Jewelry Software

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Get your free jewelry business tips ebook valued at $27.

Packed full of tips and information to help you market your jewelry business more effectively.

Simply fill in your details on the form on the right hand side of the page.

This terrific, top-to-bottom guide includes these subjects:

• Are you The Right Person For A Home Based Jewelry Business?
• Find Your Unique Customer For Your Jewelry Business
• How To Make Jewelry 101
• How To Find Great Jewelry Designs
• Pricing Your Jewelry For Profit
• Sourcing Your Stones & Beads
• Managing Your Ideas & Jewelry Inventory
• Photographs That Sell Your Jewelry
• Jewelry Marketing 101
• Promoting Your Home Based Jewelry Business Website
• Selling Your Jewelry On Ebay
• Setting Up Your Consignment Accounts & Receivables
• How To Use Incentives To Attract A Host For Jewelry Parties
• Hosting An Online Jewelry Party
• How To Create A Winning Jewelry Catalog
• Take Your Home Based Jewelry Business To A Trade Show Or Fair
• Jewelry Trade Show Money Management Tips
• Jewelry Trade Show Display Ideas
• Making Sales At Jewelry Trade Shows
• What It Takes To Make A Successful Home Jewelry Business: You!!!

This eBook covers virtually every aspect of creating a successful jewelry business!

While other ebooks on this subject are being sold online for anywhere between $19 and $47 you can download this ebook for free right now.

If you’re one of the people who has trouble working out exactly what you should be charging for your jewelry then this is the page for you. We’ve put together a neat new little jewelry pricing software package that’s totally FREE and will let you…..

1. Work out the EXACT hourly rate you should be charging.
2. Calculate your overhead costs.
3. Total ALL material costs for your pieces.
4. Instantly calculate your Wholesale and Retail price.

Watch the video and then download from the link below. No email address or opt in is required.

Download & Installation Instructions:

1. Download the Jewelry Pricing Calculator and save the file to your PC.
2. Click on the exe file that you have downloaded.
3. Click on the install button and agree to the installation settings.
4. Once installed use the icon on your desktop to launch the program.
5. For help use the help prompts in the software. Also view the video above for further instructions.

Alternate Excel Sheet Download:

While the Jewelry Pricing Calculator was only made for PC there are many Mac users who are not running Windows on their machine or Windows emulator so we have made an Excel version of this program available.
Bead Manager Pro is still fully Mac compliant.

Even if you do not have Excel you can still use the jewelry pricing spreadsheet with Google Docs, just follow the instructions below.

For use with Excel:

1. Download the Jewelry Pricing Calculator Spreadsheet (right click and save as)
2. Save to your PC
3. Watch this video on how to use the Jewelry Pricing spreadsheet.

For use with Google Docs:

Watch this video on how to import the jewelry spreadsheet into Google Docs.

1. Set up an account at Google Docs
2. Import the spreadsheet using this URL. (You must right click and copy link location)
   
3. Use the spreadsheet according to the instructions.
4. Watch the video if you need help.
   

FAQ:

1. “Will this run on my Mac?”
   This download exe program is for PC or will run on Mac if you have windows operating system installed. Sorry to all you Mac users but this has only been developed for PC so you can try windows emulator or you need to get Windows installed on your Mac.
   The alternate for Mac users is to use one of the Excel spreadsheet options listed above.
2. “I Downloaded and installed the program but I’m getting this wierd .net framework needs to be installed’ message”
   If you receive an error message after downloading and installing that .net framework is not installed you will need to download the .net installer from Microsoft.
   ** You only need to download this IF you receive the .net error after you have downloaded and installed the calculator from the link below. Most Windows XP systems already have .net framework installed and Windows Vista has it as standard.
3. “So I download the jewelry pricing calculator does this mean I don’t need Bead Manager Pro then?”
   No, this software was built to help people out who needed a simple way to price their jewelry. Bead Manager Pro is a far more sophisticated program which takes care of many aspects of your jewelry business. It also completely automates the pricing process from your inventory, you can watch a video of how to price jewelry with Bead Manager Pro here.
   
4. “So whats the point of the Jewelry Calculator then if I already have Bead Manager Pro?”
   There is functionality in the Jewelry Calculator which helps to work out your exact hourly rate. You can then use that hourly rate in your calculations within Bead Manager Pro. (We will be adding this functionality to Bead Manager Pro at a later date as well).

