Jewelry Marketing Tips

2009-03-11T08:18:00.001-05:00

I'm consolidating my blogs into one...with various categories. Check out the new Diva Buzz!

Online Gift Bag Event for Shoe Lovers!

2008-11-03T01:00:00.000-06:00

Great jewelry marketing tip: partner and/or sponsor a gift bag!
Designing-Diva is sponsoring a $50 gift online Gift Bag E*vent for Shoe Lovers. Read on to see how you can win over $5k in prizes!!

Online GIFT BAG E*VENT for Shoe Lovers!

Over $5,827 in prizes from the author of the hit dating book Never Trust a Man in Alligator Loafers!

WHO: Celebrity Shoeologist, dating expert, and author of Never Trust a Man in Alligator Loafers Donna Sozio presents her online GIFT BAG E*VENT. Win a personalized shoe portrait, high-heeled art, a VIP Shoe Shopping Party at Il Primo Passo, ShuzSociety.com membership, famous authors, gorgeous jewelry, make-up and more from premiere brand names and vendors like Chinese Laundry, Anne Taintor, Mary Kay, Arbonne, Juicy Jewel, FootPetals, Teva, Kix by Katie… and more! For a complete list of sweepstakes prizes log onto: www.DonnaSozio.com/PRIZES

WHAT: It’s easy to be entered to win. 1. Purchase from Amazon.com Never Trust a Man in Alligator Loafers Nov.3rd –10th 2008. 2. Log onto www.DonnaSozio.com/GIFTBAG 3. Enter your first name, email address, and Amazon.com receipt number. 4. That’s it. You’re entered to win! 5. Winners announced November 30th 2008. Everyone who enters to win also receives over $800 in valuable discounts on their favorite products.

WHEN: The online Alligator Loafers GIFT BAG E*VENT runs 11/03/08 – 11/10/09. Winners announced 11/30/08.

When pitching do you send a jewelry sample or not.....

2008-10-21T10:24:00.005-05:00

When pitching accessory magazine editors (on or offline), you want your business and jewelry designs to be noticed. Have you wondered if you should send a jewelry sample or not?

First, ask yourself if your business model can afford this marketing expense? Sending samples with every pitch can add up quickly!

Will the sample be returned? Well that depends on the media outlet and if they requested it. Margie Zable Fisher just recently wrote a post titled, "Should The Media Return Your Product Samples..." that you may want to read before sending a jewelry sample without it being requested.

Note that many online magazine/fashion/accessories editors will request a sample in exchange for a review of your jewelry product. Often times, these type of "blogs" will review your jewelry design and have a give away/contest which can generate more PR than just a review alone. Ask if you are allowed to offer a discount/special offer as an additional incentive for readers to visit your website/online shop.

Happy pitching. Please chime in. Do you send jewelry samples with your pitch or do you wait for them to request a sample? Leave a comment!

~Randi
P.S.
I do not send samples unless requested. I used my press kit materials with high res. product photos to impress the editors.

Increase Holiday Jewelry Sales with items under $20

2008-10-20T01:00:00.000-05:00

City Lights, $18.00

Even if you don't sell jewelry, this applies to any craft/product business so read on.....

Looking for a way to increase holiday jewelry sales? Offer handcrafted jewelry designs under $20.
Why? This is great "gift" retail point for many shoppers who have a long list. They are looking for something unique on a under $20 budget.

Here are some tips on designing handcrafted jewelry under $20....

Design items that are quick to make like earrings so you're still being paid for your time.
If you can afford it, buy your "most used" findings like headpins and ear wires in large quantities so you get better pricing (means more profit for you!).
Push your creativity by using left over materials to create new designs.
Consider making non-traditional jewelry like purse bling ( purse fob), book bling (book mark with beads), wine glass jewelry (charms for wine glass), etc.....

When selling at craft/gift markets, make sure your under $20 items are clearly marked. Put some by the "check out " area of your booth so you can let folks browse while they pay. Impulse and upsell purchases can really add up.

