Jewelry Business Blog
June 2005
© by Rena Klingenberg; all rights reserved
The Jewelry Business Blog has essential jewelry business tips, information, questions, answers, and news that you won't find anywhere else!
June 30, 2005 Bead Stopper - a reader tip When stringing beads, I use a tiny 1" clothespin as a bead stopper. Just clip one at the end of your strand to keep beads from sliding off as you string them. These little clothes pins are inexpensive and available in most craft stores. They're not bulky or heavy, but are strong and grip securely without damaging the beading wire or thread. Tip from Sylvia of Nefer's Rare Offerings.
June 29, 2005Improve the Appearance of Raku Beads - a reader tip When you are dealing with raku beads, they often get little surface chips or areas where the glaze didn't settle. Just use a black Sharpie marker on those areas and smear it - and no one will ever know. It looks just like the black marks that occur in raku! Tip from Allison Dow of Estate Beads.
June 28, 2005
Jewelry Inspiration Notebook - a reader tip Keep an "Inspiration Notebook" for referring to when you've got "Jeweler's Block". Cut pictures from magazines - I like fashion mags such as Vogue, Lucky or In Style for the latest accessory and color trends. Or print them from the internet - eye candy is everywhere online! I like to glue-stick them into a cheap spiral notebook, but a loose-leaf binder with sections for "Colors", "Beads", "Art", "Jewelry", etc... would work as well. Tip from Erica of Silver Twinings.
June 27, 2005
Should I Start a Home Jewellery Business? New article: Should I Start a Home Jewellery Business? -
Guest author Ken Sutton of W J Sutton reviews challenges such as competition, building and maintaining a website, accepting payment, and advertising.
June 26, 2005
Keep Your Jewelry Displays Clean - a reader tip I use black velvet displays for my jewelry in galleries and at shows. As everyone knows, black is a magnet for every dust particle that floats through the air; so the displays can quickly become speckled with white dust. This looks unprofessional and just plain dirty. I use a sticky lint roller to clean them. Lint rollers have long rolls of tape (the color of masking tape) that are on a metal handle and roll as you slide it across clothes, etc. One swipe down any flat display, and the dust and lint are gone. (Refills are available as well.) For displays and beading boards with corners and recessed areas, simply use cheap clear tape and your finger or wind clear tape around the length of a pencil and insert this in a long crevice of a bead board or bracelet ramp. Works great! Submitted by Rhonda of Whims and Wire Jewelry Design.
June 25, 2005
Backgrounds for Jewelry Photography - a reader tip I have struggled with getting my jewelry pieces just right in my photographs that I publish to my website. But I've come up with an inexpensive way to "dress up" the background a little bit and set a tone or mood with each piece. I went to my local scrapbooking store and purchased 2 sheets each of scrapbook pages of my choice. I use one as the base to put my jewelry item on, either on a prop to hold it up or lying flat. Then I use the second sheet as the backdrop in case I have to shoot something 3-dimensional to show flow, texture, etc. Each of these sheets are larger in size than 8.5" x 11", in fact they are 12" x 12", and each are backed in white, so you don't need to buy white sheets for a white background or to set your white balance on your camera. I've got pretty floral ones for bridal jewelry, plain black for sophisticated shots, and fun, funky prints in bright colors for children's jewelry, just to name a few. Submitted by Jennifer of Summartime Designs.
June 24, 2005
Selling Jewelry at Conventions - a reader tip A place to sell your jewelry that often gets overlooked is conventions. I just attended an Anime (Japanese Animation) convention that was so large that the attendees cleaned out all of the ATMs that were reachable by foot. Many people who attend the larger conventions (also known as cons) are there to part with money. They save up all year to splurge and buy anything that catches their eye. There was a mix of what was available from chain maille to seed bead work to bead componets (these are popular with the people who make costumes) and in all price points. Some of the vendors had their supplies out and had sold out of their stuff, and had to make items for people to pick up a little later. I can't guarantee you'll sell out but it's definitely worth your time to check out the larger cons across the country. Submitted by Melissa of Sabre's Squirrel.
June 23, 2005
Teaching Jewelry Classes - a reader tip I started offering adult and children's beading classes with Community Education in our school district. They do all of the advertising for the classes. They collect the class fee and I recieve a percentage per student, and also make profits from the beads that I sell at the class. It has been a great way to gain publicity and interest in my jewelry. Tip submitted by Janelle of Just for You Jewelry.
