Setting Up Zoom, for Jewelry Sales
Looking for interactive merchandising this holiday season, but you’re not the most tech savvy? We’ve got you covered. Take advantage of the opportunity to merchandise on Zoom this holiday season, by reading our guide…
Zoom Setup.
One of the first things you should do if you’re planning to host a zoom meeting is confirm that you have a strong and stable internet connection. This will ensure that you don’t run into any technical difficulties or inconveniences for your customers. You can check this by running online speed tests like Speedtest and Comparitech, which are free for anyone to utilize. Zoom also offers technical support and test meetings on their website.
Prep Your Environment.
Next, think about your background. You don’t want to have a distracting background if you are trying to showcase a beautiful diamond necklace. Try to have a simple and quiet setup to avoid distractions. Bright and clear lighting are a must, to ensure clear visibility for your customers. Avoid presenting in noisy environments, as this can make it difficult for your customers to hear you. You may want to manually mute all of your customers as a host, as they might have background noises that are distracting. Notify them that everyone will be muted, until you open up the conference to questions, and that they will be able to type questions in the chat, either to the group, or directly to you.
Don’t have a visually pleasing background? No problem. With Zoom, you are able to insert a backdrop behind you! You can choose a custom background from your own photos, or you can utilize free downloadable backgrounds. Businesses like West Elm, offer free, visually pleasing Zoom virtual backgrounds, accessible to anyone. You can utilize this feature to display your company logo or products.
Be Prepared.
Just like any in-person event you would normally host for your customers, you need to be prepared. Schedule a date and time where your customers can mark their calendars and make time for your business. It’s important to have an itinerary planned out. You can choose to share this with your customers as well, so they have an idea of what to expect. Doing so will help ensure you have enough content to fill the time slot you decided upon, so you don’t run into any awkward and empty situations.
Zoom Link Accessibility.
A decision you will have to make is whether to make the zoom link open for everyone, or whether to set up a password protected entry. One problem Zoom users have encountered is “Zoom Bombing,” which is when unwanted and disruptive guests inappropriately join the call. As mentioned before, as a host you have the ability to mute all of the guests in your Zoom call. You also have the ability to remove unwanted guests. Setting the Zoom link up with a private password can help avoid potential Zoom Bombing incidents. Also, be sure to carefully consider how your business chooses to distribute the link for accessibility.
Utilize Zoom Features.
Zoom offers a variety of in-conference features to spice up the conversation. The “share screen” option allows you to show your screen to your audience. You can utilize this to present your customers with a video or slideshow of your jewelry collections. Utilizing the slideshow will allow you to show off your beautiful pieces, while giving proper commentary on key points that distinguish you from the rest.
Breakout rooms are another option for hosts to utilize, as they can randomly or selectively place different people in small groups. This can help make the meeting more personal. You can split up members of your business into each of these groups to answer customer questions, or create themed aletliers. This allows for your more timid customers to feel comfortable enough to ask questions, as some may be too shy to speak in front of a large group. Breakout rooms are a great way to talk about specific jewelry pieces to a group of interested guests. For example, some customers may be more interested in joining a breakout group specifically for earrings, while other customers may only want to view bracelets. It allows for a more interactive and personalized experience for your customers.
Another great feature to utilize as a host would be the implementation of polls within your presentation. Your company or brand can display a poll to your customers to get real time feedback of what they want to see more of, or anything you wish to know from your customers. It’s beneficial to both your business and your customers, while the Zoom call becomes more interactive and personalized.