Getting My Business Going and Being Profitable

by Sue Phaneuf
(San Gabriel, CA)

I have been making jewelry for about 5 years. I've taken classes, asked many questions, found places online where I can learn how to make things and have tried to make sense of everything.

Selling - two years ago I decided to have my first open house and it went fairly well for the first time. I had another Holiday Boutique the 2nd time and pretty much everyone forgot to come. This past December I participated in a church boutique but only sold a few items. I think all the sellers figured that people didn't have lots of dollars to spent. It was only folks who had things for a couple of dollars.

My market is the San Gabriel Valley of Southern California and there is lots of competition. I've done "special collections", necklaces, bracelets, earrings, etc.

After my boutique experience I decided to visit some women's boutiques in a trendy town called South Pasadena. The first store I visited had tons of jewelry already and I didn't feel that the store was a good fit. The second store was a very nice store that specializes in today's better dresses but with a flair from the 40's, 50's and 60's with jewelry to match. The women were very nice, I got to show them my pieces but we agreed that they did not match their store.

Anyway, I love making jewelry and really want this to work but don't know what approach to take. I've read all the articles featured on this site and am just trying to decide which approach will work for someone like myself who is trying to get started. Any comments will be appreciated.

Sue Phaneuf

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Getting My Business Going and Being Profitable

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Me Too!
by: Caron Lambert

Hi Sue. I've been at it for about as long as you have. I started out selling to family and friends at work. I've also done numerous craft fairs in my area (Central NY) at churches and local school bazaars. I have found the craft fairs to be very frustrating because you spend hours there and sometimes walk away with a small amount of sales. After deducting the cost of the booth from the actual profit, I am usually breaking even...not good. I'm now working on setting up a website and may begin offering home parties as people have requested that. I'm planning an open house at my home in August as well as one at Christmas. I've cancelled my spot at all of the craft shows I normally do and am using this year to rethink my business plan. The problem I'm finding is that something I used to enjoy has turned into a headache. Perhaps there is something to this that we are missing. Do you also work full-time? I do, and it's hard to fit all of this and a new stepson into the picture. Whew! It will be interesting to see what responses you get here. Best of luck to you!

website
by: Melissa

Hi Ladies,

I feel your pain, it's hard when there is so much combination out there. Some of the best advice I got was at my local bead store during a quick jewelry marketing class which was to be successful, you should be feeling out a few different avenues (whether they be craft shows, wholesale, online, home shows, etc).

I had a rather useless website prior but took advice from Rena and signed up for handmade results (an affilate of hers in a past newsletter) and have been amazed by the amount of knowledge I learned. She has a free newsletter you can sign up for but I have been doing the weekly classes and she walks you through every step from discovering your niche to setting up the website, getting links, etc. I would highly recommend! It was only $39 a month too. I am actually leaving my job in a few weeks to focus on my jewelry business full time :) Just my two cents!

Melissa
http://www.gemloungehandcraftedjewelry.com

Some Ideas
by: Tracy May

I too started out a craft sales etc., but found them to be bargain basement shoppers in most, but not all, cases(in more affluent areas, more buyers)

My first open house was also great as friends and family were supportive, but it is true, people"forget". Offering incentives helps...like bring a friend get a free pair of earing, 2 friends, 2 pairs and make up a tray of earrings specially for this. I always offer some sort of incentive and a sale basket.... funnily enough, everyone flocks to that and then usually buys a non- sale item as well.Some other(usually , um, snobby) designers will say never to mark down, but sheesh, most people love a bargain.

Where I found the most success is both at juried shows with "art" is in the title and office buildings where they let you set up for the day. There, even the men buy for wives etc. and the groups of co- workers encourage each other.

Taking credit cards is also a big help, I was amazed at how many people just plain don't have cash or cash available(debit) even when the debit machine is right in the building.

The other thing , of course, is it takes time: time to build an inventory, time to build a client base, time to feel confident and know who to talk to and who to leave alone. I have some very dedicated customers who love my work,and have learned to live with those who do not, and not to try to please everyone.

One other thing,( okay a few), I always have prices and components listed, so that people can not feel funny if they can't afford what they want, I always give a bracelet or 2 to some interested young girls(makes me feel good, makes them too) and I will move on price. I also do not over-do my booth with allot of decor... again, there are designers who go all out and swear by it, but I have done it both ways and find the less clutter, the better the sales. Lots of mirrors, though.Business cards help, as does a website, because it seems more professional and less "this is the craft I am doing this year". I also joined my local art association.