I've shared my dichroic glass pendant, City Lights, as an example of what I sell under $20. What do you sell for under $20? Leave a comment so others can check out your "pretties" too!

Free PDF Gift: 50 Great Jewelry Selling Techniques

2008-10-16T08:52:00.003-05:00

Woot. I feel like it's my birthday and I've just been given an awesome gift......50 Great Jewelry Selling Techniques by one of my favorite resources, David Weiman.

David usually sells this e-book for $17 so you can see why I'm so excited. That's the equivalent of
how many beads? ;-)

It can feel like your birthday too. You can get the free PDF, 50 Great Jewelry Selling Techniques, by signing up for David's e-mail updates here OR just download it here. The choice is yours!

Let me know what your favorite selling technique is from the guide! Leave a comment....
~Randi

Valentine Advertising opportuntity (wholesale)

2008-10-15T08:43:00.004-05:00

If you wholesale your handcrafted jewelry, I think you will find this to be an exceptional value at only $40.

Boutique Up! Daily (BUD) is launching a wholesale Valentine’s Day catalog full of new products for Kids and Moms that retailers can use to rev up the economic health of their stores. This is a win-win situation for both product manufacturers and retailers: you get to showcase Valentine’s Day products to retailers, and retailers can contract hot new merchandise to kick-start V-day shopping.

Interested?

Space is limited to 20 products per category, so please take advantage of this opportunity sooner than later.

Product spots are $40 per product for exposure to 800+ retailers, review blogs and unlimited consumers.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS: November 3, 2008 or sooner if spots fill up.

Get all the information you need from Boutique Up! here.....

Have a fabulous day! Remember to pitch early ( at least 6 months in advance to national mag's ) and often!

~Randi-Sue

Surviving the Economy.....

2008-10-13T10:20:00.002-05:00

Do you think the economy is affecting/will affect your handcrafted jewelry business ?

As an artistic entrepreneur and indie business owner, it is difficult not to panic when listening to US and world financial reports. It is important to take creative action so that your handcrafted jewelry business survives the current economy.

I recently was at a "retail" Craft Fair & Gift Market and my sales were 1/4 of what they have been in past years. Ouch! There was plenty of traffic but not a lot of shopping going on.
Unlike other vendors, I did not mill around and complain about lack of sales! I focused on having conversations with potential customers and increasing my mailing list (and making mental notes of what items those folks were drawn to so I can send targeted e-mail offers).
I took action that positions me to grow my business by expanding my customer base!

Being consistent with my marketing activities resulted in Designing-Diva having a stellar month in sales for September and still going strong! The average purchase has been in the $50-$75 range so I will continue to highlight jewelry items in this price range.

On the wholesale side, I have noticed retail buyers interested in a range of prices trying to attract potential customers with a variety of products and price points.

I truly believe in order to survive the economy, handcrafted jewelry artists and other indie crafters will have to approach their business with the same creativity they inject into their designs.

If you are on a very limited marketing budget, pitch other business's with a partnership:

Offer a non-competitive give away to gain a wider customer base.
Hold a trunk show at a local business & offer them a % or encourage them to let you donate % to community based charity. The charity donation would make a great pre-show press release for your local paper.

Can't afford to booth fee.....???

Host a trunk show in your home or a friend's and offer an incentive to stop by and shop. Find other indie business's and hold your own mini event! Eg. Offer door prizes or discount coupon if they bring a friend.

Do you have a great creative tip to surviving the current economy? Please leave a comment so others can benefit from your expertise!

Shameless Self Promotion....Vote for Randi-Sue!

2008-10-07T20:36:00.003-05:00

I recently sponsored The Spirited Woman video contest by donating three fused glass necklaces with a retail value of $100 for the winner.

Nancy Mills encouraged me to enter the video contest myself (it didn't matter that I was sponsoring prizes for the winners)....so I entered my alter ego the crown wearing Dallas Designing-Diva!

