Thanks to Our friend Dr David Weiman at Jewelry Selling Insights who undertook a recent survey of his readership to find out what the most succesfull jewelry artisans are doing to make their business work.

So if you looking for help and advice from real people who are running their jewelry business just like you read on to find out how to make a success of your passion.

The holidays are, bar none, the prime time of the year for retail sales. But they only last a few weeks, so it’s critical that you, as a jewelry artist, optimize that window of opportunity to maximum effect. However, there are so many possible sales avenues and tactics to choose from that it can be hard to know which ones to pursue, especially in a difficult economy.

So we sent our readers a survey to see which venues they use most and which have been the most successful for them. Eighty-six generous respondents took the time to share their ideas and insights, which we have summed up to help you streamline your efforts.

Here’s the breakdown of their jewelry-selling experience and their holiday sales numbers:

Number of years selling your own jewelry

Less than 1                  5.6%

1-3                               23.6%

4-6                               37.1%

7-9                               15.7%

10 or more                   18%

Percentage of 2010 revenue you gained from holiday selling

Less than 10%                        13.6%

10-24%                       29.5%

25-49%                       25%

50-75%                       26.1%

More than 75%           5.7%

And here’s what they told us about the various holiday selling tactics they’ve tried….

Offering Holiday-Themed Jewelry

One possibility for increasing holiday sales is to make a special line of jewelry with a holiday theme. This tactic was not terribly popular with our respondents, however; only 27.6 percent of them reported doing this regularly, and only two or three cited it as one of their most successful techniques.

One obvious concern that emerges with creating holiday-themed jewelry is that the unsold pieces are not marketable during the rest of the year. Most of our respondents who create special holiday lines reported that they deal with this dilemma in several ways, ranked here in order of popularity:

• Save it for next holiday season

• Rework it into other, non-holiday pieces

• Place it on sale to clear out old stock

• Give it away to friends and family

• Donate it to local charities

• Use it for a promotional giveaway

• Sell it throughout the year

Partnering with Other Types of Merchants

Some jewelry artists have found that it really pays to partner up with merchants who sell different types of products or services, such as florists, hairdressers, gift shops, or candy stores. This technique has been tried by 12.6 percent of our respondents, with varied results.

The merchants with whom our respondents partnered included the following:

• Day spa

• Home décor store

• Gift shops

• Wellness center

• ID tag seller

• Veterinary clinic

• Sports massage therapist

• Stained glass store

• Restaurant

A couple of our readers described very creative cooperative arrangements. Two sold their jewelry in spa-type events that offered a relaxing, pampering atmosphere for customers. Laura Clark Curtis of Laura Clark Curtis Design Studio in Blakeslee, Penn., teamed up with a wellness center that offers massage, holistic healing and yoga.

“I promoted the benefits of healing properties of my stones and jewelry with a ‘Celebration of You’ event to shop and de-stress with massages, herbal teas and healthy food. We held our grand opening twice, as well, with this theme — “Grand YOU Are” —since one was during a blizzard but had a sizeable crowd nonetheless. I promote as to what my jewelry can do for you,” she said.

And Ann Marie Knapp of The Beading Heart in Phoenix, Ariz., joins her husband, a sports massage therapist, in hosting spa parties.

“We do a spa night where we offer massage as well as jewelry for purchase, and wine and snacks are available,” said Knapp. “Sometimes I incorporate a demonstration or lesson, as well. We have relaxing spa music playing and aromatherapy, as well. It’s marketed as ‘Shop & Spa’!”

Another responded reported success from teaming up with a restaurateur.

“My daughter-in-law owns a restaurant and has an evening set aside for a jewelry party during the month of December,” said Cassandra Graham of Wilde Jewels in Dayton, Ohio. “Guests are given free champagne upon arriving. If they purchase something, they also receive a 10% discount on their dinner tab.”

One reader reported sales success from joining forces with a Pampered Chef representative.

“I partnered with a Pampered Chef gal who does many home parties,” said Kathleen Davis of Kathleen Davis Designs in Fiddletown, Calif. “We did combination parties of Pampered Chef and jewelry. It was very successful. People who buy Pampered Chef have money, as their items are expensive. She markets well, and lots of people came and bought a lot. These were some of the best home parties I have ever had.”

Another reader sets up displays in various business entries and gives the business 20% of sales.

“Some places are more successful than others,” said Carolyn Bruce of The Painted Cookie in Canada. “A veterinary clinic was surprisingly successful, with the 20% going to help their Angel Fund for stray animals or those injured on the roads.”

However, a couple of readers reported negative experiences with cooperative selling. In one case, the partner business did not display the jewelry prominently enough.

“I asked many times to change the location from the back corner that no one went to, to somewhere else in the store, to no success,” said Caroline Horne of Just Us Beads in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. “I would not do this again, as it was frustrating and tied up a fair amount of stock, and I ended up with one sale.”

Another reader reported getting the short end of the stick at a co-op show with a clothing designer.

“Unfortunately, the clothes were featured and jewelry an afterthought,” said Charlene Anderson of Purveyor of All Things Creative in Jackson, Wyo. “I’d think long and hard about who I did this kind of promotion with again, to make sure the jewelry gets equal billing.”

So, if you enter into a cooperative arrangement with a store or seller, be sure that the two of you agree up front, and perhaps even in writing, about how, and how much, each merchant is to be featured so that both can have optimal chances at selling.

Holiday-Themed Craft and Jewelry Shows

A large percentage — 66.7% — of respondents reported participation in holiday-themed craft or jewelry shows, and 80.7% of those who participated noted it as being worthwhile.

Many of our respondents who had success at holiday shows said that it was because the crowd came ready to buy gifts, as that was the purpose of the show. However, many noted that the slow economy has had a definite impact on sales.