And finally, just try to enjoy the show, talk to other artists(who often will share ideas and you just never know who they know!), be positive and try not to worry too much about sales!
Tracy May (Whimsy Jewellery Design, Ontario, Canada)

Profitable...?
by: Barbara

Hi, Sue,

I too am in your exact shoes. I have stopped doing craft shows of any type as they're either exactly as you have written (low prices), or 50% or more of the vendors are jewellery sellers and no one even looks at a jewellery table after the first five or so past the door. Still, while the economy is still very bad here, people always have to buy gifts. They may buy fewer or spend less, but they still want something nice and now they're starting to come to me, and understanding that if I don't have something today, I can often easily make something in a day or two or have it for them the following week.

Etsy? Nah. Two sales in two+ years. But get yourself on a site like deviantArt.com where you can post stuff and people all over the world see your work. I'm actually starting to sell there, but more importantly I get a lot of feedback. And anything I post on deviantArt drives traffic to my blog where I post things as well and talk more about what I'm doing. It's all about presence -- it really does lend you legitimacy. Facebook works well for a lot of people, but I find it unutterably confusing.

I should also mention that I too went to local dress shops asking if they would be interested in carrying my jewellery, but it was door-shut-firmly-in-face every time. Unless it's a very niche type of store, they are not for us: they want super-cheap stuff with high turnover potential and that's exactly what I do not do and never will.

In my case, the galleries/stores I'm in now? Every one of those store owners/gallery managers saw me at the weekly farmer's market and asked ME -- they thought I'd refuse! -- if I would be interested in putting my stuff in their stores. Local art gallery gift shops and historical sites with gift shops are my preferred venues and what I primarily will be targeting in the future.

I highly recommend when you're starting out, and if at all possible, you find a venue you can do each week on a regular basis, otherwise it's out of sight, out of mind. Getting up every Saturday at 4 a.m. to do a farmer's market might not appeal, but trust me, in a month you won't even notice it. Maybe you can do a mini-trunk show weekly or monthly at a local bead or craft store or community centre where you might also do a demo each time.

Continued...

continued...
by: Barbara

The local farmer's market where I'm now in my fourth year is what is working for me extremely well. I have examples of all my stuff, with a preponderance of a less expensive "market" line including things for children and men. Being in a "real" store gives me added legitimacy in people's eyes. Why? When you think about it, people are essentially risking a fair amount of money on an unknown vendor (me) at a market, which is truly not one of your traditional quality jewellery venues.

I am in the slightly dicey position of being in three stores in one block downtown, but each has a completely different line of jewellery at different price points. The art gallery gift shop has my really high end turquoise and silver stuff, another store has primarily office and sparkly dresswear with lots of pearls, semi-precious and Swarovskis, and the third has the younger and more hippie/boho/southwestern/feathers look.

Another interesting venue for me -- new, so no sales yet, but there is great potential -- is working with a local baker I met at the farmer's market. Rene asked me to make cake jewellery and I now have a venue for my more oddball-into-traditional-with-a-twist jewellery, as this baker is young and into "alternative" weddings.

My local library has a meeting/craft room and all kinds of craftspeople offer mini-courses there, something that can be done in 2 hours on a Saturday afternoon. At the moment, I'm contemplating offering a feather earring workshop and working out the logistics and costs for that.

Another circuit to get on, if you're free during the week and can travel, is seniors residences and extended care facilities where huge travelling markets selling everything from jewellery to accessible clothing to books to personal care items to you name it are on a regular circuit and set up in the front foyer every couple of months. Seniors have themselves and friends, children and grandchildren to buy gifts and clothing for: that's a huge market right there for all kinds of products and services. Plus the nurses and staff will absolutely swamp your table during their breaks. A lot of hospitals put on huge Christmas craft shows, and don't forget charities and fundraisers: donating prizes does give you a lot of "free" advertising as you will be mentioned in their programs. I sold well this year at a Breast Cancer Truck Run where local vendors set up at highway truck stops.

Hope this helps, and good luck.
Barbara
www.barbaramacdougall.com
www.artefaccio.blogspot.com
www.artefaccio.deviantart.com
www.etsy.com/shop/artefaccio

Museum Gift Shops
by: Nancy Vaughan

When I first started selling my jewelry I began with home parties. This was fairly successful for the first year or so.

After about a year of home parties and open houses I also began selling jewelry to a personal shopper as well as friends and neighbors.

