That $428 moonstone pendant with the 14k rose gold setting
and delicate filigree detailing you just sold?
It's either the beginning of a $50,000 relationship or a
one-time transaction you'll never see again.
Your email strategy decides which.
You know what's wild?
Watching jewelry brands pour thousands into acquiring a customer:
Ads, influencers, the whole circus; only to ghost them the second the order ships.
Or worse: bombarding them with the same soul-sucking "20% OFF EVERYTHING"
emails that every other jeweler is sending.
Here's the truth nobody talks about at trade shows:
Their customer acquisition cost is probably somewhere between $80-$300 depending
on their pieces.
But their average customer lifetime value?
If they're only getting one
purchase out of them, they're basically running a charity with prettier inventory.
Email doesn't have to be considered just a sales channel.
It can be a powerful relationship engine, with a marked increase in sales as a natural result.
And I'm not talking about those beautifully designed, image-heavy emails
that look like a Vogue spread but get the same response as a telemarketer at dinnertime.
I'm talking about emails that make your customers feel like they're
hearing from a friend who happens to sell the most incredible
jewelry they've ever seen.
💎 The Pretty Email Trap (Or Why Gorgeous Emails Leave Stacks of Revenue on the Table)
Most brands' post-purchase email strategy is something like this:
• Order confirmation ✓
• Shipping notification ✓
• Maybe a "How do you like it?" email two weeks later ✓
• Then... crickets until they need to move inventory
Here's what's actually happening:
That customer who just dropped $428 on a moonstone pendant
is in love with the brand right now.
They're showing photos to their friends.
They're imagining their next piece.
They're emotionally invested.
Meanwhile, that "pretty email trap" I keep seeing everywhere - those stunning,
image-heavy promotional blasts - might be dazzling the eye ...
...But they're not
moving the heart.
Or the wallet.
Real talk:
When was the last time you got an email from a jewelry brand that made you feel something?
That made you reply?
That you actually saved because it resonated so deeply?
Yeah. Exactly.
🎬 The Movie Theater Approach to Post-Purchase Emailing
Okay, here's where this gets interesting.
Think about how movie studios market a blockbuster. They don't just run one ad the week it drops and call it good, right?
Instead, they build anticipation:
They release teasers.
Behind-the-scenes content.
Cast interviews.
Countdown posts.
They make you feel like you're part of something special before you even buy the ticket.
Now imagine doing that with jewelry.
Not just for launches, but for everything.
Including - and this is key - the relationship you build with someone after they buy.
Here's what that actually looks like:
Within 24 Hours of Purchase:
Instead of just "Thanks for your order!", send them something like:
"Hey Elizabeth! I saw your order for the serpentine chain come through and I got genuinely excited for you. There's something about that piece - it's got this quiet confidence to it, you know? Like it whispers instead of shouts. I'd love to hear what made you choose it. Hit reply and tell me!"
Notice what's happening here?
You're not selling.
You're connecting.
You're treating them like the friend who just sent you a photo
of their new outfit asking, "thoughts?"
Days 3-7 - The Identity Shift:
This is where most brands completely fumble.
They've got a customer who's wearing their piece, feeling amazing in it, and
they're ...silent?
Send an email that speaks to who they become when they wear your jewelry ...
"You know that feeling when you put on a piece of
jewelry and suddenly you stand a little taller? That's
not the diamonds talking - that's YOU, remembering who
you've always been. That serpentine chain? It's not giving
you confidence. It's reminding you of the confidence you already have."
Week 2 - The Soft Launch Phase:
Here's where you start planting seeds for the next purchase.
But not by pushing products.
By storytelling ...
"Funny story: When I first designed the Midnight collection, I almost scrapped the whole thing. It felt too moody, too mysterious. Then my best friend tried on the black diamond ear cuffs and said something that stopped me cold: 'These make me feel like I have a secret nobody else knows.' We launched them anyway. They sold out in 48 hours."
See what happened? You just made them curious about a collection without once saying "Shop Now." You built intrigue. You created a movie trailer for your next piece.