5. “I’m getting some weird error and I don’t know what to do – heeeelp me…!!”
   Please read EVERYTHING on this page first including the comments. If there is no answer you can post a comment and we will do our best to answer you, but PLEASE read EVERYTHING on this page first.
   
6. “I’ve posted a comment, sent you an email and lodged a ticket and you never replied to me!”
   We do our best to help out everyone but we have to reserve support time for paying customers of Bead Manager Pro. Emails or support tickets will not receive any answer, sorry. Please post your comment on the blog AFTER you have read everything on this page first and we’ll do our best. We reserve the right to remove/delete/disapprove any comments.

   If you find any problems and resolve them your self please post the solution in the comments to help others – Thank You.
   

Do you like this piece of software?

We have created this totally free program to enable as many people as possible to be more prosperous in their jewelry business, especially considering the current economic climate.

Help us spread the word in forums and blogs that you hang out in by letting others know about this free jewelry pricing calculator.

If you have a blog or website then why not review the jewelry pricing calculator for your visitors. You can even embed the above video for them to view on your site using this code:

<embed src=”http://blip.tv/play/AdL1bI24Rw” type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” width=”460.8″ height=”367.3″ allowscriptaccess=”always” allowfullscreen=”true”></embed>

If you have a website or blog we would really appreciate a link to this page using the text below.

<a href=”http://www.beading-software.com/blog/free-stuff/jewelry-pricing-calculator-software/”>
Jewelry Pricing Software</a>

Technorati Tags: beading software, jewelry pricing software, jewelry Software

Make Your Own Beads

Learn how to make your own beads using a variety of different styles and techniques

Flat Herringbone Stitch – Bead Weaving

A short demonstration video of how to use herringbone stitch with 1mm round crow beads. You may also use cylinder beads with this kind of stitch.

Basic Instructions To Make Beaded Jewelry

Simple beading instructions on how to string, knot, attach findings and an explanation of tools and materials required.

Bead Weaving

Techniques in bead weaving with illustrated demonstrations.

Bead Reaming

Make beads easier to work with and cleaner using these techniques for reaming beads.

When your studio starts to look like a dragon’s treasure stash, it’s time to start selling your handmade jewelry! Why not? You’ve been making jewelry for some time now, and all your friends and family have hinted they have all the jewelry they need for now. You’re so addicted to the relaxation and enjoyment of creating lovely pieces of jewelry that there is no way you can, or want to, stop. It’s really time to make your hobby pay for itself and earn some cash for yourself, too. It is time to turn your jewelry making into a profitable hobby.

Assigning prices to your jewelry can be fun once you know the basics of how to do it. Use these three steps as you guideline.

• Add the costs of the materials and tools for the pieces you want to sell.

• Pay yourself for your time and labor. Your hourly rate need not be extravagant. To start, $10 an hour, although it may seem low, is a good place to start. You can give yourself a raise once your business is off the ground.

• Since you work from your home, your overhead expenses may not be much, but don’t ignore them. Overhead expenses include a business phone line, costs of utilities rental fees for booths at crafting fairs and shows, and web site rental and maintenance fees if you decide to have a web site or open an e-Bay shop. The best way to estimate these costs is to allow one quarter of the sum of your other costs.

From here on, keep records of all of the above expenses, plus any extra costs, such as shipping costs on orders for supplies, office equipment and business-related software . Keep all invoices and receipts, and be sure to record your time and wage for each jewelry item.

If you’re thinking of starting your jewelry business by opening a shop outside your home, you may want to reconsider. It takes a great deal of hard work and time—not to mention money from your own pocket—before you will see any monetary rewards. Why not start small, first? You can make your community aware of your jewelry business, and quite likely build a solid customer base before you even open your shop doors! Here are a few inexpensive, but profitable venues to try.

Home Jewelry Parties: This is one of the least expensive, fun and profitable bases from which to start your home-based jewelry business. You can host the party yourself or have someone you know host it for you. Invite several people, serve refreshments and show off your jewelry to your guests. Let the guests try on the jewelry, and provide mirrors large enough to allow them to see how well a necklace fits. Have a receipt book and plenty of cash change on hand, because you’re sure to sell some of your beautiful jewelry items!