June 22, 2005
Gemstone Clarity and Gem Grading Gemstone Clarity -
What is gemstone clarity, and how is it determined? Guest author Mary Harvey of Custom Jewelry Supply addresses these questions, and also discusses the terminology involved in gemstone clarity and gem grading.
June 22, 2005
Public Relations for Your Jewelry Business A new section and a new article have been added to Home Jewelry Business Success Tips: New section: Public Relations and Marketing for Your Jewelry Business
Public relations and marketing are ongoing needs for your jewelry business. Here's a collection of success tips for promoting your business and marketing your jewelry. New article: Publicity Begins with Personality
Publicity for your jewelry business comes from you. Because you represent your business, you're a constant walking advertisement for it. Guest author Angela Schoonen of Grove Jewelry Design offers tips on reaching your full publicity potential.
June 21, 2005
Tips for Selling Handcrafted Jewelry I'm pleased to bring you a new guest author article: Tips for Selling Handcrafted Jewelry -
For many jewelry artists, selling handcrafted jewelry is much harder than making it. Guest author Eva Polynice of Belle Pour La Vie offers a few jewelry marketing tips for artists who are just starting out.
June 20, 2005
Cheap Source for Beveled Mirrors - a reader tip An inexpensive way to purchase 12" x 12" beveled mirrors to use with your displays. Go to Home Depot or any other home improvement store and buy a box of mirrors that are used to make a mirrored wall. They come in a pack of 6 for around $20.00. Tip sent in by Mary Shafer of Treasure Box Gifts.
June 19, 2005
Get the Lighting Right for Your Jewelry Photos Lighting is one of the trickiest (but most important) aspects of taking pictures of jewelry. Trying to get the light just right - proper intensity, no color cast, and no reflections - can really make jewelry artists tear their hair out! :o) Here are some professional recommendations regarding lighting for jewelry photography:
June 18, 2005
Cleaning Argentium Sterling Silver Previously we talked about the tarnish-resistant properties of Argentium. Here is a tip for cleaning Argentium sterling silver, from the Working with Argentium Blog that's written from a jewelry artist's perspective. (IMHO the blog is more informative and readable than some of the official Argentium websites, and gives you a great background of information for discussing with your customers this new development in sterling silver.) Comment from Trevor: Hello. My name is Trevor. I'm the author of the "Working with Argentium" blog. I just wanted to say thanks for the link, much appreciated. If your readers have any questions about Argetium Sterling I can be reached at trevor@touchmetal.com and I'd be happy to help. Thanks again. Best regards,Trevor F. of www.touchmetal.com.
June 17, 2005
Selling Beads on eBay? Here's a Success Tip! Are you planning to sell jewelry supplies or beads on eBay? If so, here's a strategy that worked very well for me: In my experience, the auction lots where I created a useful collection of related items got more bids and closed at higher prices than auction lots that were all one thing. For example, instead of listing an auction lot of a simple strand of lapis nevada oval beads, why not create an auction lot of a neat little "designer collection" of beads? In this case, you could group some of those lapis nevada oval beads with rose quartz rondells and serpentine cubes. These three stones work really well together, and this auction allows the winning jewelry artist to have a lot more creative fun than he or she would with a group of all the same kind of bead. Combo auction lots like this tend to be more valuable and useful to bidders. In a single auction and for one shipping price, they can get a variety of items instead of just one. Another advantage of making combined auction lots is that your auction listings will contain more keywords that are being searched for by a much bigger group of bidders. For example, our designer bead collection auction could be found by bidders searching for rose quartz beads, bidders searching for serpentine beads, and bidders searching for lapis nevada beads. That's a significantly larger group than just bidders searching for lapis nevada beads. And a good portion of bidders from all three keyword searches will be watching and considering your designer bead collection auction. Now here's where it gets really good: Not only do you have a higher demand for your combo auction lots - you also don't really have any competition for the exact auction lot you're offering. Other sellers might offer rose quartz rondells, or serpentine cubes, or lapis nevada ovals, but not all three together in one temptingly color-coordinated auction lot. If a bidder wants this bead combination, your auction is the only one available to bid on. So according to Economics 101, high demand + low supply = higher closing price. You can make tempting kits or package deals of other jewelry supply auction lots. Here are a few ideas: - a dozen lobster clasps plus crimp beads and Accuflex beading wire
- a couple packages of polymer clay plus some basic clay tools
- an assortment of cabochons plus some settings for them
- a handful of fetish beads plus some turquoise mini-nuggets
- a collection of hematite beads in a huge variety of shapes and sizes
- earwires plus headpins and spacer beads.