📧 The Conversational Cadence That Actually Works
Let's talk frequency because I know what you're thinking: "If I email this much, won't they unsubscribe?"
Short answer: The wrong people will. The right people won't.
Here's the frequency that builds lifetime customers:
Week 1-2 post-purchase: 2-3 emails (welcome, connection, care)
Weeks 3-4: 1-2 emails (storytelling, soft launches)
Ongoing: 2 emails per week minimum
But - and this is crucial - these emails need to feel like they're coming from a person, not a corporation.
The Friend-to-Friend Framework:
❌ Instead of writing like this:
"Discover our stunning new collection of artisan pieces featuring ethically-sourced gemstones."
✅ Write like this:
"Okay, I need to tell you about this aquamarine ring we just finished. It's
giving 'mermaid who runs a hedge fund' and I'm gagged. Want to see it?"
The difference?
One sounds like a press release.
The other sounds like your friend texting you from a boutique saying, "Get over here, you NEED to see this."
💰 The Sixty-Day Window: The Make-or-Break Moment
Here's something many jewelry brands don't track but absolutely should:
What percentage of your customers make a second purchase within 60 days?
Because if someone buys from you twice within two months, their lifetime value skyrockets.
They're not a customer anymore.
They're a fan.
They're someone who will literally text their friends photos of your pieces unprompted.
But if you're not nurturing them during that window?
The harsh reality is that life gets in the way and their memory of you fades.
The 60-Day Relationship Blueprint:
Days 1-7: Deepen connection + product care
Days 8-21: Storytelling + behind-the-scenes + soft launch previews
Days 22-45: Full soft launch sequence (like a movie premiere)
Days 46-60: Loyalty reinforcement + exclusive early access
Each email should feel like a continuation of a conversation, not a standalone sales pitch.
🎯 The Core Emotional Destination (Or: Why People Actually Buy Jewelry)
Let's get philosophical for a second.
Nobody needs a $2,400 diamond pendant. Nobody needs stackable rings or a charm bracelet or any of it.
So why do they buy?
Because of who they become when they wear it.
That amber serpentine collar necklace with a micro diamond latch?
She's not buying metal and stones.
She's buying the feeling of walking into a meeting and knowing
she looks like the most put-together person in the room.
That vintage-inspired obsidian inlay band with engraved bezel?
He's not buying jewelry.
He's buying legacy and the feeling of being part of something timeless.
This is the secret sauce: Your emails should constantly speak to the transformation, not the transaction.
Real Example:
❌ Product-focused: "This emerald necklace features VS1 clarity stones set in 18k white gold."
✅ Transformation-focused:
"There's something about emeralds that makes you feel like you're carrying a secret. Like you know something beautiful that the rest of the world hasn't discovered yet. This piece is that feeling in white gold."
One talks about specs. The other talks about becoming.
🚀 A Soft Launch Strategy That Can Crush
You know what's better than a sale?
An event.
Instead of blasting "NEW COLLECTION AVAILABLE NOW" - which everyone
ignores because it feels like shouting - you
build anticipation over 5-7 days like you're premiering a film.
Here are example snippets of this ...
Email 1 (Day 1) - The Tease:
"Something's coming next week and I'm genuinely excited about it. That's all I'm saying for now."
Email 2 (Day 3) - The Backstory:
"Okay, I can share a little more. This collection started with a walk on a beach in Portugal..."
Email 3 (Day 5) - The Sneak Peek:
"Here's one piece from the collection. Just one. The rest drops in 48 hours."
Email 4 (Day 7) - The Premiere:
"It's here. The Driftline Series is live and I'm honestly nervous. These pieces are different..."
Email 5 (Day 8) - The Reminder:
"I wasn't sure if you saw yesterday's exclusive release for VIPs like you,
but Katelyn just ordered three pieces
and sent me this message: 'These are exactly what I didn't know I needed.' There's
still time..."
Email 6 (Day 9) - The Final Call:
"Tomorrow this early access ends. After that, these pieces go to full price. Just wanted to make sure you saw them..."
See how it works? It's not pushy. It's not salesy. It's storytelling with a deadline.