“They (holiday shows) were worthwhile several years ago,” said Janne Etz of Contemporary Concepts in Cocoa, Fla. “Now, with the economy the way it is, making jewelry has become an income-producing lifeline for lots of people, so now there is an overabundance of not-so-great jewelry everywhere and a dearth of customers who have any significant money to spend at craft shows. Less money, spread around among more jewelers equals not-so-great shows. I quit doing shows altogether about four years ago.”

Many who have not given up on shows have noted that their success at holiday shows now depends on offering lower-priced items or items in a variety of price ranges — from stocking stuffer through high-end gifts — and also on having unique, well-made pieces.

“These shows are very successful if you have unique designs and good prices,” said Bruce. “The run-of-the-mill jewelers are dime-a-dozen everywhere and are not welcome at most craft shows.”

Added Horne, “The people going to craft sales are looking for something unusual and well made. I have done extremely well at these sales. It is also more time and cost effective than other methods.”

Those who were successful at holiday shows cited the following factors in their success:

• Being the only jewelry artist at the show

• Going to a well-advertised show

• Attending a show with a large variety of vendors

• Offering customization

• Attending a show from which at least part of the proceeds benefit a charitable cause

• Making sure the show is early in the holiday shopping season — usually between Thanksgiving and mid-December — before shoppers have already likely bought all their gifts.

When possible, readers caution other artists to avoid shows with the following factors:

• Shows in which the other vendors offer much less expensive items than yours

• Shows in which most vendors sell cheap, mass-produced items instead of local, handcrafted items

• Shows that are not properly promoted or advertised

Several who reported that they didn’t have huge sales numbers at these types of shows still felt that the shows were worthwhile on other fronts, such as getting to meet people face to face, adding to their mailing lists, distributing sales materials and promoting their websites.

“Participating gave me more exposure to a customer segment that might not have been interested in my jewelry before,” said Amy Cousin of Sirius7 Jewelry in Rock Hill, S.C. “I collected customer contact information and established relationships from that event. My sales were enough to break even on what it cost me (fees, time, resources) to participate in the event.”

Offering Holiday Discounts or Promotions

Just over half of our respondents — 54.7% — reported that they offer special discounts and promotions around the holidays. Here are some of the tactics they mentioned using:

• Including earrings as a bonus with purchase of a necklace or bracelet

• Direct mailing a flyer or postcard advertising holiday jewelry designs

• Offering a price reduction on multiple pieces or sets, such as “Buy 2 for $5 or buy 3 get one free”; “15% discount if you purchase 2, 20% for 5”; or “3 for $25 on all $10 earrings”

• Offering percentage discounts for a limited time prior to major holidays

• Placing the items in fancy fabric bags or handmade gift boxes

• Offering free gift-wrapping

• Offering a 10-25% discount for bringing a friend to a show

• Sending an email to loyal customers with sneak peeks of new items before they are listed on the website

• Emailing notices about online sales or upcoming shows

• Offering free shipping for the holidays or merchandise discount coupons via an email blast, your Twitter account, Facebook fan page, or a blog

• Sending a flyer or postcard to promote a show, with a coupon offering a discount on orders placed at the show and on follow-up orders received prior to the holidays

• Giving discounts on purchases over a certain total amount

• Offering a coupon for a discount on the next purchase when someone makes a purchase

• Providing free shipping and insurance for online orders of $50 or more

• Promoting discounts through fashion blogs

• Offering deep discounts to move old inventory

Some of our respondents had rather innovative promotional ideas:

“I offer discount cards on social networks and hand them out as my business card,” said Jane Walls of J Liz Jewelry in Jackson, Tenn. “ I have offered a 15% discount, increasing as total retail amount rises. I find this works for holiday buyers of gifts. In addition, I offer a ‘gifting’ service: gift-wrapping, local delivery and mailing (at cost). This has been successful for me because it eliminates some chores for a client.”

“I do a grab bag at home parties,” said Davis. “I put three pieces of my sale item jewelry into one ziploc baggie. It’s like a treasure bag with a bracelet, necklace and maybe a pair of earrings. I leave on the regular price tag. Then I price the treasure bag at a 20-25% discount. They have to buy all three pieces, but they love this and feel they are really getting a ‘deal’. And they are!”

“I always do a direct-mail campaign to preferred customers,” said Etz. “It’s a little different every year, but the most successful dollar-wise was when I asked my preferred customers to bring a friend, then BOTH would get a 20% discount. Also, I did one where the customers got to pick a percentage off (10% to 50%) out of a decorated cookie tin…that was pretty well received, too.”

Store-Sponsored Holiday Events

Almost exactly half — 50.6% — of our respondents reported participating in special boutique- or gallery-sponsored holiday events such as trunk shows, open houses, or ornament shows.

These shows seem to be very worthwhile according to many of our artists, who mentioned a variety of different types of events. Some are staged as special one-day open house events, like the one described by Kerry Carrillo of My Mind’s Eye Creations in Prescott, Ariz.:

“I have participated in open house boutique shows during the holidays that have been successful. We invited local ladies’ groups (book clubs, garden clubs etc.) to join us for a light lunch (soup or salad) and time to shop. We staggered the times starting from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. for lunch and then later in the afternoon we offered coffee/tea and dessert from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. We charged $5 per person and had a great turnout.”

Some of the shows last for several weeks leading up to the holidays. These are reported to be very successful, so if you can find one of these, you might want to strongly consider showing your work there.

“Our local gallery had a day specializing in handmade items from the local area — each was asked to bring items to display for two weeks, and on the first day to attend and be willing to talk to members of the public that came through,” said Annette Piper of Annette Piper Dip. Gem. Handcrafted Jewellery in Australia. “As it was informational and display in nature, there was no pressure to buy; however, surrounded by quality items in a lovely atmosphere, they were very tempted, and many weakened. Sales resulted from this event for a couple of months afterwards.”

