How to Sell Your Jewelry 1
Introduction
Each week I will cover a one
step in a step by step process in becoming a successful, profitable
silversmith. It is a sure way to become successful, and I believe an
easy way. No real secrets, just common sense, but you know we are
artists and all that right brain stuff just seems to get in the way.
Please respect my copyright on this material.
You can also just look at this thread as a test of just how bad you
want
to make jewelry and sell it. I promise you that over the series of this
Online Class I will not only make you a salesperson, but show you many
ways to become successful as a silversmith. If you are already making a
living making and selling your jewelry, you still may pick up some very
good ideas as we go along.
Step One Make only what you can sell.
Yes, this is the first step in selling. To tell you the truth, I really
get tired of students, say I really can not sell any of my jewelry. "I
am just not a salesman!", "I do not want to be a salesman!", and "I
hate
salesman, so I sure as heck, do not want to be one!". I have three
problems with all of these: One, we all hate salesman, but nothing, and
I mean nothing would get done with out them. Every business had to
start
with a "salesman" selling their idea. Two: they blame the fact that
they
can not sell their creations on not being a salesman. Their real
problem
is that they did not begin to make jewelry they can sell. Third: we are
all salesman, it just depends on what we are selling, and it is usually
ourselves for one reason or another.
Making jewelry to sell.
I do not make a piece before I know where and how I am going to sell
it,
unless of course I am "playing", having fun. BUT, I am telling you if
your just having fun, do not expect someone else to purchase these
pieces. They are not going to buy something just to keep you happily
making artsy-craftsy, artsy-crapsy pieces. You must decide, to make
pieces to sell, so you can have fun making things that may or may not
sell. That is of course you are not already a famous artist, or actor,
politician, or someone like that. If you are you would not be saying,
"I am not a salesman!"
To decide what jewelry you can make to sell, let's list the all the
possible people, places, and ways to sell jewelry, any jewelry.
1. Jewelry Stores
2. Large Jewelry Chains
3. Gift Stores
4. Beauty Shops (I will explain later.)
5. Large chain stores like Walmart
6. Flea markets
7. Craft shows
9. Art galleries
10. Friends
11. Coworkers
12. Relatives
13. Catalogs
14. Internet Auctions
15. Mail order
16. Jewelry for fundraisers
17. Ad in magazine and newspapers
18. Classified ads
19. Sell it door to door
20. Open your own retail jewelry or gift store.
21. On the internet on your web site.
22. Stand on the corner with a sign that says, "I will make jewelry for
food!"
Honestly, I can not think of any other possible way to sell any kind of
jewelry. I have tried a lot of the above. We will go over them one by
one.
Your job for this week is:
1. Copy this list and paste it to a new message to me at:
dnorris@frii.com
2. At the end of the list add any way that I may have missed, no matter
how bazaar, or nuts. No matter whether you think you could sell yours
that way or not. Just brain storm and write down any idea you come up
with.
3. After each idea of where to sell jewelry, place a "yes" or "no" if
you think you could sell that way.
4. Go back through the list and write a very short, one or two sentence
of why you think you can or can not sell your jewelry for each way.
5. Send this email to me and a copy to your self.
Each week I will give you summary of responses. I will never use any
ones email address or names in my responses. So, no excuse, if you want
to make money, or more money, participate. I am not a starving artist,
as you can see in the photos on my web site at:
http://www.frii.com/~dnorris
And, I do not like starving artists that wine about it. Lets make some
money and show each other how.
If you are taking my Online Beginning Silversmithing Class, and on the
Jewelry making for Beginners list, and Orchid, you will receive this
email three times.
Just delete the duplicate messages.
Have fun until next week.
Sales
Lesson 5
Selling to Co-Workers
Selling to co-workers can be tricky. It can be very profitable, but also
can cause some problems for you in your job. So, quit and just start
making silver jewelry!
Ok, ok, you may not want to do that. In fact I may suggest that you
could do just the opposite. If you do not have a job, get one, a part
time one, at a place that has 100s or even 1000s of people that work
there. The more workers the more chances to sell.
If your company has rules against selling to co-workers it really make
little difference. If your company has no rules against selling, you
should behave as if they do. It will make you more sales and you will
not offend any one, especially your boss. So for this lesson we will
pretend that it is against the rules of the company.
