Liz]

I completely agree. So yeah, Tolores's point, the follow up thank you messages, whether it be your automated email flow or maybe it's a handwritten note, a handwritten note in the package is nice too. Maybe it's a dm. Maybe you followed them on Instagram or you found their Instagram profile and followed along with Them because they were following you. Maybe a quick dm. How are you enjoying your piece? I'd love to see how you're styling it. That's really special.

[Larissa]

Yes.

[Liz]

So, okay. Staying connected between purchases is important. Email marketing is one way to do that. Social media is another way to do that. Inviting them into your community. You know, when you see people at the same trunk shows or direct to consumer events every year, inviting them, you know, if there's a market, like I know a lot of you have markets coming up this holiday season. Look at who came last year. If you have a list of that or if you've tagged them in your email list, look back at that and send them personalized invites and invite them to see you at the show. That goes a long way. Personalized invites and one to one outreach goes a really long way. And it sounds tedious, but it shouldn't feel that way. You know, break it down. Tag people as you collect email addresses so you know where they're coming from and you know, leading up to your event or leading up to whatever deadline you create. Or just simply do one, one to one outreach a day. Figure out a way to make it feel super manageable.

[Larissa]

Yeah, we've had a lot of clients do that where when they go to a show afterward they'll just tag the new subscribers with whatever the event was. And that way it's all organized in your email platform and you can quickly pull social segments like when you do have to reach out to them again. So do it while you have, like when you're doing it so that later you're not playing catch up.

[Liz]

And when you think you're going to remember something, you won't remember it. Write it down. Just write it down, document it, put it in your spreadsheet, make it easier for yourself for next time.

[Larissa]

And if, if you haven't been organized up until now, that's okay too, I would say. When does this episode come out?

[Liz]

Uh, I have no idea.

[Larissa]

I think in a couple weeks, October 13th. So now's a great time to sit down and try to like organize all that and just get going.

[Liz]

Like it's not too late, it's not too late. And if you're looking for a starting point, think about the markets you have upcoming and just write a list of people you remember seeing or dig through your emails or DMs and see if you can pull some people. And also if you're not doing markets, just write a quick list of people you'd like to have purchased from you this time. Of year. Or maybe people have purchased from you, usually in Q4. Just make a quick list. It doesn't have to be anything formal.

[Larissa]

Yes.

[Liz]

And then so you want to stay in touch with people, you want to encourage their next purchases. It doesn't have to be a hard sell. It can be a really thoughtful product recommendation. I love nothing more than when a designer reaches out to me and it doesn't happen often. I feel like I've said this before here, but when a designer reaches out to me and they're like, oh, I know you love aquamarine. Here's a piece that's on my bench right now. Or here's a piece I just finished. Or oh, Liz, I was making this and it reminded me of you. I'd love to show you. I mean, who wouldn't like that? That's so nice. And such a soft little interaction and a soft way to sell. Or, you know, if you know what pieces people have in their collection, you could recommend something that matches it.

[Larissa]

Or if you have like wish list functionality on your website, like, that's a.

[Liz]

Really great way to see what people.

[Larissa]

Have their eye on.

[Liz]

And you know, we call it a CRM system or a client relationship management system. But you can kind of keep track of this whichever way feels good for you, whether it be a spreadsheet, a formal, a formal type of program, or within your email, you know, your email list. Sometimes you can put some of this information as well. But birthdays, anniversaries, customer anniversaries, anything like that, Any dates that make sense for you to reach out, oh, hey, your birthday's coming up. Do you want to see some of the pieces that I'm about to add to my website kind of thing. Those are great ways to reach out.

[Larissa]

All the ideas that you're saying right now, Liz.

[Liz]

I'm like, ooh, someone do this for me. I know it's sales as a service. I know I've said that before here too. But that's just like really kind. When people remember things about you, it feels really good.

[Larissa]

Yeah. And it doesn't mean that I would buy right away because I have to be in the right mindset to do that. But I will certainly remember that definitely.

[Liz]

How, how the designer, how the business made you feel, I think is really important. And this is another thing that I talk about all the time, but just simply May Lindstrom, my favorite high end skincare company, sending me a personalized note. It just feels so good. And I always remember them about that, that about them and that company Yes, I know.

[Larissa]

You mentioned it so much. I think they should pay you for. For advertising.

[Liz]

I would just love another thing of Blue Cocoon because it is so good. I need to buy some more.

[Larissa]

But when was the last time you ordered it?

[Liz]

It had to be over a year ago. Anyway, wait, wait, wait.

[Larissa]

What's so good about. I need to know because now you're selling me on it.

[Liz]

The smell. Like, you know how in the winter you get dry skin? It's more. Maybe more of an east coast thing. I don't know what the weather's like out there, but in the winter your skin gets so dry and just like having, like, before you go to bed, like putting this, like, really hydrating thing on your face. It just feels so nice. And it's like this. It's not. It's like kind of this. How do I describe the texture? It kind of like melts into your skin and it has this lovely scent to it, and it feels very, like, natural and organic and I don't know. I don't know. I'm not describing it.

[Larissa]

I'm gonna buy some.

[Liz]

You like, you get it and you're like, liz, I absolutely hate this. Why did you sell me this? I don't think you would hate it.

[Larissa]

But they do have.

[Liz]

They have a gift set that has, like, samples of all of their things.

[Larissa]

Okay.

[Liz]

I think also since I don't buy myself nice things very often. The other higher end thing that I really love is La Labo and especially the scent Santal 33, which is one of their popular scents. But everything just comes so beautifully packaged. It feels luxury. It feels like. And May Lindstrom, for example, talks about this in her marketing. But how it's a ritual, how it's a part of your day. How do you. Taking care of yourself and, you know, carving out time when you are busy or you are overwhelmed or you're always working or you're always, you know, taking care of other people. It feels really nice to, like, put something so luxurious on your face and taking a moment to do that.

[Larissa]

You've sold me on it for sure.

[Liz]

I have.

[Larissa]

Everyone go buy some.

[Liz]

Wait.

[Larissa]

I love all new products. I'm looking at the customer review.

[Liz]

Sorry.

[Larissa]

We went way off track.

[Liz]

We're way off track.

[Larissa]

One of the.

[Liz]

This is not our insider episode.

[Larissa]

Larissa. Sorry, Sorry. One of the first. They have, like, UGC, like, customer submitted pictures. And one of the first ones is a woman with and taking a selfie with a dachshund. So I think it's a sign, right?

[Liz]

That's a sign. That could be a sign. Anyway. Anyway, wrapping this up, our key takeaways are repeat buyers are the foundation of a business and it doesn't feel as, maybe as exciting as getting new customers all the time. The same kind of thing with like leaning into your network, leaning into your friends and family. Like, I know it's not as exciting as somebody just discovering your brand off the street and buying it, but it's really important. It is the foundation of a long term business. And then also every touch point is really important. Like that packaging, you know, like after you get the sale is kind of a crucial time, right? The packaging, the follow up, the little details like the handwritten note, it helps build, build loyalty and turning customers into fans and collectors. It's about a long term connection. They'll trust you from there, they'll recommend you from there. And there's so much value in that.

[Larissa]

Those are such great points.

[Liz]

All right, do you have repeat customers? Let us know. Visit successwithjewelry.com and if you love the podcast, we'd love to hear from you. Send us a message or leave us a review. Thanks for being a part of our community.