Added Bruce, “I have participated for many years in a gallery Christmas shop which runs for five weeks over November and December. It is open every day, and customers love to come and go shopping at their leisure in a gallery setting. Some admit to doing all their Christmas shopping there! I try to have some of the items that were popular the previous year as well as new surprises to tempt them.”

Another very successful and creative tactic is when artists join a group of other artists to create a temporary holiday “store” in which to show their work.

“Part of a group (jewelers and other craftspersons) offered their wares in December in a ‘pop-up’ shop. In recessionary times, we found the public delighted to support local craftwork, and especially successful was the ‘meet the makers’ aspect, where clients could talk with the actual makers and organize modifications or commission bespoke pieces,” said Mary Varilly of True Colours in Ireland. “The emotional quotient of the sale was much enhanced by the public having both direct and prolonged access to the persons who made what they purchased.”

R. Jane Williams of Jane’s Jewels in Bethlehem, Penn., another artist who did a group show, reported similar success:

“A group of skilled craftspeople rented an empty store in a mall and shared the price. We had glass artists, jewelry artists, ceramic artists, fine artists, etc. It was successful because of the location (many people shopped in the area and there was a fine-food restaurant nearby), our marketing in a weekly alternative newspaper, postcards, and each of the craftspeople emailed their lists. Prices were kept relatively low, and the emphasis was on the unique character of each handmade item.”

Home Shows

Almost half of our artists — 47.1% — reported that they had participated in shows and open houses that were held in people’s homes. And, according to their reports, home shows seem to be among the very most successful selling venues, perhaps because of the comfort and intimacy of viewing the work in a social setting instead of in a typical sales-centered setting such as a retail show or store.

“A family friend hosted a home jewelry party and invited her large circle of family, friends and coworkers,” said Deanna Duncan-Allen of JB Silver N Stuff in Broomfield, Colo. “There was no hard sell, just food, friends, laughter and the opportunity to look at the items I had for sale. I answered questions, offered gift packaging and kept it very soft-sell oriented.”

“A friend held a trunk show for me. She was my best advertisement, as she told her friends to come,” said Babette Cox of Digit Designs in Dallas, Texas. “It’s relaxing — no pressure to buy — fun time for all with a bit of spirits and food. They try things on to show their friends, and the friends often convince them to buy as it ‘looks so good on you!”

From what our respondents told us, it appears there is a new trend emerging in the home-show arena. We were surprised to learn that nearly twice as many reported hosting parties, shows and open houses in their own homes and studios as those who attended shows hosted by friends and family (though many do both). And, as successful as the friend-hosted events were, it seems that the artist-hosted events were even more so. The raves for this selling method went on and on.

Said Connie Clinger of C.J. Clinger 1 of a Kind Designs in Lewistown, Penn., “I sell more jewelry from home holiday shows than anywhere. Half of my income comes from that. I gather names from outside shows and then invite everyone to my home during the holidays and give a 25% discount for bring a buying friend.”

“I’ve done about one outside show a year … now I’m done. I’m typically the most expensive item there and sell very little,” said Lisa Lehmann of Studio Jewel in Grand Rapids, Mich. “However, when I do my own open house, it’s targeted, it’s special, it’s rare … and my customers know it. So they come. Very profitable!

In addition to enjoying profits from these types of events, several of our readers noted that they also provide an excellent way to build a loyal following over time.

“I usually host an open house at my home between Thanksgiving and Christmas,” said Gina Anthony of Creative Accents in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. “Although it is not based on a theme, I decorate for the holiday and play Christmas music, and people can come and go as they wish. It usually goes on all day, and each year has been more successful than the previous year.”

Some of these types of shows even draw customers from long distances.

“The open house is the best thing I’ve ever done,” said Dottie Moon of Two Moons Hye Jewelry in Hye, Texas. “People came from several states away specifically for this show. (One of the artists is a nationally renowned artist.) Expenses are lower, stress level is lower, and people love to come see where the ‘artist works.’ We all try to have something in a partially completed stage so that we can talk about how we do what we do. It makes for a stronger connection and gives a story for the purchaser to tell.”

And the Winners Are…

So what’s the best way to invest the time and effort for your holiday sales preparations? To find out, we asked our respondents what they would consider to be their single most off-the-charts successful holiday selling idea. Here are their top 15, in order of the number of responses:

1. Participating in or hosting a home or studio show or open house

2. Selling at a charity benefit or fundraiser, or advertising that you will donate a portion of sales proceeds to a cause

3. Offering price breaks for multiple items purchased together

4. Giving a percentage off, usually through a limited-time coupon offer

5. Offering unique and/or one-of-a-kind pieces

6. Showing at Christmas retail craft shows

7. Showing your pieces at your workplace or a friend’s workplace

8. Using jewelry-making techniques to make holiday ornaments

9. Displaying your jewelry creatively

10. Offering free gift-wrapping

11. Participating in a multi-artist holiday party or show

12. Offering a wide range of price points

13. Demonstrating your craft at your show or booth

14. Loving what you do so much that your excitement shows

15. Offering personalization and/or customization

These readers offered further insights and ideas:

• “Normally, I just sell my jewelry at the Christmas craft shows, and that’s all it takes,” said Sherry Luke of Sherry’s Jewelry in Coulterville, Calif. “People who are looking for quality, one-of-a-kind, handmade items usually buy no matter what the price. You just have to make sure you provide excellent customer service, be polite, and answer all their questions. That is what usually works for me, plus a nice presentation.”

• “I do bead stringing and offer a discount on any stringing repair,” said Sharon Shaw of Sharon D. Shaw Jewelry in Baltimore, Md. “The discount on bead stringing repairs brings them in, and while they are there, they fall in love with something they have to own. So it can be a win-win situation.”