Fairs and Festivals are great places for novices in the business of making and selling jewelry to learn the ropes. With vast exposure to customers and other artisans, you’re sure to pick up a few tips for making your business a success. Customers may so impressed by your lovely work that they ask for custom-made jewelry, or contact information to share with family and friends. Other jewelry crafters are good sources of business contacts, such as how to source the best wholesale jewelry, setting up your online jewelry store, and for learning new design ideas and the most popular current trends in jewelry and other accessories. The overhead is low and the profits are usually quite satisfying, if not downright lucrative!

Online Jewelry Shops are relatively low-overhead/high exposure venues for selling jewelry without leaving your home. You can join an online shops network that specializes in jewelry and accessories, or build your own web site shop. Online auctions are immensely popular, and generate tremendous exposure! E-Bay shops are one of the most cost-effective ways of displaying your jewelry, especially since e-Bay has such a vast customer base.

Home jewelry parties, virtual shops and auctions and crafts fairs are the best ways to build your home-based jewelry business. You can try concentrating on just one, or combine two or all three venues for maximum profit. Once you learn how to sell your jewelry, you may still want to open a brick and mortar shop or boutique, but then again, you may be so hooked on the fun, excitement and excellent profits you can earn by using the above methods that you may never consider having a “real” shop again!

Technorati Tags: How to Sell Handmade Jewelry, How to Sell Jewelry, Sell Handmade Jewelry, selling handmade jewelry, selling jewelry

Whether you already enjoy making jewelry, or just want to learn how to make a button bracelet, your first stop should be at a bead store. You can visit a local bead store or find one online. Just make sure you have plenty of time to browse.

Beads come in hundreds of shapes, sizes and colors. Beads can be handmade glass beads, metal, bone, plastic and even paper. Some beads are made from expensive gemstones, while others are common wood. Seeds, shells and found objects are also items that bead store might make into beads. Glass and acrylic beads mix with Swarovski crystal and Czech crystal.

Along with beads, one of these stores usually carries findings, clasps, watch faces and other components for creating beautiful jewelry. If you are lucky, your bead store will also offer classes in jewelry making, beading on a loom, and beading on cloth. You may learn to bead for fun or even profit.

You should look through your supplies and make a list of items that you need, or want before visiting a bead store. If you are looking for a particular bead, take a sample of it with you to the bead store. Think about what projects you have planned. Add any special beads or findings that you will need to your list. Carry a backpack purse so that both of your hands are free to look through beads.

Ask the sales clerk if there are any specials or sales going on. Also ask if they give discounts to members of bead societies. It may be worth joining if you enjoy beads. If you bead, or make jewelry for profit, and have a tax id number let the salesperson know before they ring up your sale. Remember to bring a copy of your tax certificate if you have one. This allows you to purchase beads and other supplies from a bead store at wholesale instead of retail cost.

After you get home sort your beads. A good desk lamp will help you identify patterns and colors more easily. Most people sort by color, shape and size. Uniformity may also be a factor to consider. Learning beading and how to organize your beading stuff will make your work go faster and you will be more productive as you will not be searching for items that should be at arms reach. If you are like most people that visit a bead store, you have more beads than you need, just because they caught your eye. Part of the fun is coming up with new projects to use up the beads that you find at the bead store.

Follow designs in books, online, or that you have previously made. Come up with new designs of your own. Use up the beads that you bought. Then it is time for another visit to the bead store.

Jennifer Thoden shares her love of beads and creativity with beginner beaders and jewelry designers. Her love of color and unique design shows in her bead patterns. Find her bead patterns and tutorials at http://www.beadpatternsonline.com

Technorati Tags: bead, beading, buy beads, stores

Owning and operating a home-based business takes a special kind of person. Home-based businesses are—at best—challenging. Even if selling your handmade jewelry at home is an ideal situation for you, for it to be successful requires hard work, dedication, and the ability to keep your business and home lives separate. You may ask yourself if you’re really up to this challenge. If your answer is “yes,” and you have the determination to make your business work for you, you’re already off to a good start!

How many hours per day will your shop be open? How many hours per day can you spend on designing and making jewelry? When will you do housework and run errands? Do you have small children at home? These are all things you need to take into consideration when you sit down to plan your schedule. You may have to re-work your schedule once or twice, but the important thing is to make a schedule that works for you, and discipline yourself to stick to it!

The old adage “All work and no play make Jack a dull boy,” applies to running your home-based business. Having a new home-based business is rather like having a new baby; you love it to pieces, but you still need a full night’s sleep! Don’t let your business run your life: you own it; it doesn’t own you! Don’t answer your business phone after hours, and give yourself the luxury of spending time with friends and family instead of being stuck in your studio all the time. There’s a world outside that needs you in it!

