Supporting newbies

Jewelry Discussion
21

Sales is hard. I am good at sales. I do not have a brick and mortar
store somy sales at art shows are very important. My sales techniques
online are very important and even more complicated without ever
meeting someone face to face.

I know other jewelers and artist that have terrible art show sales
because they are not good at sales. They are nice people and very
talented. they just are not sales people.

A couple of things I do and things you can practice. Number one: I
greet everyone with a smile and say Hi or Hello. I truly look at them
and pick something about them I honestly like and give them a
positive comment on it. This has to be genuine. You can’t be phony.
“I love your blouse. It is my favoritecolor.”, “Your purse is
beautiful. Where did you buy it?” You can practice this on your loved
ones at home. It’s kind of fun because they are going to enjoy the
compliments and wonder what you are up to. Give it a try. I don’t
ever try to ‘sell’ a person jewelry. We strike up a conversation
about life and during our conversation they ask to see something or
try something on andI don’t get too worked up about it. I also want
life long customers and I tell them that. I want them to love what
they purchase. I want them to come back for more and tell their
friends about it. I made it with love, blood, sweat and tears and
trial and error. I want them to love it. I do not want a fly by night
sale just for the money. So, it’s never about the jewelry. It’s about
them. It’s about making them feel good. What you have made with your
hands is making them smile as they wear it. For a brief moment it’s
making them feel amazing and special and that is what sells your
jewelry.

ime making my booth like a jewelry store. It matters. I have
‘counter top’ items that are out to touch and I have glass cases
with lights. The lights really matter. My lights make the person
walk up, everything sparkles. I run my lights off of a marine
battery when I am outside and do not have electricity available.
They are LEDs and run all weekend without charging the battery. The
lights are from caberlight.com or google ‘lady bug led lights’. They
are great for outdoor and indoor shows and great to travel with.
Everything is tagged and merchandised as if it were at a store or in
a gallery.

8 and one of a kind pieces in gold top out at about $3500. Most of
my piecesare $100 - $800 but I have all kinds of price points. I
chuckle that I willprobably put my children through college on $38
pairs of earrings. (Yes, I get tired of making them but that is
life. It works.) I sell an entire box ofthem at almost every show.
The last two shows I did before Christmas last year I just about
sold out of $38 earrings, about 100 pairs at each show. In your
customers mind is the thought, ‘It’s only two twenties’ and the
earringsare gone for the customer, for her friend, for her mother,
for her co-worker for Christmas. One woman bought 6 pairs for all
the women in her life. I sold a dozen pairs to a small business
owner for her staff.

Good luck selling. It does take practice. I truly believe if you
cannot sellyou should hire someone to sell for you or go to shows
with you like a family member who believes in you and your work and
can sell while you stand by and make things in the back ground.
Never be on your phone or computer. I don’t even sit down. I am at
the counter ready and waiting and approachable. Art shows can be
very physically demanding and you have to count on the weather to
cooperate. What a way to make a living! I have a joke with my family
that Van Gogh cut his ear off because he had to do an Art Show. It
was never over a girl. Have fun and don’t cut off your ear but if
you do I will fully understand and I bet the rest of Orchid will
too.

All my best, Sincerely, Joy Kruse
WildPrairieSilver.com

Note From Ganoksin Staff:
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22

Joy,

Ive been mulling over your latest post about your problems with
selling, because its an issue of real importance to other
metalworkers whether newbies or 30yr makers like yourself, so it needs
to be looked at in some detail.

I need to start with your opening sentence, " I dont know why?" you
say, well, you do need to know why so we need to look for an answer
to this basic question.

A bit of background first, those of us who have chosen to design,
make and, market our work direct to the client, have several unique
advantages.

  1. we control the whole operation,
  2. We make the profit on the 3 areas,
  3. Were not beholden or constrained by anyone else to make it a
    success.

However, the buck therefore stops with us for everything and we
survive or fall by our own efforts.

So from the moment you get an idea for a product, marketing is
involved, even tho there may be a long process of development and
setting up an economic production plan.