• “For me, the most successful ‘promotion’ that I have ever done is participating in shows and boutiques that are well advertised and have a community giving portion as well,” said Jannea Varni of ImagiNature Jewelry in Scotts Valley, Calif. “These shows or boutiques really provide the customer with opportunities to meet two goals for the holidays — purchasing items for their family and friends and giving back.”

• “I found that when selling to people I work with, offering inexpensive holiday earrings as a ‘get one free then buy one’ gave them more incentive to purchase more,” said Barbara Perry of Banava Jewelry in West Yarmouth, Mass. “It sort of broke the ice so they could feel thankful for the effort and then realize that they needed to buy more! I sold lots more other items with this reverse sale.”

• “I create Christmas tree decorations with jewelry-making skills,” said Varilly. “The customers get something unique that could become a family heirloom, and there was incentive to buy several rather than just one, as a tree requires a fair bit of decoration!”

• “I substitute teach. During lunch and free period, I sit in the teachers’ lounge making jewelry,” said Nancy Kamp of VeryShinyObjects in Oklahoma City, Okla. “I keep a small display of finished items with my tools, which are conveniently placed on a nearby table. The jewelry sells itself, and I often pick up custom orders.”

• “Free food and wine help during our Christmas Art Walks,” said Katherine Palochak of Metals and Gems/JazznJewelry in Rawlins, Wyo. Free food brings them in, and free wine brings them in to warm up. The wine also seems to help them to get into a more receptive mood to buy, so the galleries hope they’re near the end of their tour when they stop by.”

• “So far, it has been participating in small venues, such as the studio tour, fashion shows, home parties — very small events,” said Patricia Tyser Carberry of Prescott, Ariz. “They cost very little, are easy to do, and I look at them as marketing opportunities as well as sales. I often get people buying at a later date.”

• “Gift boxes, ribbons, etc.,” said Karen Swartz of Tresclaudine in Philadelphia, Penn. “I had a huge custom order (10 necklaces, earrings, bracelets, etc.), and the thing that sold it the best was not only that they were all handmade, but that the person ordering them didn’t have to do anything. They came wrapped, tagged, etc. I would always do this going forward.”

Hopefully some of these ideas and results will be helpful to you in your holiday sales. Christmas is only 12 weeks away, so let’s get busy!

Technorati Tags: how to make jewelry, jewelry Business Tips, jewelry selling

Earring Cards Corner

One of the things an artisan has to be concerned about is how they can maximize the potential of their business by cutting cost on certain areas where quality will not be compromised. And earring cards are just the perfect element of business that you can have great savings on!

Earring cards work as a marketing tool too if thought of and made with great emphasis on how customers can retain information on the card itself. Now there are a lot of pre-made earring cards out there in crafts stores, Etsy, Rio Grande, Fire Mountain Gems and just any jewelry store you come into has their own share of earring cards for grabs.

But what’s best is you can make it yourself. And by DIY, it means you having the control on the kind of personality you want to imbibe on your jewelry business by the kind of earring cards you have.

It can actually be some sort of business card that contains all the important elements of a business card. Read on jewelry business cards to be informed.

But of course earring cards will be a lot smaller than the generic business card size but it should always be full of the marketing strategies any business paraphernalia should have. It should contain of the website URL, email address, telephone number, if possible the logo of your jewelry business, and some space for your words describing your collection. See here for more ideas onjewelry tags.

How To Make Personalized Earring Cards

If it would be too much for you to put out some good amount of money for earring cards, then it’s time that you make your own earring cards! Yes, a do-it-yourself earring card. How do you make one?

First, you need to choose the best paper that you can have, acid-free paper will be your best choice for this. Make sure that quality wise, the paper can hold the weight of your earrings and not really fall off, or worse tear up in the middle of the craft show. You can avoid that by using the best paper material possible, this might be your biggest investment then.

Second, your good old PC and printer to help you come up with the design you have in mind. There are really a lot of designs online that you can check on so you can create your own branding.

If you are into pearls, Swarovski, or polymer clay, then your design for your earring card should always be in line with your jewelry niche. Keep it really simple if possible and do not overpower the design of the jewelry piece itself.

Third, your earring card punch kit for a neat, tidy, and easy way to punch a hole on your cards. The tool comes in handy when you are keeping a uniform look on holes for your earring cards. But you can actually use a needle for that for a more cost-efficient jewelry tool.

There are so many ways that you can design your own earring card. One is the conventional square or rectangular and other designs may vary depending on the jewelry itself. Or you can cut the sides off and make some really neat style around the edges.

Once these earring cards are finished, stack them neatly so they won’t wrinkle and you’ll have a nice earring card to hang your jewelry on!

Technorati Tags: cards, Earring cards, Earring tags, Jewelry hang tags

Jewelry Design

Where do you get inspiration for your jewelry designs? Often when faced with this dilemma, you tend to flip through pages of fashion magazines or browse the Internet for new ideas. But what is really a good design?

A good jewelry design is when style and comfort are fused into one, something that would make you wear it and not be uncomfortable by the weight and texture of the materials being used.

For jewelry design ideas, a good combination of nature and synthetic materials can be used, like using a leather string instead of beading threads. Then you can string in beads made of resin to complete the look. It is both economical and the leather gives a certain edge to the design, plus resin is very light materials as finished products so it is really comfortable to wear.

Plan Jewelry Design Ideas

Draw Your Design

Visualize how you want your jewelry to look like when it’s done. Jewelry making is artistry in itself so allot some time for your jewelry making activities. As artisans, you are entitled to your own space and time for those ideas to take place.

You must keep it really organized by drawing your design first, scribble some designs that you can think of and color them. I have found these really cool and useful jewelry design software that will come in handy for any of your jewelry making binges.

