December 17, 2009
If this newsletter is difficult to read as an e-mail:
Welcome!
Have you ever gotten so used to looking at a familiar object without thinking about it, that you didn't realize how outdated it had become?
Well, that's why I've been giving all of my websites a new, improved look and functionality. They were all loooooong overdue for a makeover to keep up with the times!
In the last issue of this newsletter I mentioned having finished the makeover on my Jewelry Display Ideas site. Since then I've made a few additional tweaks and improvements to it.
Then this past week I did a similar makeover on my Making Jewelry Now site. Now the gallery pages there really do justice to all the wonderful jewelry you all are sharing! :o)
Next (and last!) I'll be starting on "the beast" - Home Jewelry Business Success Tips, a website that has over a thousand pages. So over the next couple of months you'll see that site's much-needed makeover gradually occurring too.
Although the next issue of this newsletter won't come out until the first week of January, I'll be adding lots of new content to all of my sites between now and then. If you can't wait for the January issue, you can keep up with all the new stuff via my RSS feeds if you like!
I wish you a warm and wonderful holiday season and a prosperous new year. See you in 2010!
~ Love, Rena
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In this Issue of
Jewelry Business Success News:
- Quick Tip: Bad Hair Day Earrings
- New Jewelry Business Ideas and Techniques:
- 5 new jewelry business ideas
- 7 new jewelry display / packaging ideas
- 8 new highlights from the handmade jewelry gallery - Your Profitable Jewelry Business:
What Our Jewelry Customers Will Be Looking for
in Spring 2010 - Neat Jewelry-Related Website:
Watch Me Create
Quick Tip:
Bad Hair Day Earrings
On a bad hair day, all we can think about is how much we don't want anyone looking at our hideous hair. (She says with a bag over her head.)
Everyone has hair days like that - and jewelry artists can provide a quick, amusing fix!
I've done very well with selling my line of "Bad Hair Day Earrings". They're mostly larger, flashier styles that definitely distract attention away from the wearer's hair!
This is a jewelry line to have fun with, because customers appreciate both the humor and the function of these styles.
It sells best if you really play it up.
For example, consider creating earring cards that actually say "Bad Hair Day Earrings", and putting up a sign (in your booth or on your website) with a funny statement about your Bad Hair Day Earrings and how they work.
Also, gift shops and boutiques often are interested in carrying amusing jewelry items like these.
Sell Your Jewelry Like Crazy
at Shows, Fairs, and Festivals
Discover hundreds of things you can do to sell more of your handmade jewelry at shows, in my book Ultimate Guide to Your Profitable Jewelry Booth.
Get this 176-page, step-by-step resource before your next show.
New Jewelry Business
Ideas and Techniques
from My Websites and Blog:
Jewelry Business Ideas:
- Start a Facebook Page of Your Jewelry Business
Rina Ward reveals how she works her Facebook fan page to grow her jewelry business and connect with her customers. - Jewelry Show at a Retirement Home
By coincidence, Monique Fowler had a jewelry show scheduled at a retirement home the same day my last newsletter came out, with an article on that topic! Here Monique shares her own experience, plus her outstanding success tips for this type of venue. - Increase Your Jewelry Sales with Personal Touches
Kathleen Davis shares five of her most successful personal touches that her customers love. - Honoring My Own Standards
When her customer requested a difficult necklace repair, Suzan Evans had to decide how to handle the situation. - Addicted to Jewelry Design
Talented jewelry artist Neillee shares her enthusiasm for our craft, plus a peek at her gorgeous creations.
Jewelry Display and Packaging Ideas:
- Earring Card, Greeting Card, and Gift - All in One
Joanne Jordan's 9-year-old daughter provides the artwork for these adorable greeting cards that come with earrings hanging on them. A wonderful gift idea! - Bracelet Display Made in Heaven
Carman Bader found this wooden goodie in a Goodwil shop - and found that it's perfect for holding bracelets. - Put the "Close" on that Earring Display
See this lovely "open and shut" earring display case, custom made for Cindi Bernloehr by her cool dad. - Fashion Magazine Page Turned into Jewelry Envelopes
Kakalina creates these stylish jewelry packaging envelopes from black-and-white pages cut from fashion magazines. - Return Address Sticker Label as Jewelry Tag
Kakalina orders these cheap address stickers online - but she has them custom printed with her jewelry tag info instead of her address. - Display for Photographing Faux Pebbles Bracelet
Debbie Sosa came up with this lovely, Zen-like display idea for photographing her rustic jewelry. - Rustic Wood Necklace Display
Debbie Sosa demonstrates the beauty of aged wood as a prop in jewelry photos.