Your booth is the last part of this process and it has to do many
things on your behalf.

  1. It has to reflect you, your ethos and display your work to its
    best advantage, afterall, if your at a craft/ applied art show, your
    effectively competing with every other booth there for a share of
    what money is going to be spent over the duration of the event.

  2. Everything about it has a purpose in sending a message to any one
    walking by or just looking at it.

For example,(ill mention my own case) my booth, is 20ft by 10 ft, by
7ft high sides with a pitched roof above, free standing, timber
framed , in white canvas, with half a demonstration area and half
sales area, with all walls, ie a total of 40ft by 7 ft and of display
area for stock and written background. This gives me a unique
advantage over other booths as its an exhibition unit in its own
right, along with the fact I demonstrate the minting with a 1 ton
machine I bring with me. Yes it takes a total of 2 days hard work to
build, but it does produce the results,. It sends that all important
message to the public that, this is what everything, Vladimir,(yes I
was christened that) stands for.

Another small point ill mention, the framing timber isnt just any
old softwood, its Oregon pine, planed and varnished, the brackets
that form all the corners the pine slots into arnt just iron painted,
there polished then gold anodised aluminium all properly tig welded
together. So even completly empty the booth, Its called a marquee
here in the UK, is a work of art in its own right.

To continue, the 1st display board on the left of the sales area is
some 4ft by 2ft. on this is a photo enlarged summary of what this
exhibition area is all about, note, no mention its a sales area!.

This started as a sheet of A4 text that the public can read before I
say hello? can I help you? Is there anything you would like a closer
look at? Most of the public have a good look around before making up
their minds as to what they might just buy.

I do my very best to help them decide its from me.

My work ranges in price from as low a $10. up to $5000 so theres a
wide range to choose from.

So rereading your 2 posts, you mention chatting up, selling, sitting
in a corner pecking at your phone, no no no!,.

Your approach to marketing has to start in your head, and you need to
ask the all important question of yourself? What must i do to help
the customer buy something that I have put part of myself into? with
all the care, love and passion? I have? Because thats what I do, it
works everytime.

its the connection you made between you and the buyer that will be
there in your work long after the client has moved on in life.

So, you need to look and analyse everything you think, make and do,
how your booth reflects this, how do you help the client buy., or
choose something of your handywork, then with everything in its
supportive role for your marketing it will become so much easier, and
then perhaps a joy to you to make someone happy by owing your work.
let us all know how you have rethought all your thoughts, and the
actions you have taken to make this all happen.

Write it all out and post here on this forum, so we can help you
resolve your problem.

it is solveable, believe me!!
Ted.

23

Hi all

I have glass cases with lights. The lights really matter. My
lights make the person walk up, everything sparkles. I run my lights
off of a marine battery when I am outside and do not have
electricity available. 

They are LEDs and run all weekend without charging the battery. The
lights are from caberlight.com or google 'lady bug led lights'.
They are great for outdoor and indoor shows and great to travel
with.

I also have LEDs in my cases. Bought them from the local electronics
store and the battery as well. I charge the battery with my smart
charger I bought for my boat’s battery.

These lights are very easy to install, just get the old geek in the
store to show you how. Old geeks like old jewellers have lots of
hands on experience. I actually took my cases into the store and the
old geek had great fun showing me what to do. He could not actually
put it together in the store as for some reason that was illegal. But
when I took the bits home it took about 10 mins to do. Used them for
years now and really make the jewellery look good.

all the best
Richard

24 
People ask me, where is your jewelry?

Being on a stage and demonstrating at a Shakespeare Festival, I just
answer, “If I could get this darn corset off, I would show you some
special pieces.” After the laughter dies down, they start handling
the jewelry. Those people who ask that question usually buy. Aggie

25

Hi Agnes

did a first aid refresher, using a defribulator you have to check
for piercings. Many laughs at that one.

Because these days there are many piercings in exotic places. No
willing “patients” for that demo.

Damn those plastic dummies taste like cr*p.

Richard