Patterns For You – lets you upload an image of your design and create a pattern using your selected stitches, namely, peyote, loom, bricks, and right angle weave.

This will be great for bracelet and necklace design ideas so you can automatically just follow the pattern and go on with making jewelry.

E-Perle – is actually in French but I find this to be a great software and easy to navigate. The language is not a barrier when it comes to making your own design, in fact is really user friendly. So try and check that out!

Design Tool by Swarovski Elements – is also a great tool that helps you design jewelry using Swarovski but of course you can use other materials for this design tool. Your imagination is the limit!

Prepare Your Materials

Keep all materials in a safe place out of reach of children if you are dealing with hot surfaces or very little beads, for obvious reasons. Make sure that after all has been laid out and you have your design ready, all your materials like beads, findings, clasps, toggles, and all that stuff within your each.There should be designated containers for each bead and finding, and carefully labeled too.

Jewelry Design Ideas

Bracelet Design Ideas

Necklace design Ideas

Ring Design Ideas

Earring Design Ideas

These are just sample of images that you can get ideas from, remember, the designs should come from your heart. The designs you make reflects the kind of jewelry business that you have, so make it a point to set aside some inspiration weekend, away from all the stress of domestic obligations, and be ready to launch your own collection as soon as ideas start flowing. Be bold and creative!

Technorati Tags: Ideas for jewelry design, jewelry design ideas

The Etsy Connection

When it comes to jewelry and crafts, there’s nothing more exciting than being able to share your talent and skills by showcasing your work and hope that people will love it and will have an interest to buy one.

In the past, selling handcrafted jewelry is so much hard work, what with all the talking with possible resellers from craft shops and establishing your business from scratch. But today, technology has made artisans realize that there is more to just creating beautiful pieces of jewelry.

You need to have a medium in which people will have one place to go to when they think of jewelry. And that’s where the idea of Etsy’s Rob Kalin came from. The idea was just revolutionary when people were just getting in the hype of social networking!

So what’s in it for you? As what Kalin envisioned it to be, “The little guy being able to organize a better marketplace”. So that’s how you are going to set up your etsy jewelry business. Make gorgeous pieces of jewelry and tap Etsy’s still growing marketplace of handmade crafts.

How Does It Work

Since it was born way back 2005, it has attracted hundreds, even thousands of small business owners in the crafts section has been making use of this opportunity to make their businesses known all over the world. That is widespread marketing strategy if you ask me.

That is the beautiful thing about Etsy, it gives you a place to direct your customers to, coming from your own website and Facebook fan pages. It actually gives a sense of belongingness as almost all tech-savvy artisans go for this kind of marketing strategy.

Do’s and Don’ts

• Don’t expect to be an overnight sensation just because you think your jewelry projects are great! – Work it to the top!
• It is not Etsy’s fault if your sales are not soaring high, what they do is just provide you with an alternative to present your finished products.
• Do make an effort to promote your Etsy site through massive campaign in Facebook, to your friends, and even email marketing where it is appropriate.
• Don’t disregard comments on your Etsy images. Interact with your audience as soon as they post a comment or a maximum of 2 hours to demonstrate reliability and credibility of your business.
• Do spend some time to take amazing pictures of your jewelry. Just because your necklaces and bracelets are beautiful, it does not guarantee a sale. You have to take great professional shots of these jewelry pieces.
• It can be frustrating and a turn off at times to see poorly lighted images of your pieces. Take a look at this article on how to photograph a jewelry properly. Invest in this area to highlight really good jewelry and be on the top list of Etsy finds.
• Do make every possible tag for your images, this is how search engine rankings work, so write every possible tag , you can put up to 14 tags per image, so that’s a lot of possibilities!
• Do add in images of your jewelry regularly. That is one of the key factors too. People need to know that you are serious on your craft and business.
• Do write about your product in your blog and show off. This is the right time to boast about something, and if that means getting those pieces sold, then so be it.
• Do understand your customers and target market. See this article on profitable jewelry niche markets for amore thorough explanation.

So you see there are only 2 Don’ts in the list, meaning achieving good sales isn’t really that far. All you need is the perseverance and passion for what you do. You should love your craft and ultimately the love will be returned as well.

Etsy jewelry is really a place for artisans starting out in the field of jewelry business, if you know in your heart that this is the place for you, then go for it and have fun!

Technorati Tags: Etsy, Etsy jewelry, handcrafted jewelry, Handmade Jewelry

eBay Jewelry

eBay is such a huge hit to all online consumers when it comes to affordable and hard to find pieces specially for a jewelry. It has curved and changed the direction of e-commerce as far as traffic is concerned.

It has become part of an online seller’s to do list to have an account over eBay and post some great pictures and start their push for selling their great pieces. Jewelry is a fetish for women, and in the start of the millennia, men too have developed an interest in this field.

That is why eBay Jewelry is such a great place for all artisans to gather and be a part of an organization of dedicated and hardworking jewelry artists. You just have to read the policies for their sellers to be aware of their general selling conditions.

How To Sell Jewelry In eBay

There is tremendous competition in eBay but that doesn’t mean that you have to just all take all your gears down. You can still make it through the long list of marketing stuff before you can say you have made it to the top. And it doesn’t happen overnight.

You have to learn to create a business plan for yourself; it doesn’t take a genius on business marketing to do this. But to top it all, you must have a good inventory to prove your business stability. You don’t want to spoil visitors to your eBay site in just 3 minutes.

Engage them with great photos of your jewelry. Put up some really to-die-for designs and list the history of why the design came into conception, the materials you used, and convince them how it would really fit them well when they wear it.

Like how we eat with our eyes, online customers buy with their eyes too. Make all your images professional looking, focus on what’s best and make it really look stunning! Read this article for a guideline on how to photograph jewelry.

eBay is also good for auction, so have a good inventory of new pieces and old pieces of your jewelry collection. Separate them in different listings and make sure that you price them thinking of your potential customers.