Highlights from the Handmade Jewelry Gallery:
See many more wonderful new jewelry designs in the Handcrafted Jewelry Designers' Gallery! I can't list them all here - so these are just a few of the most unique new submissions:
- Urban Chaos Amber Drop Hoops
by Michelle Buettner. - La Dona Necklace
by Patricia C Vener. - Snow on Roses Present Past Treasure Pendant
by Theresa Landow. - Sterling Silver Amazonite Ring
by Melanie Jernigan. - Blue Elemental Dragon Amulet Bag
by Kathy McChesney. - Heavenly Bodies Bracelet
by Melanie Jernigan. - Wire Hearts and Garnets Bracelet
by Wanda D Mcphee. - Have You Been Good for Santa Amulet
by Virginia Vivier.
Share Your Jewelry Content
and Get Great Exposure
I invite you to share your jewelry photos, tips, stories, tutorials, etc. - right here on my network of jewelry websites.
It's a friendly, creative atmosphere of ideas and networking.
You'll also receive links to your jewelry business, and gain exposure in the handmade jewelry community - and beyond.
Jewelry artists often tell me that the exposure they've received on my websites has brought them valuable new connections, opportunities, and traffic!
So come on in and take advantage of all these great opportunities for sharing:
(And of course, you always keep the copyright to all of your own content that you share on my network of jewelry websites.)
Sell Your Jewelry at Trunk Shows,
Private Showings,
and as Business Gifts
Learn how to sell your handmade jewelry to this HUGE untapped market, in my book Secrets of a Handcrafted Jewelry Shopping Service.
Get this 115-page, easy-to-read guide now, and make this your best jewelry selling year ever.
Your Profitable Jewelry Business:
What Our Jewelry Customers
Will Be Looking for
in Spring 2010
by Rena Klingenberg
I'll keep this brief today since I know this is a busy month for everyone!
Shortly after Christmas, we'll all start receiving the first wave of Spring catalogs, emails, etc. from fashion and clothing companies.
Of course, there are many other ways of tuning into the next season's trends for colors and styles.
But these "business to consumer" catalogs and email promotions are useful because they're one of the major trend influences our own jewelry customers are exposed to.
Our customers will absorb the colors and pictures they see in these publications, to help them decide on their own personal looks for Spring 2010.
In fact, many of our customers will be buying clothes from those early Spring catalogs and web promotions - and they'll be needing jewelry to match them! :o)
So before tossing those catalogs and deleting those "New Spring Fashions!" email promotions, use them for research.
They're free insider info into what will be on the minds of our customers this Spring.
Neat Jewelry-Related Website
This week's neat site, Watch Me Create, is a team blog written by about a dozen jewelry and glass artists, who share their unique processes as they create their new designs and styles.
Lori Greenberg of Watch Me Create says:
"The creative process is different for everyone. Here you can follow how it works for a handful of very creative people. Watch their successes and their failures. Read about what goes on inside their heads."
I enjoy this insightful, honest blog and find it inspiring. I discovered it through Dee Gordon, who is one of the Watch Me Create bloggers.
Sell Your Jewelry Online
Grow a solid base of online jewelry customers, using the step-by-step strategies you'll learn in my book Social Networking: Sell Your Jewelry Online the New Way.
Get this 192-page, step-by-step resource now, and start growing your customer base.
Network and Get Noticed
in the
Home Based Jeweler's Showcase
The Home Based Jeweler's Showcase blog is a free opportunity to promote your jewelry business and find other jewelry artists to network with.
It's published by Rita Juhlin of Private Stock Jewelry.
To add your jewelry business to the Showcase - please email Rita Juhlin, at HomeBasedJewelers @ gmail.com .
SURVEY:
How Can I Make This Newsletter
Better for You?
If you haven't yet responded to my quick survey, I welcome your input!
Please take the survey here to give me your suggestions and feedback so I can make this newsletter a better resource for you.
I grant as many wishes as possible! :o)
Thanks so much.
My Jewelry Business Websites
and RSS Feeds
This newsletter highlights some of the latest jewelry business tips and techniques from my websites:
Home Jewelry Business Success Tips
Each of these sites also has its own RSS feed. Look for the orange RSS symbol on the left-hand column of each of these sites to get the feed.
Thanks so much for joining me
for this issue of
"Jewelry Business Success News"!
~ May your jewelry journey be fun and prosperous ~