To bidders, these combination auction lots are much more appealing and valuable. If you're a regular seller of jewelry supply combo auction lots, you'll quickly gain a following of eBay buyers who always check your current auctions to see what neat new combinations you have available.
June 16, 2005
Selling to the Bridal Jewelry Market The bridal jewelry market is huge, with lots of opportunity for jewelry artists. It's not uncommon for an artist who specializes in wedding jewelry to be commissioned to create not only the bride's tiara and other wedding jewels, but also jewelry for all the bridesmaids, flower girl, and sometimes the mothers of the bride and groom. Occasionally you'll even receive a request for masculine jewelry for the males of the wedding party. Custom wedding rings and wedding bands can be a lucrative market niche also. Here's some recommended further reading on designing for the bridal jewelry market: Marketing to Brides.
June 15, 2005
Earring Production Idea - a reader tip When making a rack of earrings for a sale, I take one of those divided velvetized plastic display trays and sort out beads for as many pairs as I need, into the dividers; one pair into each rectangle. that way, I can set a "tone" in bead combinations and repeat or vary an assembly sequence as it suits me. Then, I have my findings in shallow cups along the side. When each pair is complete, its already visually sorted as to color, style and price. Tip sent in by Ann of Backwoods Beadery.
June 14, 2005
Suggest Jewelry Gifts to Your Customers Jewelry makes a great gift, one that most people feel good about giving. Don't be shy to recommend specific pieces to help your customers with their gift shopping. A couple of weeks ago at a show in mid-May, my customers were looking for gifts for teachers as well as graduates. By thinking ahead about upcoming gift-giving occasions, you can have a perfect selection of jewelry gifts ready for your customers to choose from. Be sure to include pieces in the under-$20 range in this selection. You can remind busy, forgetful customers of the need to shop for the upcoming gift-giving occasion with a lovely sign suggesting that these pieces make perfect teacher gifts, Valentine gifts, grandparent gifts, etc. Mention that each piece comes in an attractive, free gift box or pouch, and customers will be thrilled that you make their gift-giving obligations so easy to take care of. You might even include samples of your pretty gift packaging in your display, as props for your recommended jewelry gift items, for extra enticement. :o) These jewelry gift strategies work very well on your website too.
June 13, 2005
Twisting Wire - A Reader Tip If anyone has ever had any trouble using the little double ended pin vise to twist your wire, the answer to your problem may be as easy as changing your wire! The pin vise will not twist round wire, only square wire! Give it a twist and have fun! Tip from Linda Sarine of Wild BeadWomen.
June 12, 2005
Safely Transport Jewelry - a reader tip Here's how I transport jewelry: I lay out a piece of bubble wrap (small bubbles) about 1' X 3', and lay the jewelry across it. Then I roll it up. I call this a "jewelry burrito". I put about 3 to 4 of these in a clear plastic shoe box. This is an easy way to transport a lot of jewelry and not have it damaged. Tip sent in by Stephanie of Great Jewelry.