It can be really hard sometimes when you make decisions like giving out your favorite glass beads bracelet at a starting bid of $.10. But what’s really great is the price can double up with regards to its selling price. However, the downside is exactly the opposite. You can actually have a fairly low price for a piece with a much higher value.

But the only consolation is if you have a vast inventory, they will see it on featured listings and you can be assured of repeat customers. People will bookmark your site and come back to and buy some really good jewelry in fairly competitive prices. The key here is building a relationship of trust from your customer. Once it has been established, it is not that hard to sell the second piece and the rest of the collection.

Now for your inventory needs, Bead Manager Pro will help you keep track of inventory, price your pieces automatically, and even manage your invoicing. You just don’t realize how this software can help you in so many ways without compromising productivity and quality of your work.

So set your priorities ready and head off to eBay jewelry selling for it is a tested ground to set your feet on to. All you need is some great jewelry collection, a little gut, and a lot of patience and you can go a long way in running an eBay jewelry business.

Technorati Tags: Ebay jewelry, Jewelry online, online jewelry store

Why Join Jewelry Auctions

We can collect jewelry of every form and material, from pearls to glass beads, or your all time favorite semi-precious stones. But you will soon realize that a lot of these collections have just been sitting in your storage box for quite a time and so you think it might be wise to dispose it through jewelry auctions.

If you have been making jewelry for quite some time, there might be some slow-selling pieces that you need to dispose of and that needs to be taken care of. Jewelry pieces can clutter up space and it’s really just better to sell it than to lose its luster and shine from being stored for such a long time.

And so that is why jewelry auctions are such a great opportunity to showcase jewelry projects, though you have to compromise with prices. What’s the good thing about jewelry auctions are prices can start really cheap and you can get treasured jewelry heirlooms and pieces at a bargain price.

Traditional Vs. Online Jewelry Auctions

With the growth of Internet today, it is really easy to just post some pictures over your own website and have some sort of auction weekend. You can post images of your jewelry pieces with descriptions on it at different angles. It is important that you show different facets of your jewelry so that customers will have an idea of how it’s going to look like on them when they wear it.

And the good thing about online jewelry auctions is the wide reach of audience. There will be varied customers who will be willing to buy your merchandise and get it for a good sum of money too. With a wide range of customers, bidding will just be very exciting!

That is how traditional jewelry auctions really differ; people who will attend jewelry auctions will have a chance of trying the piece on them and get a glimpse of them from the mirror of how gorgeous the piece is.

But traditional auctions pay for rent, the “auctioneer” who calls for bids and bangs that little gavel to call the sale, and the food, not to mention ushers, sound system and many operating expenses to hold an auction sale.However, it can be really rewarding. The trust is already established and seeing the jewelry pieces can be really inviting provided the pieces are really gorgeous.

Jewelry Auction Sites

For starters, you can actually try doing it on your Facebook fan page like this Jewelry Auction For Ethiopia page. It really is upon you to hold this auctions a lot more exciting and within reach to your customers.

eBay also is a good venue for your jewelry auction activities. It is one great place for auctions that gets visited by millions of buyers. There is also a list of jewelry auction sites here that you can really check on and get yourself familiar with.

Jewelry auctions are just one of the marketing strategies for your jewelry projects to be sold. It can be a lot of hard work with all the labeling and taking of pictures for your chosen pieces going but it can be fun too. So just go on, think of what’s best for your jewelry auction weekend thing and let the bidding begin!

Technorati Tags: Auctions, jewelry auctions, Online jewelry auctions

Choosing Your Online Bead Store

Jewelry making is fun, it allows you to express your creativity and at the same time a chance to earn money as well. With jewelry making, you can actually make your own materials like beads made of polymer or resin, but if you don’t want to go with all the hard work, bead stores are the best place to go to.

You can visit your favorite bead store around the block or conveniently order in online bead stores. Online bead stores are great because it gives you the chance to browse their collection without leaving your home and paying for a baby-sitter if you have kids. Plus, they have promotions, discounts, and freebies that only online customers can get.

Online Bead Store List

Here is a list of online bead stores that have a wide selection of beads, findings, clasps, and anything that your jewelry making project needs.

Fire Mountain Gems
A Bead Store
Bead Works
Art Beads
Brightling Beads
Beads Online
The Beading Room
BeadFx
Bead A Bead
BeadC
Jewelry Supply
Auntie’s Beads
Beadage
Rio Grande
Jewelry Making Daily
Beadalon
Beading Daily
Shipwreck Beads
Art Fire

All these online stores have their own specialties and wide range of beads and findings, and these are just a few of the bead stores online. You have the Internet as your source for searching bead stores that will help you on looking for the best materials for your jewelry project.

What To Do When Shopping From Online Bead Stores

You need to be ready with a checklist when you go shopping online so you won’t miss out on important things and not go over the budget. Shopping for beads can be really exciting that you will end up buying things that you don’t really need.

Make sure that you have ample time browsing for your bead needs so you don’t just get what is readily available. Promos and discounts may even be found in blog articles or even Facebook Fan Pages, so keep yourself aware of those opportunities for you to save.

You can save even more if you buy wholesale, so make it a point to check your inventory first before you go shopping for new materials. And if you want hassle-free inventory management, Bead Manager Pro can help you on that area with a whole lot of features that will make your jewelry making an enjoyable part of the business.

Other Online Bead Stores Features

Bead stores like Fire Mountain Gems and Auntie’s Bead also include free beading instructions and what-haves pertaining to your jewelry business. So it’s really a one-stop shop for all jewelry artisans out there wanting to hone their craft and be updated of the current trends in jewelry fashion.