My next venture was into street fairs. This was modestly successful. The biggest problem there was some street fairs will allow commercially produced jewelry that of course is cheaper. The prevailing attitude seems to be why pay $50 dollars for a bracelet when you can buy one for $10.

Then one day at the insistence of a friend I made a appointment with the manager of the gift shop for a local art museum. Much to my delight she really liked my work especially the more unusual pieces in copper. So for the past 18 months I've been selling my more unusual design through the museum gift shop.

The biggest draw back is everything sold through the museum is sold on consignment so the financial rewards aren't too great. However, prestige factor has been positive influence when it comes to selling elsewhere.

Currently I sell weekly at a local farmers market and at street fairs where everything has to be hand made. But the jewel in the crown is the art museum gift shop.

If you live in an area where there is a museum with a gift shop give them a try. Many are interested in selling handmade items from local artists.

Its often an uphill road to success!
by: Annette

It can take time to find your market and they may not be around you! Take the time to identify your client and then find out where she is and where she goes. Then take yourself there and find her. Make sure your presentation is top notch, your skills are great and your work is the best it can be, guarantee your work and make the whole exercise of buying a piece of your jewellery an experience.

Also, it can literally take years to break into a market. I have found that the first year I might get interest but not many sales. The second year a few more sales, the third year more sales and so on... at least until it reaches saturation point with that client group!

There is so much competition out there you have to make your work stand out and be willing to sit back, plod along and keep working on your success.

Getting Your Business Going
by: Raven Cheyenne

Perseverence is the key. I have been making and selling jewelry for the past five years. I do well with home shows because the invitees know they are there to purchase. Through experience, I've learned to do juried shows. Sometimes those can be expensive, but they bring the clientele that I need to reach. Craft fairs as someone stated can be tricky because the people promoting them sometimes let everyone enter. Stay true to yourself and don't be afraid of rejection.

getting my business going
by: Anonymous

I understand what you are going through.
I too do juried shows. People who run the shows get their applications out at least 6-8 months before the actual show. If you wait to the last minute to sign up for a show it can be too late.

Try getting 1 of the many 1000 fashion blogs to review your product.
I do a lot of giveaways & give my bracelets to charities that are having auctions. This is great exposure.
Go on Facebook & twitter. Connect with people on Linkedin. Try to get articles written.

A quick story, when I first started Boogs Bracelets, I was only making cancer awareness bracelets, using mostly Swarovski Crystals. I showed a friend the bracelets around Christmas one year, thinking that she would buy the bracelets as gifts. My friend said to me, with hesitance, oh these are nice, and said nothing else. I knew from her reaction that I needed to try something different. I changed the style of my bracelets, a long with what I used for beading. A few weeks went by, and I was at a cheering competition in a civic center, when I saw my friend again. I again showed my friend the new bracelets, she liked them so much, we sat on the floor in the middle of all of these cheering girls and she bought several bracelets. And I must say in the past 2+ years, she has probably bought at least 20 bracelets.
Ask your friends honestly what they would like to see you incorporate with your bracelets.

I don't know what your bracelets look like.
Sometimes changing the style or your work or what you use, can make a HUGE difference. I am constantly trying new things and see what people like and don't.

This is an expensive venture, but sometimes you have to spend money, to make money,especially if you want to become well known and do this full time.

When I do show, I am constantly trying new ways to display my bracelets. It has taken me 2 years, but I have finally figured it out.

The drawback to having stores sell your product, is that you get paid less for your work. But if it is a store with a lot of foot trafic and people purchasing your product, then it may be worth it.

One last thing. I buy most of my beads, from sites online and not in stores. I have specific sites that I use that give discounts, even one site that doesn't charge for shipping.

I know that this can be quite challenging, but hang in there!!!

Good luck,

Susan L. Goldstein
www.boogsbracelets.net

A Year of Frustration
by: Sari Jewelry Art

Hello Everyone,

I ran across your comments and it gives me inspiration. Thanks...I have been trying to find myself in the jewelry making business for the past year. I have taken metalsmithing classes and am trying to get my style to come out by trying many different mediums. I have a young child and sick parents and wanted to make extra income at something I absolutely love and help take care of others. I am hoping to get through this training process and evolve into a true jewelry artist. I tried a town festival for fourth of July last year and I did sell some items, but not as well as I wanted. It was a lot of hours and little reward and all the people who took my card and said they would call or check out my website, just didn't evolve.
I will keep going and hopefully someday it will happen for me. I would love to set up at home handmade jewelry parties.
Keep up the good works

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