Jewelry Home Shows

top 10 tips for a profitable party

© by Stephanie Riger; all rights reserved

I've built a successful jewelry business over the last five years by selling at jewelry home shows, and these are some of the things I've learned:

1. Make it easy for the hostess.

   My parties typically are open houses and they are never more than 3 hours long. I find that people eat very little at them, so I tell the hostess to keep food and drink to a minimum. E-mail invitations work fine, especially if they are sent once about 2 weeks before the show and then again a few days before the show. I e-mail the hostess a sample invitation that she can amend any way she likes. The invitation makes the party sound fun (e.g., "Have wine, cheese and chocolate while you browse").

2. Offer an incentive to host a party.

   I give the hostess either a $100 credit toward a jewelry purchase, or a donation of 10% of sales to a charity of her choice. I give her the donation check (made out to the charity) so that she can give it to the charity herself. This way she gets credit for the donation but I get credit for tax purposes.

3. Make sure your displays look professional.

   Although you may see yourself as competing with other jewelry artisans, your customers may be considering whether they want to buy from you or at the local mall.

   The complete guide to home jewelry parties: Read Rena's review

   It's worth it to invest in easels and other displays that give a finished look to your work. Also, have an organizing principle to your displays. For example, I lay the jewelry out by color: all the reds together, etc. And vary the heights. My latest display is a pasta dryer that I've painted black. Don't overload your displays or display too much - this cheapens the look of your jewelry.

4. Be prepared for "lookie, lookies."

   At every show, there will be one person who tries on all the jewelry, stays the whole 3 hours, and buys little or nothing. Do not get irritated or take this personally.

5. Be prepared for "talkie,talkies."

   At every show, there will be one person who tries to monopolize you with her conversation (often about her own jewelry making). To be a good seller, you need to talk to all the guests, so be prepared with ways to disengage politely (e.g., "I'd love to hear more about this later but right now I have to straighten this display.")

6. Have some sale items at the checkout counter.

   At jewelry home shows, I typically do the sales checkout in the kitchen. Often, several people will want to check out at once, so I display some sale items, such as a rack of earrings, in the kitchen to hold their attention while I take care of other customers.

7. Have some "selling" lines or phrases ready.

   For example, I tell people that "Bead crochet bracelets make great gifts because they fit just about everyone." Or I may say that "You can wear that necklace with anything from jeans to a ball gown," or "That color goes great with your hair." But keep it honest.

8. Wear a piece of your own jewelry but make sure that it is one that you are willing to sell.

   People will be frustrated if they like something but find that it isn't available for purchase.

9. Have a photo album of sold items.

   I have a "happy customers" album on my website, showing actual customers wearing my jewelry. This suggests that your jewelry is selling well and that you are an established business. If you have a helper at your jewelry home shows, the helper might take photos of people in their purchases (after they've bought them).

10. Be proud of your work.

    Women sometimes belittle themselves by saying things like "That's just something I made quickly" or "I didn't think I could do that." Convey to your customers that jewelry making is your passion and be enthusiastic about what you've made.

Author Stephanie Riger of Stephanie Riger Jewelry offers her customers "the world on a string." She creates stunning designs using a variety of techniques, including bead crochet and wire crochet. Don't miss her wonderful online photo album of happy customers!

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