5 Things To Consider Before You Sell Your Jewelry
Our thanks go to Randi-Sue
Deckard of
Designing-Diva Jewelry for this article.
Here is a short list of things
to consider before you are ready to start selling your
jewelry. The customer service skills and how you should talk
to your customers is huge and could really be a book by
itself.
Quality:
Is your jewelry design well
constructed? You must have a well designed product that will
withstand normal wear and tear by the customer. The
reputation of your business relies on the quality of your
jewelry.
Branding:
Is your jewelry style funky,
chic, fun, etc..Your logo and business name should match
your jewelry style. Take some time to really think about
what kind of impression your logo, name and color choices
will have upon customers. Not sure where to start? Search
the web , magazines, newspapers, etc and pay attention to
logo designs and colors. Does a particular style or color
appeal to you? Would it convey the message you want? Who are
your customers and what message/design/colors may appeal to
them?
Know Your
Customers/Niche/Market:
Who are your customers? How
will you get in front of your customers? For example, you
make fun and trendy jewelry for 'tweens so you might look to
get a kiosk at the mall where young girls hang out. Not sure
who your customers are? Test. Host a private trunk show and
encourage a variety of ages to attend. Really listen to what
others say, who is attracted to what styles, etc...This will
help you identify who your customers are and potential
niches/markets that you can sell to.
The Package:
How you package your jewelry
speaks volumes. It doesn't have to be custom order packaging
but it does need to pack a punch. When I first started doing
private events, I created my own little hang tags and gift
cards with scrap booking materials. I also decorated plain
kraft boxes and bags with colorful tissue. My customers
always rave about the nice touches and just loved the fact
that they walked away with pretty baubles in a one of a kind
package too. I now purchase some custom packaging but still
have some original gift cards that I offer for free. Just
remember, handmade does NOT mean homemade.
Customer Service Skills:
Are you a people person? If
not, you will need t learn to greet your customers
enthusiastically and SMILE. I always invite them in to
browse and to feel free to try anything on. If I have a sale
or promotion, I will let them know and if I notice something
catch their eye, I always share what is special about that
piece (stone, design, etc). Every person wants to be treated
like they are special. Even if they are not ready to buy
today, I always offer an incentive for them to stay in
contact with me: sign up for the newsletter and receive a
coupon.
Randi-Sue Deckard © 2007
Used with permission of the author
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