What’s the best thing about online bead stores? They come with free beading instructions with a list of materials needed for the project. They will have videos or images that say it all when it comes to step-by-step instruction or guide and all the materials are just a click away and it will be delivered to your doorstep in no time. If you’re lucky, you might even get free shipping and handling by ordering a certain amount qualified for this service.

Bead stores are your partners in business, although you can make your own set of beads or other materials for jewelry making, there are just materials and findings that come in handy from these stores, clasps, toggles, and bead caps for that matter.

It is important that you make a connection from these bead stores to your own advantage, at the same time helping the bead jewelry industry grow by supporting and buying from these online bead stores.

This will ultimately make jewelry making money generating industry and not just a hobby. Way to go!

Technorati Tags: Bead stores, Beading stores, Beads store, Online bead stores

Creative Jewelry Tags

How many of you have strained your necks looking for a price tag for that beautiful piece of jewelry in a store? Isn’t it just great to just immediately look at a jewelry tag when exploring the beauty of jewelry pieces? It simply makes the whole jewelry buying process easier and saving the time of answering all those price queries.

Plus, jewelry tags give your jewelry projects a professional look; it finishes off the whole jewelry packaging idea with all the information a customer needs. You can either look to buy at online jewelry tags store or make one of your own, either way you need to know the essentials of jewelry tags.

Jewelry Tag Particulars

Selling jewelry is thinking of marketing strategy from conception of jewelry ideas, jewelry making process, taking a photograph of your jewelry, to actually putting a jewelry tag on it. The whole thing is just really important, nothing is singled out. So it is important that you know what to put on a jewelry tag and what matters to your customers.

First you have to design your tags as plain as possible; you don’t want your jewelry tags to overpower your jewelry pieces. If at all necessary, keep it to a white color or just ecru or cream colored paper for your main material. But make each design of tag really unique so that it’s worth keeping.

Oftentimes unique jewelry tags go inside jewelry boxes along with the pieces itself because people love to collect unique things. And this will be a great repeat customer strategy with all the information that’s already there on the tag.

Second, make sure the sizes don’t cover the whole piece, it should just be clear and visible enough but not too big that it covers the whole jewelry. Simple designs would be fine for as long as all the necessary information are stated on the tag itself.

Jewelry tags are important part of jewelry packaging so make sure that the design, shape, and color compliments the jewelry piece so they blend together and increasing chances of selling it.

Third and the most important one, business information and the price; it should contain your business name, web address, email address, and phone number to let your customers know that you value customer service and if for some reason they need to ask you something about your product, those information will help them get connected with you.

You should own the product by having a logo that will trademark your jewelry pieces. Keep it nice and simple. But don’t just clutter the whole front side of your tag with these loads of information. You can put the logo, business name, and price on the front side of the tag while on the other side; you can print your contact information like email address, website URL address, and phone number.

Fourth, be careful on the paper material you are going to use. It should be acid free and the heaviest paper stock that you can get that will work in your own printer if you’re personally making it and ask your professional tag maker the paper material they are using.

This will help the paper from damage in handling on tradeshows and parties wherever the jewelry pieces will be susceptible to human contact. That is why it is important that you have an idea of the materials being used, just like any other products that you are working on.

Fifth, make an effort of writing words that will describe the jewelry piece. Depending on the size and size of jewelry you have, say something about the component that was used. Give a brief description of what the jewelry piece is made of and the inspiration that you got the idea from. It should make it all the more exciting to wear knowing the details about your jewelry. Care instruction can also be included in the tag.

And if ever you have a problem on pricing a piece of jewelry? Bead Manager Pro will help you automatically price your jewelry pieces and help you on tax computations that is such a serious work to do. You name it and your bead jewelry business will never be complete without BMPro. Now you have a beautiful jewelry tag with the accurate price printed on it by the help of Bead Manager Pro.

Jewelry tags complete the whole package of your jewelry projects, it is important that you have a distinction for your tags, describing who you are and what you can offer as a jewelry artisan. After all, it’s the small things that really catch a customer’s attention, why not focus on the smaller details then? What do you think?

Technorati Tags: jewelry labels, jewelry tags, labels, tags

What Is A Niche

A niche is a small specialized market that will bring profit to any market you put yourself into, specially in selling jewelry where almost stay-at-home moms are gearing at. Well yes, that sounds so general but you must admit that there are a lot of online jewelry businesses out there.

What will set you apart from these people? It is having a jewelry niche that will bring you good return of investments and grow your business in this technology driven world. So how do you do that? Tap the World Wide Web, social media, and technology. See an article on how to sell jewelry online for a full coverage on running your business online.

But right now, I would like to focus on choosing your jewelry niche that you can own and be recognized for. The sound of their business name being mentioned in jewelry trade shows and fairs would be a great compliment an artisan can have in the jewelry business world.

It embodies recognition on your part and therefore is known for what you do, and that really means, SALES! That’s what we are all aiming for, right? To reap the fruits of our labor and make good of what we do, in fact the best!

Jewelry Personality

Perhaps brainstorming for a jewelry niche will be the most challenging thing to do, as this will entail serious thought on what would really sell to your targeted market. The scope should be focused on providing your potential customers with what they really want.

Wedding Jewelry Niche

For example, if you really are into wedding jewelry then you must focus on what is the current trend in wedding celebrations for a certain year. For as long as fashion evolves, so thus the whole corresponding components too. And weddings definitely are just one of them.

Jewelryisa big part of a wedding and it can make or break the whole appearance if you wore the wrong jewelry. So focusing on wedding jewelry will be the best choice if you are into the romantic and classic style of jewelry making.

Children’s Accessories Niche

Children are the most critical buyers, yes they are! They can be utterly honest when it comes to their own likes and dislikes at any given situation. While parents pay for what they want, they have their own decisions too. Apparently, choosing what to wear and what goes with their clothes and capturing a child’s mind in terms of fashion can be very tricky.