After making the decision to running a home-based jewelry business it should be confined to your workspace and not allowed to intrude upon your living space. Your business and your home both need privacy. Whether you work in your basement, garage, or a spare room in your house, it should have a separate entrance for customers and deliveries. It provides a more professional environment in which you can nicely display your jewelry, and gives your family the privacy they need. Keeping your business in, but separate from, your home sets boundaries for both customers and family members, and one is less likely to intrude upon the other. Your business should have its own mailing address, phone line and bank account, making it easier to have your personal and business records already separated come tax time. Apart from just making your jewelry you may consider other profit making areas, a bead making class can be offered to children all the way up to advanced classes.

It’s not unusual for home-based business owners to be unaware of Federal, State and local regulations. There are zoning restrictions, and building and safety codes, all of which you must be in compliance before your business license is granted. Go to your CPA, City Hall, or County or Parrish Courthouse to learn what you must do to get a business license. Inspection and license fees usually apply, so be sure you have enough cash in reserve to pay the necessary costs.

Now, you need to make a few business contacts, but how do you go about it? Your local Chamber of Commerce is a good place to start. The Chamber can give you valuable information about your state’s jewelers and crafting guild, and local groups where you can meet other business people from your area. Go to an online community forum for jewelry makers and crafts people, especially if you need answers to any questions you may have right away. Other artists at arts and crafts fairs, shows and festivals can teach you almost everything you need to know about having a home-based jewelry business, and you may get ideas for designs you’d like to add to your jewelry collection. Best of all, your network contacts are people who understand the joys and frustrations experienced by business owners, with whom you have a lot in common, some of which may become your greatest supporters and friends!

Ask yourself: “What will the neighbors think?!” Traffic on your street will increase because of your customers and suppliers, so take care they don’t intrude upon your neighbors. Remember, those who live around you aren’t just neighbors, they’re potential customers. Having their goodwill and patronage contributes to the success of your home-based jewelry business! If you do encounter problems running your business from home you may consider setting up your online jewelry store, this will eliminate the neighbor issue can become just as profitable along with other places to sell your jewelry. It is always great fun at outdoor craft shows selling and getting to know the other vendors.

Technorati Tags: Home Based Jewlery Business, preparing your jewelry business, Tips for Home Jewelry Business, Tips for Jewelry business

The easiest way to keep track of information about your customers, and acquire the information you need to maximize your business profits is to use jewelry software. By entering information on your computer, you can create detailed “Rolodex” information about your customers, their preferences, and keep track of what and how they purchase from you. You can collect and organize other data, generate and analyze reports, and learn how to better market your jewelry for maximum profits.

In almost any store where you shop, you will be asked at check-out for your name or telephone number, or if you have a store card. Most people comply and whip out that card, because it entitles them to sale prices or special discounts. The requested information or the card keeps track of customer purchases, and the information is automatically entered into the store’s database. The collected data is used to determine and implement more productive marketing strategies.

Use your jewelry software to create an account for each customer. Along with the usual name, address and phone number, enter the following information:

· E-mail addresses
· Product purchased
· Purchase price
· Services, including repairs and appraisals
· Purchases of warranties and insurance
· Style preferences

· Special requests for items of information

With the jewelry software, you can assess relevant market conditions and sales data to determine your marketing strategies. You will see what items sell well, and which don’t. This will help you determine what inventory should be increased or decreased. The average price of items being sold tells you in what price range customers are most likely to make a purchase. Whether you make you own jewelry or purchase your stock, some items will have higher rates of return or need for repairs. If you make your jewelry and reports show that a certain brand or type of clasp or crimping bead breaks quite often, you will know to change to a more reliable brand. The same applies to brands or styles of ready-made jewelry.

Set specific goals for you business. For instance, you may want to increase the percentage of sales for a certain item, or phase out a product that doesn’t sell well to make room for a new line. Use the jewelry software to help you determine where to apply the correct strategies for attaining your business goals. As you become more experienced in using the software, you will be able to determine where to increase product investments and view your available assets, such as liquid assets, cash flow, equity and inventory. You may find jewelry software such a valuable tool that you’ll wonder how your business ever got along without it!