June 11, 2005
Tumbling Jewelry Tumbling jewelry is an excellent way to polish and clean it. Especially if you work with sterling silver, you can't beat the sheen your jewelry and components get after a spin in your rock tumbler. Although most folks who tumble jewelry tend to develop their own recipe and procedure, the general materials and methods are similar, as you'll see in the instructions by these four different experts:
June 10, 2005
Rock Tumbling site and forum I've come across a site called Rock Tumbling Hobby - a great resource for anyone interested in tumblers and tumbling. The site includes a message board with over 42,000 posts on all aspects of tumbling rocks, plus lots of great photos. There's even a page with photos of tumbled rock samples to help you in stone identification, pictures of rocks at various stages of tumbling, and tips for preventing tumbling disasters. Also see a few rockhounds' rock tumbling workspaces. In tomorrow's post we'll discuss why *you* need a tumbler. :o)
June 09, 2005
Jewelry Trunk Show To Go - a reader tip I had somebody tell me that I should always carry a few pieces that would sell for around $20 with me at all times (thank you Don). You never know where that next sale will come from. Well, I did that, but it seemed I never had what others wanted. So I got a small 5" X 7" flat gift box and put a layer of foam in it, then hung all my earrings in it. I carried it and sales were better but people wanted to see more. So I went to Michael's craft store and bought a small craft bag that had several small medium and large pockets in it. They were clear pockets and the whole case wasn't much bigger then your average size purse. There were 2 large pockets on the outside where I could carry my wallet, keys, receipt book, calculator, and small cloth bags to put sold items in. In the inside I filled those pockets with lots of jewelry. Then wherever I went I had a mini showroom with me. While I stood in line at the market I would open it play around with a few things (like I was organizing them). While having an oil change in my car I would sit in the lounge and do the same. I would also carry a few beads, wire, and tools so I could work on something if the wait was going to be awhile. I do this everywhere I go. It has sparked a lot of conversations and questions. The biggest one I get is, "Oh, you must be a Cookie Lee girl." I simply smile and say, "No, I'm a Links And Loops gal. I made all these myself, and they are for sale." My sales have really increased since I have started doing this. I carry a large spectrum of prices from $15 to $125. Though not everyone will buy a $125 item from right off the street, they see my talent goes way beyond a simple pair of earrings. This has caused me to have repeat sales, and it is usually somebody who bought a simple pair of earrings who comes back and buys that higher priced item. So if you don't have your own storefront you can carry one with you in a simple craft carrying bag. Try it out for a week - you'll be surprised. Don’'t forget business cards to give to everyone, especially to those who purchase something from you. Be sure to have your website on the card. Tip sent in by Tina of Links and Loops. Comments from Readers: This is a great tip! I always wear a few of my pieces out and get asked where I bought them, I always smile and say I made them and hand them my business card but I never thought to carry pieces to sell. Thanks!
- From Kat. That is a great tip. I always wear my jewerly everywhere I go and carry business cards in my purse. I purchased a wooden pencil box from Michaels (approximate 14" x 9") took out the colored pencils and the plastic insert, cut some eggcrate foam to fit and covered it with purple (grape) velvet and carry my fused glass and hand made beaded jewelry with me at all times. The pencil box, which latches and has a handle, fits in my soft canvas brief case. If someone comments about my jewelry I am wearing and wants to see more I can go out to the car and get the pencil box and open it up. It makes a nice presentation box with the jewelry on the velvet.
- From Christina M. Lee of Creations by Christina.
June 08, 2005
Solving Your Jewelry Business Problems In any business, problems of all sizes arise pretty regularly. In your jewelry business, you might be faced with issues such as: - Your customer just ordered a bracelet she wants to wear to a special event that's the day after tomorrow. To finish the bracelet, you need one small and inexpensive component that you don't have on hand. Do you order that one little item from your supplier and pay a big fee for rush shipping, then pass that extra expense along to your customer?
- You're setting up your booth at an outdoor art show on a morning with wind gusts up to 35 mph. Everything's blowing around, and even with the sides of your EZ-Up tent zipped in place, some of your displays keep blowing over and a few jewelry cards are flying away. One of your display tables, a lightweight folding camping table, is lifted up and flipped over by the wind; all the jewelry, displays, jewelry tags, and your pot of coffee that were on that table are now jumbled together on the ground. Everything is now coated with a messy mix of grass and coffee. And your first wave customers are beginning to enter your booth. How do you salvage your show?
- You're creating a custom setting for a tiny and very expensive crystal that belongs to your customer. The crystal turns out to be a very fragile mineral, and a piece of it chips off unexpectedly despite your careful handling. What do you do?
- You just designed, printed, and cut apart 100 of your own jewelry hang tags, using up all of the special cardstock you bought for making them. Then you discover you made these new tags too big to fit into your jewelry gift boxes. Can you find a way to make them useable?
These are all real situations that have happened to me. Some jewelry business problems seem big, and others are small. What matters is how you approach them. As a wise friend once told me, "The biggest hurdles are in your mind." It's important to stay calm and open, and to believe that you'll come up with an ideal solution to the problem. Think of your jewelry business problems as challenges - as opportunities for you to exercise your creativity. Brainstorm all possible (and impossible) solutions to your challenge, and then consider each one carefully. If you're making and selling your handcrafted jewelry, you probably have a very high aptitude for creative thinking and creative problem-solving. One of the things I most enjoy about my jewelry business is that I get to create and invent every single thing about it - and that includes coming up with innovative solutions to all the challenges that arise. And sometimes, like a phoenix rising from ashes, your creative approach to a challenge results in something new and wonderful for your business!