You must begin with understanding how kids want to wear these jewelry pieces, often, pastel and light colors is more likely to appeal to kid’s preference and something that is lightweight and comfortable to wear. So using plastic resin beads can be a good material for this jewelry niche. Letter beads, cartoon characters, and birthstones are great materials that can be used for these jewelry projects to make it all personalized.

Semi-Precious Stone Jewelry Niche

This will go to all women at all stages of womanhood. Whether you are still in college, or a young mom, and having grandchildren, semi-precious stone jewelry is always a welcome addition to jewelry boxes.

A good jewelry project would be charm bracelets; this will include some semi-precious stones and beading threads or wires to complete a piece. But what would really make it stand out in your collection is the healing effect that these stones will bring in to your life.

You have to be well-versed on semi-precious stones properties and usage so that your customer s will be much more interested to buy. As stated in a jewelry trade show article before, you can print the stone’s description and put it on your table or booth for more information about the semi-precious stone.

There are still a lot of jewelry niches that you can find out there; you just need to be creative and knowledgeable about your field of expertise. You might find that there are a lot of jewelry artists selling semi-precious stones and what you can do is think of some ways that will ignite an interest to your pieces. A big statement brooch or hair accessory might be a good start for your collection.

A jewelry niche can be truly helpful when you want to focus some certain levels of customers. But no matter what, it is always important that you love what you are doing and you’ll never have to work a single day as they say.

Technorati Tags: Jewelry niche, Niche, niche jewelry market

Selling Jewelry Online

The Internet is a great avenue for making big in the jewelry business world; it offers endless opportunities for you to position yourself as a professional artist and showcase your jewelry pieces for the whole world to see. To sell jewelry online, it is important to make yourself visible in the Internet.

Selling jewelry should be a major part of having a jewelry business; it is not the be all and end all of your business. Think of it as the end result of your hard work creating those pieces of jewelry, but the beginning should be the “how”. And how to sell jewelry online means having to start with the most basic step. Be visible.

Yes! Be seen; inform the whole community that you are making great jewelry pieces. It is given that you make amazing jewelry, but getting yourself known and getting your jewelry projects sold should ultimately be the whole reason why you are exerting the effort.

Check out this article about establishing your business online to know where and how to start your online jewelry business.

How To Sell Jewelry With Fashion

Your customers will be your sole focus when you think of selling your products. Their preferences and ideas is of good substance, that is why you should be looking into getting their suggestions to make great jewelry pieces that is intended for your audience.

You can spare a column in your website to give way for ideas and suggestions that will help your create pieces that will actually sell. People who buy jewelry online would love to know more about the materials you used for a jewelry project so giving out more information about the beads and components you are using will be a good addition to your website structuring.

Keep them informed, put images of your jewelry that are big enough and focused on the details of the jewelry itself. Read this article about how to photograph jewelry piece effectively and apply that to taking images of your own jewelry and make that a striking attraction in your website.

The Rise Of Social Media In Online Selling

Now for the easiest part, yes, I mean easiest because the World Wide Web has a lot of information to offer to make your jewelry business grow. One is social media, did you know that according to Nielsen Wire global time spent on major social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter is at huge 82% in December 2009 and is still growing year after year.

Just imagine how much more powerful social media is in the coming years and getting ahead of your competitors would make you great income, in fact really huge ROI. So start creating your Facebook Fan Pages today and integrate applications that will improve your business’ visibility and increase traffic to your website as well.

Build Customer’s Trust

As a customer it is quite frustrating not to have an interaction with your seller, specially in an online business. So it takes an effort to design features in your website that will introduce you as the owner and jewelry artist.

You have to connect yourself to the name that you bring so they can relate it to you as their trusted seller. Create a page of “About Me” that will speak of how all your jewelry business begun, talk about your family and interests as well.

Create a “press page” where all of your works has been mentioned, if not featured, so in that way you will establish credibility for your jewelry projects.

You can also create a page where your “sold pieces” are located, you can also ask previous customers to put comments and reviews of your work so they will have an idea that what you have is a professional online jewelry business.

Tutorials are great add-on to your website too, make videos and upload it to YouTube and link it to your Facebook page so you can integrate it to the social media world. It is a great opportunity out there, think of other ways that you can enhance your website. This is how it works for online business, be unique and maintain the integrity of your jewelry business.

Creating Good Content

One thing about selling jewelry is that it doesn’t only focus on the jewelry pieces itself, the how-to’s, tutorials, and jewelry making techniques matters. So by now you know that it is important to own a blog dedicated to your niche which is jewelry making.

Make yourself be seen by making good content for your blog, upload video tutorials or PDF step by step instructions. Make these materials a free download in your Facebook page to attract more “Likes”, thus making your content shareable to the general social media users. And by that I mean it can be tweeted, or shared in Digg, StumbleUpon, Del.icio.us, and any social networking sites in the Internet.

By making regular content every day, you can go viral if people find it really good and worth sharing. So planning what to say and what to teach would be your first agenda to succeed, serve your audience information that’s interesting and worth sharing.

And to make life easier for your jewelry business, Bead Manager Pro has amazing jewelry software features that will help you jump-start your business in a breeze without the headaches of tracking inventory, jewelry pricing, and tax computation. Go grab one now!

Just as any business, selling jewelry online is as grueling and hard work as it can be, so you see now why I said it is not all about the jewelry pieces, these loads of ideas will eventually help you in making your business venture a success. The whole marketing process is the other side of making jewelry business work, so keep your stakes high and be prepared for great things to come!

Technorati Tags: How to Sell Handmade Jewelry, How to Sell Jewelry, jewelry, sell jewelry