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Jewelry making often starts as a hobby, but people with talent and a flair for salesmanship often turn jewelry making into a profitable hobby. However, because you make and sell jewelry from your home, doesn’t mean that you made the crossover from hobbyist to businessperson. The successful home-based business person realizes that they are no longer making jewelry just for fun. Instead, they own and operate a business, and treat it as a business, with their studio as their place of business. This doesn’t automatically happen when you hang your shingle. Instead, you must discipline yourself, and often friends and family to the fact that you are running a business and are no longer a hobbyist.

Having the right business attitude will show others how serious you are about it and help them realize that making jewelry is no longer just a hobby. Explain to family and friends that you need certain hours each day during which you can work undisturbed in your studio, but you will still have time for them and your home life. You now have a business to support, and you can no longer afford to be distracted from you set work time by household chores, people dropping by or calling just to visit. At the same time, you need to keep open communication with all your people, including your children, and let them know that you still want to spend time with them, but only when you aren’t working. Once you become more established in your jewelry business, finding a good sales rep will allow you more free time to concentrate on your craft rather than running around looking to sell your wares.

Setting and maintaining a dedicated work schedule is another facet of treating your business as a business. Your productivity is the life’s blood of your business, and if you are unable to commit to a set production schedule, your business will suffer for it. Here are a few suggestions to help you work at your peak performance.

• Set up your workspace so you will have enough privacy to work undisturbed.
• Planning and designing your own jewelry ahead of time will greatly increase your productivity.
• Create a weekly work schedule and post it outside your workspace so your family will know when you are working.
• Allow time in your work schedule for checking your e-mail and making phone calls, preferably at the beginning and end of each work period.
• Schedule set days for doing paperwork, such as bookkeeping, ordering supplies, paying bills.
• Set a time limit within which to complete each project
• Discipline yourself to keep your schedule!

When you treat your jewelry making as a business, so will others. Eventually everyone will become accustomed to the changes you make to accommodate your new business schedule, and honoring your work time will become part of the daily routine. As your business grows, you almost certainly will need to readjust your work schedule to keep up with the demand for your jewelry, but if you worked outside your home before turning your hobby into a business, it will be like going back to a former routine, and won’t seem such a drastic change to your family.

Technorati Tags: jewelry business, jewelry hobby, Jewelry Making Business, Starting a Jewelry Business

The most daunting task for many home-based business owners is managing business finances. Poor financial management can wreck any size of business, with Enron being the best-known example. Without a sound financial management plan, even the best selection of home-based businesses has a high risk of failure. Before you do anything else for your business, take the essential steps to managing the money end of your business and you have a far better chance that your business will be a profitable one.

Before you even start your business it is important to make a business plan. This will help you keep track of your goals and see how the business is fairing. Researching all that you need before you start and making sure that your suppliers are reliable, you know the costs of postage and packaging etc will make sure that you don’t undercharge or lose orders because of unreliable wholesalers. This is the time to find out where to source everything you will need. There may be some stores locally that sell clasps, handmade glass beads, clay etc, but make sure that you have back up suppliers in the event that these places run out of stock.

Finding out how to source the best wholesale jewelry can be time consuming and it is best to be done at this early stage as having to find something in the middle of a project can be costly. It the customer has to wait too long they may cancel their order and you are left with materials that may not be used in the future.

Paying overdraft charges is one of the most humiliating and funds-eating part of mismanaging money, but keeping your personal and business funds in a single account raises your risk of accidentally overdrawing on the account. It can be avoided by keeping separate accounts for your business. By separating the accounts, it is easier to control your spending and keep track of your business cash flow. You’ll also have an easier time at tax time because your business taxes are figured and paid separately from your personal income taxes.

Having more than one business account is both highly beneficial and recommended by owners of successful businesses. At the very least, you should open two accounts: one for receiving income and one for paying expenses. Determine a set percentage of your monthly income to be deposited into your expenses account, and specify how much should be set aside for each debt. With these two accounts, you will see from whom your funds are coming in and to whom expenses are being paid, making your accounting jobs easier and less time consuming. Include a set monthly wage for yourself in your business expenses; you work hard for your business and deserve a reasonable wage! Just be certain you don’t give in to the temptation to withdraw more money than your salary for personal use. Although it is your business, it is still a business, and you would fire an employee who stole money from your business!

Manage your business finances as conscientiously as possible. Throughout the year, keep your business funds for business use, and at the end of the year, you may pay yourself a well-earned bonus! If you keep to a strict budget and keep account of every bit of income then it won’t be long before jewelry making is a profitable hobby.

Technorati Tags: costing, expenses, finance, jewelry business, tax