1. Wear your jewelry outside the house
You’d be surprised how easy it is to make a sale or gain a future customer in the checkout lane. Don’t be afraid to answer compliments with ‘Thanks, I make these to sell!’ (If you’ve created business cards, now is the time to keep a couple in your purse or wallet ready to whip out!) When I was working at a desk job, some of the ladies in the office would ask me why all of my jewelry matched my clothes. I told them that was because I made it myself. They then started asking me, ‘How much would it cost to make me one?’
Make sure you are wearing at least one thing that you’ve made each time you step out of the house! If you have little ones, when taking the kids to school, daycare, the neighborhood playground for some afternoon fun… wear your stuff! Just may be some other mothers there will love the earrings you’re sporting and want a pair for her daughter for a birthday or Christmas present for her best friend.
2. Ask others to wear your creations . . . or to sell them for you
When we were first engaged, my loving husband has beamed about my handiwork to several ladies in this office, so much so, over the Christmas season this last year, he sold over $400 worth of my goods…not only to the office ladies, but also to the men who were looking for gifts for their wives, daughters and mothers! Bless his heart!
Sometimes it’s easier to give away your work than to sell it, but try your hardest to resist this notion. The art of selling can be difficult for some, if this is the case for you, enlist a few good friends to step in and sell for you. You may just be surprised what your friends can move for you, even your “older” pieces that you think may not be saleable.
3. Find your niche
If you are into puppy dogs or kitty cats, or bikes or cars, or shopping and shoes… use that in your jewelry! Invest in charms which represent the things you love in life and you will be more likely to sell your jewelry, at a higher price even, when your jewelry is connected to a niche. Find and hang around those who share your interests, you will be surprised how quickly you can sell niche jewelry! Example: Involved in a Red Hat Society Group? Customize your bracelets and earrings in purples and reds!
4. Don’t forget about special commissions.
I sold ten bracelets to my son’s first grade teacher who was looking for special gifts for the other teachers in school over the holidays. I felt an incredible feeling to know that my work was special enough to be chosen by her for this occasion!
5. Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean someone else won’t
I have found that my “older” pieces (from 6 months to over 6 years ago) have sold more than my current “new” pieces at times. At my last craft show in the fall, I sold almost all of my old jewelry that I was so sick and tired of looking at, that I just about to set out on my tables for FREE! (I made over $600 at that small town craft show!)
6. Take a picture, it lasts longer
I was so satisfied to hear from our tax lady this year that she loved the piece she purchased from me. (I sold her a copper and jasper necklace while she was doing my taxes) Along with the bill for her tax services she wrote a special note that she loved my work and would like to set up a private home show with her friends! The only thing that I regret is not taking a picture of the necklace that I sold her before hand! I now photograph each of the pieces that I sell as soon as they are completed.
7. Grow and change your business as you grow and change as an artist
I began taking apart old earrings and creating news ones and found it so much fun that I just couldn’t stop! Then, I morphed my style into beading, wire work, crochet pieces, and clay work.Currently I’m into melting metals, setting natural stones and working in sterling silver and fine silver precious metal clays.
There are always so many new avenues when it comes to jewelry making! When you try a new path, make sure it reflects in your newest pieces, your business cards, your website or blog if you have one, and your attitude!
8. Price it right
Sometimes you may think that no one will pay an outrageous price for your pieces… price it high and find out! Don’t sell yourself short! You put a ton of effort into your work, price it high and see if it moves. If it doesn’t after awhile scale it back just a tad. *HINT: Do what they do on the SALES rack at Walmart! Don’t give it a bargain basement price, just give your piece a price with a 9 at the end $9, $29, $79…. you just may see a hike in your sales!
At my very first craft show, I priced everything I had on the table under $20. The gal in the booth next to me had everything priced close to $80 per piece. Her stuff was much better quality than mine, but in a small town, not too many people carry around that kind of cash. By the end of that day, I had raked in over $400 and she had only made one sale! (Even though my materials were inexpensive, I got more customers because I was aware of the customer base!)
These days, I’m creating more high-end jewelry and attending more ‘artsy’ shows in larger cities. So I’m able to price my pieces higher and reap a ton of success! It’s all about knowing your customers or your ‘audience’!
9. Start young…or not
Whether you’re 6 or 86, you can start turning your hobby and love of crafts into a profit. Tell your story when people come to your booth, let them know your journey… they will show more interest in what you do, and will feel an attachment with you and your work, possibly increasing your sales and your friendships!
10. Don’t let the rejections get to you!
Sometimes people will come to your booth or to your home show and make fun of your items while you are standing right there! It is appalling the things some people will say… but don’t let it get to you. If they critique your work, use that! Let new ideas come to you with their comments, no matter how harsh they may be. And remember, you are there doing your best, doing what you love! They may be in a difficult spot in life and just need to vent. Smile at them! They may
need your smile to turn around their frown!
11. Selling that first piece will change your life
I started to make jewelry just for fun and to pass the time, it has now blossomed into an amazing business. When I made my first sale I was a single mom, and making a few sales here and there helped me to be able to provide more things for my son than I could have if I relied solely on my full-time day job. That first sale was a wonderful feeling and to this day I
have never forgotten it! Every sale I make these days gives me a reminder of that first thrill!
GOOD LUCK TO YOU!
