Three most important things for a profitable jewelry craft show.
I've been doing jewelry craft shows for the last four years and about six to seven each year. Still there is so much to learn. There is much info regarding craft shows in general in the web, my focus is only on Jewelry Craft Shows.
I came to know about this 31 days blog, where you commit for writing 31 days, one blog each day in the month of October. But by the time I came to see that, 11 days have passed already. Oh well, I'll do with the rest of 20 days . Besides, writing every day is a big thing. May be that is why I took to do the best I can. What shall I write about?
I found that I am reading and researching a lot about Jewelry Craft Shows lately and so I'd take my readers to this awesome journey for the month of October with me, with all that I find in my research, experiments, failures and successes. So here we start with the three key, most important aspects:
For Whom:
For whom am I making and trying to sell my jewelry? Do I know them?
Audience
Know thy Audience is the mantra for a profitable jewelry show. Knowing and connecting with my customers are important points. How can I do that?
The first thing I must do is informing them: e mail and snail mail my customers of previous shows with pretty pictures of my jewelry and a coupon, inviting them to my current show. I’ll post it in Face book too.
The connecting part is equally important as well. Listening to what they are looking for, remembering their needs and getting back to them if possible, or just connecting genuinely, are the key elements. That is what people remember and those are good karma as well.
I try to know about the traffic and the demography of each show I participate.. For example, I am doing a show next week where there was no booth price. I usually do not do these kind, but with zero booth fee, I wanted to give it a try this time.
I am definitely taking and displaying my low- end products more this time with a nice intricate wire work pendant as a FREE giveaway to collect names and addresses for interested customers in future.
On the other hand, another show will be in a boutique environment, in an upscale neighborhood where the demography is very different. I think my more upscale pieces will be appreciat there, though I'll take under $20 items but not my $5 items.
Why :
Why am I doing this show? First of all I want to sell. Also, because I am getting exposure to a lot of new people, local vendors and potential clients for my up coming shows with out any booth fee, though I decide to give 10% of my sale as a token of appreciation for inviting me.
Network -
What I should do before and during and after the show as opportunity comes, is to know the other vendors, exchange business cards and build a network.
After the show I must send Thank You notes to all my customers who bought my jewelry with a 10% off gift coupon for future sales. Also it is a great time to keep in touch with the new vendors I just would meet.In the past I got great information about upcoming shows and other business related help from fellow vendors. I came to know which shows are good and which ones are not, quite easily. I also support them buying from them and referring them to potential clients and my friends.
What goes comes around.
What:
What shall I bring? Depending on the demography, traffic and other things, like the season, trend etc I decide what to take. For this no- fee show I think I am going to take more under $20 things.
The OOPS BIN:
One of my artist friend takes her not so good finished products, we call them our "pillars of success" and put them in a bin telling frankly that those are the practice pieces, may be defective and not perfect and mark them very low, like $1 or $2 while she sells similar perfect products for $25. It shows people how much goes to learn a particular technique, how much time and material is spent that we do not get back. People do buy them at that cheap price because they can break them and re use the beads and findings. I think I might give that a try for this show.
Earrings: I agree that earrings sell most in jewelry craft shows. This time I am taking all kinds- studs, drops, hoops, elaborate chandeliers. My price points are from $8 - $35.
I made some adjustable rings too. I learned the basic technique from Rena Klingenberg’s FREE tutorial and then improvised my own twist. Let’s see how they move.
I’ll display some mid range and higher end stuff and bring along most of my inventory in case some one wants any thing special.
Slide show of jewelry- I’ll have a slide show of my high end jewelry pieces in my lap top and run it.
Will let you know next time what went well and where I goofed. Please share yours too. I’d be anxiously waiting for them.