💎 The Post-Purchase Sequence That Can Create Superfans
Alright, let's get tactical.
Here's a proven post-purchase email sequence that can turns buyers into lifetime customers:
Day 1: The Personal Connection
Subject: Marienna - I saw your order come through!
Body: Conversational, personal, asking about their choice. End with an invitation to reply.
Day 3: The Care Email
Subject: Quick care tips for your new piece
Body: How to keep it stunning + what makes this piece special. Include a subtle identity-shift message about how they might feel wearing it.
Day 7: The Story Email
Subject: The story behind that piece you ordered
Body: Share the inspiration, the design process, the "why" behind the jewelry. Make them feel like insiders.
Day 14: The Soft Launch Tease
Subject: You're going to want to see this...
Body: Introduce the next collection/piece with intrigue. Build anticipation. NO hard sell yet.
Day 21: The Preview Access
Subject: Before anyone else grabs this
Body: Exclusive early access to something new. Make them feel VIP.
Day 30: The Identity Reinforcement
Subject: How's do you like it?
Body: Check in about their piece, reinforce the transformation it represents, casually mention complementary pieces.
Day 45: The Soft Launch Sequence Begins
Subject: We're about to lift the curtain
Body: Build excitement and anticipation for your latest drop.
Day 60: The Loyalty Loop
Subject: You're one of my favorites (yes, really)
Body: Make them feel special. Share something exclusive. Invite them deeper into your brand story.
🎪 The Ugly Truth About Industry Standards
Can we be honest for a second?
Most jewelry brands are running the exact same email playbook:
• Pretty product photos ✓
• Discount codes ✓
• Holiday sales ✓
• New arrival announcements ✓
And they're all getting roughly the same results from email.
You know what's wild?
There are jewelry brands with 50,000 subscribers obtaining less revenue than
brands with 5,000 subscribers, purely because of how they email their audience.
The difference comes down to this:
One is sending pretty promotional blasts.
The other is sending letters from a friend who happens to sell incredible jewelry.
🔮 The Long Game: Building a Multi Million Dollar Email Channel
Here's what happens when you nail this:
Month 1-3: Your open rates can climb from 18% to 35%+
Month 4-6: Your reply rate can go from basically zero to 2-5% (yes, people actually respond)
Month 7-12: Your repeat purchase rate can double
Year 2: Email can become your highest-ROI channel, driving 30-40% of revenue
But here's the thing:
You have to be consistent.
You have to show up.
You have to treat every email like you're writing to someone you genuinely care about.
Because here's the secret that makes all of this work:
Your customers don't want another jewelry brand in their inbox.
They want a friend who understands them, inspires them, and occasionally
offers them something beautiful that makes them feel like the best version of themselves.
✨ The Bottom Line
That customer who just bought from you represents the beginning
of a relationship that could be worth $50,000 or more over their lifetime.
But only if they're treated that way.
The solution is to no longer send pretty yet forgettable emails.
And to start sending emails that make people feel seen.
That make them reply.
That make them forward to their friends saying "You have to read this."
Because when you do email right ...
You build genuine connection by
telling compelling stories.
You speak to the transformation your jewelry creates.
And then, something magical happens:
Your customers stop seeing you as a brand they buy from.
They start seeing you as a friend they can't imagine their life without.
And that's when email stops being a channel
and becomes a relationship engine that grows
your jewelry business like nothing else can.
Ready to transform your jewelry email strategy?
The brands
who nail this aren't working harder; they're working differently.
They're
treating every email like a conversation, every launch like a premiere
and every customer like a friend for life.
That's not just sound retention strategy.
That's the future of jewelry retail.
Curious to Know Where Your Jewelry Brand Stacks Up When it Comes to Email?
You'll get your
Inbox
Gem Grade™ (IGG) - a
proprietary rating system based
on the classic AGS diamond cut scale. 💎
You'll also discover crucial custom action points
that can help you uplevel
your email results immediately.
To emails as enchanting as your pieces,
Andrew Martinsen
Founder, Inbox Gems