June 07, 2005
Jewelry Marketing - A Reader Tip An excellent way to market your jewelry is by donating a piece to a cause you support. Most non-profit organizations hold gala events, fundraisers and auctions where your jewelry could be auctioned off or included in a gift bag for participants. Not only would you be supporting a good cause, but donating your jewelry is also a tax writeoff for you. And you'll reach a variety of potential customers. In some cases, even celebrities! Be sure that donated jewelry is clearly marked with your tag, signature, custom packaging and include business cards! You want to be sure that anyone receiving it knows exactly who it is from and where to get more. Tip submitted by Amber of TreeLadder Jewelry.
June 06, 2005
Pillow Paks for Preventing Tarnish - a reader tip Here is another way to prevent your pieces from tarnishing: Use Pillow Paks, you know those little packets you find in your shoeboxes, or vitamins, electronic equipment boxes, etc. These Silica Gel based products will effectively alleviate moisture. Pillow Paks inhibit the formation of mold, mildew, rust, and corrosion. You can order them for next to nothing from the web address they advertise on the pack (I would list it here but I am not sure that I can). They even sell a strip with colored dots that will indicate the amount of moisture in your storage that will tell you when to change out the pack. Or just ask your friends to not throw them away when they buy something that manufactures use them in. Silica Gel pillow paks are designed for small sized applications such as electronics, cameras, leather goods, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and other consumer products. These could be a big help if you have glass display cases in a boutique that you sell your pieces in. I have always had the fear of returning and the pieces would be tarnished just from people handling them or being exposed to muchmoisture since I live in a very humid state. Pillow Paks have worked very well for me. Tip sent in by Mary Shafer of Treasure Box Gifts.
June 05, 2005
Great Deals on Unusual Jewelry Components - a reader tip If you create one-of-a-kind jewelry, don't forget to check out one of the best sources for unique beads and jewelry components - garage sales and thrift stores! Jewelry sold at these places is often unbelievably cheap, especially the damaged stuff, which doesn't matter since you'll be taking it apart anyway. You can find treasures of vintage glass beads in strands that you can take apart and use in your own designs. Using vintage materials in your jewelry is also attractive to your customers as it adds the allure of history to the jewelry. Tip submitted by Amber of TreeLadder Jewelry.
June 03, 2005
Jewelry Books and Magazines - A Reader Tip Do you have lots of jewelry/beading design books and magazines and want to get rid of some of them? First, tear out any pictures and/or instructions that you want to keep; punch holes in them; and place them in a notebook for your own use. Secondly, check with your local bead shop to see if they want any of the books and/or magazines you want to get rid of, to use as a great source of inspiration for their customers. Customers can flip through them to find ideas and then purchase what they need at the shop. Now you have room to buy more. Everybody wins! Tip submitted by Rhonda of Whims and Wire.
June 02, 2005
Jewelry Business Success News #23 is Published! I've just published a new issue of Jewelry Business Success News, which includes an article on increasing your sales with a frequent jewelry buyer program. You can read it here: Jewelry Business Success News #23 To make sure you don't miss any future issues, you can Subscribe to Jewelry Business Success News.
June 01, 2005
Jewelry Show Supplies - New Article New article: Recommended Jewelry Show Supplies -
Have a successful show with this checklist of jewelry show supplies recommended by craft show veteran Mary Harvey of Custom Jewelry Supply.
June 1, 2005
Argentium Silver - the new tarnish-free sterling silver Argentium Sterling Silver is the new .925 silver that stays tarnish-free . . . forever. Requiring only an occasional light polishing with a soft cloth to keep its deep shine, Argentium is a registered and patented alloy developed by Peter Johns of the U.K. What makes Argentium tarnish resistant? It's composed of 92.5% silver, 5.9% copper, and 1.6% germanium. The germanium combines with elements occurring naturally in the air to create an invisible protective coating on the silver. That coating keeps the sulfur elements which are also present in the air from interacting with the silver. It's the contact with airborne sulfur compounds that causes regular .925 sterling silver to tarnish. Argentium is predicted to be a huge boon to the sterling silver jewelry market. Many customers are reluctant to purchase traditional sterling silver because of the tarnish issues, and Argentium silver effectively removes that objection. Will Argentium eventually replace regular sterling silver? Many jewelry industry insiders think so. At present it costs about 20% more than traditional sterling silver, and is available only in limited forms. But as the word spreads and its popularity increases, Argentium silver is sure to be available in a wide variety of sheet, wire, and jewelry components. And it's still less expensive than 14k goldfill.
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