Most companies just do not want you to be selling overtly, and
especially on their time. So you have to smart enough not to do that.
Step 1
Of course the first step to selling to co-workers is to make something
they can afford. This is why I like working with silver, I can always
meet people that can afford it. Because I did not work on the floor of
the stock market, I did not have a lot of co-workers that I could
constantly sell a gold piece to for $100.00 or more. I could sell $20.00
to $50.00 pieces easily and often to them.
Step 2
Wear every thing that you want to sell. If you can wear a ring,
bracelet, ear rings, pin or pendant or both, even something in your
hair. Wear them every day! If your a man, this is more difficult. You
may even want to make yourself a watch band, cuff style. I never did
this, but you would be smart to make and wear a bolo. Make it a real
conversational piece. It can be worn in the place of a tie in some jobs.
If you wear a tie, make a great tie tack and buy some shirts that you
can make cuff links for. ADVERTISE!!!!!!!!
Never go to work with out wear something to sell or at least advertise
what you can make.
Step 3
Put a definite price on everything. Write it down keep it in your bill
fold or purse. You do not want to rely on memory. It will fail you, or
you will give that really nice person in the next office a price too
low. Then she will tell every one! Stick to your prices that you write
down.
I will begin a weekly "How to Price Your Jewelry" series next week.
Step 4
When some one gives you a compliment, you must, with pride, say: "Thank
you, I made it my self and I have been selling everything I make. It has
been a wonderful hobby to make extra money!"
This is worth repeating, and repeating until you can say it with out
hesitation. Practice it with your spouse or kids. It is the only thing
you should say.
"Thank you, I made it my self and I have been selling everything I make.
It has been a wonderful hobby to make extra money!"
Step 5
Wait for their next response. You do not care what they will say next,
just listen for your opening. If they say something like: "Well it
really is nice." You say:
"I have more pieces in my purse (coat pocket, or desk), if you would
like I would love to show you some more pieces, at lunch, at break, or
after work. Would that be OK!"
Step 6
Meet them and sell them! It really is that easy. Some time in 2000 I am
going to begin a ''Master Sales Class". It will have nothing to do with
jewelry, but sales in general. Keep this in the back of your mind for a
class you may want to take.
Step 7
Get the name, address, and (or at least) the phone number of anyone
that expresses any interest in your jewelry.
Step 8
File these on your computer, for a future jewelry show. We will cover
this in a future lesson.
Step 9
If your company does let you sell to co-workers, take advantage of every
possible situation. Bulletin boards should always have a photo of you
and your work on it. Use your computer for making the flyers. Begin a
special of the week piece and post it every Monday morning.
Step 10
If they have a craft sale, be there with your jewelry, even if you do
not sell something, they will know you have it.
Step 11
If you can make something especially for the company, design it and show
it to the powers to be. Get their approval and sell it to them as a
premium for rewarding workers. I will cover this more in a future
lesson.
Step 12
When you sell a piece, set up a reward system with the customer. I
suggest that you give them 10% of any sales you make to any one they
send your way. This 10% is credit only toward their next purchase. If
they can send you enough customers to earn free pieces, you will be very
happy! Soon you will have several people working for you.
Step 13
If you did your assignment, you have a small polishing cloth. On your
breaks, take out several of your pieces and polish them. If any one asks
what your doing start your sales pitch.
Step 14
If you do have someone interested in a piece, or you are delivering a
piece, be sure to show them or deliver it to them at lunch, so that
every one can see it. Let the customer show every one around and brag
about it. You will begin to sell even more
Assignment 1
Get a small notebook and begin to write down every prospect that you
come into contact. Their name, address, phone number, what they liked,
what they did not like, if they have an interest in coming to a jewelry
party.
Assignment 2
If you did last weeks assignment and really did show your pieces to at
least 10 people pieces around $20.00, you sold some jewelry. If you did
not show them to 10 people, do not whine about not selling something,
and do not bother reading any more of this class. I am wasting your
time.
Do it again this week, but make some or all of them co-workers!
Assignment 3
Email me with the results of your sales. I know some of you are going to
save these lessons for future use. But, why not actually follow them as
we do this class. It will work and you will begin to make some money!!!
