All jewelry companies should be developing marketing strategies that include interactive marketing. More and more companies are diverting advertising funds that were used solely for traditional media to expand interactive marketing. Pepsi advertised for 23 straight years on each Super Bowl game, but declined in 2010 in favor of investing more marketing funds into interactive marketing.Interactive marketing is an integrated exchange process that uses an understanding of customer behavior, technology, and other resources to create and manage customer value through collaborative relationships and enhanced brand offerings. Every facet of marketing as we now know it has been affected by interactive marketing. Interactive markets exist wherever a buyer and seller come together and are not limited to physical locations. Jewelry companies should be thinking more about online promotions and incentives delivered digitally that are all permission-based (opt in marketing).

The blog you are now reading is an example of interactive marketing. More jewelry companies should be using blogs on their web sites. Interactive marketing is about expanding the relationship with interested parties.

Most of us are receiving less mail delivered to us through the postal mail. Interactive marketing is directly responsible by impacting direct marketing. It’s not just about cost. More recipients respond and open permission based emails than traditional direct mail and that makes interactive marketing more effective.

Whatever programs or incentives you create make sure they are easy for customers to become engaged in and to use. Recently I went to eBay’s “Build Your Bling” Contest which started yesterday. eBay is giving away a diamond ring worth up to $25,000 through a Diamond Ring Designer contest. The designer who receives the most votes through social media channels will win. The whole process was too tedious for me and I left the site. You can check it out at diamonds.ebay.com

JCK