Well, I have some exciting news....I was 1 of 7 finalists chosen. Woo Hoo!

Please help me win by Voting for Randi-Sue before October 13th. Don't forget to tell your family and friends too!

See, there is nothing wrong with a little shameless self promotion!

~Randi-Sue

Rejection.....again! NEXT!!

2008-09-30T15:54:00.004-05:00

One of my marketing goals for the 2008-2009 calendar year is to send quarterly PR kits to 5 major national magazines and to send at least 4 "designs" for consideration to various beading/jewelry related magazines.

Today I got one of many rejection letters thanking me for my design submission from one of my favorite "stringing bead" magazines but ......NO thanks we'll pass!

Sigh.....Rejection. Again.Ok. NEXT!

Why the heck am I sharing my blatant failure/disappointment? It is important to realize that you will be rejected many times from customers, business owners to media/press and you have to learn to NOT take it personally.

Failure doesn't mean that you're a failure... it just means that you haven't succeeded yet.
~Robert Schuler

While I've lost count of how many times I've been rejected, I do not let it interfere with my "head" and continue to be consistent and focus on the next thing that needs to be done (even thought it may result in rejection).

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
~Samuel Beckett

The point is to keep moving forward and learn from your failures/mistakes! When I look back, I'm amazed at how far I've come personally and professionally.....and the future has never looked brighter. Unexpected opportunities and partnerships have arisen through a variety of connections because I have not given up and keep moving forward!

Here's to your success in your handcrafted jewelry business,

~Randi

Get Involved in a Promotional Giveaway with another Business

2008-09-29T20:48:00.008-05:00

Even though I have my own e-c0mmerce site, I gain additional exposure by showcasing my jewelry in other venues like Etsy, Funky Finds Shops, Smashing Darling and Shopaholics TV, etc...

The wonderful thing about being involved in these other e-commerce ventures is that there is a "powerful pull" to these sites and I have an increased chance of having my jewelry seen. Does it really matter if customers see my jewelry at Designing-Diva or Funky Finds Shops? Heck no because I brand myself the same! If nothing else, it establishes credibility that I'm all over the web selling my handcrafted jewelry.

What I love about being involved in other e-commerce ventures is the opportunity to promote my jewelry in ways I couldn't on my current marketing budget.

And here is a perfect example....Right now, Smashing Darling and She Finds have collaborated on a Freebie Friday Giveaway.

Just what is being given away (drum roll please)....a $500 shopping gift certificate to Smashing Darling!

Head on over to the Freebie Friday Giveaway and make a comment on what you would spend your $500 shopping spree on at Smashing Darling and you are entered for a chance to win!

Smashing Darling stocks a seemingly endless collection of jewelry, clothes, and all kinds of accessories from independent designers (like me!) you definitely won't see in the mall. There is quite literally something (actually, a whole lot of things) for everyone.

As you can imagine, the web traffic to Smashing Darling (and of course my jewelry boutique items) has sky rocketed.....that is why getting involved in a promotion with other business's is a smart marketing move!

To your handcrafted jewelry marketing success,

~Randi

Save on Jewelry Selling Insights and The 5 Keys to Selling Handcrafted Jewelry DVD

2008-09-29T09:34:00.004-05:00

Woohoo. David Weiman has just lowered prices on two of my favorite "handcrafted jewelry selling" resources: Jewelry Selling Insights and The 5 Keys to Selling Handcrafted Jewelry DVD.

The subscription price for the monthly pay-subscription newsletter, The Jewelry Selling Insights has been reduced from $47 to $36 per year. That's only $3/month to higher profits for your handcrafted jewelry business.

The 5 Keys to Selling Handcrafted Jewelry DVD and Workbook Program from $97 to $77. It's an outstanding value that contains tons of bonuses, as well! Even if you've been selling handcrafted jewelry for years, this will help you increase your profits.

You can save an additional 20% off the digital edition of The Jewelry Selling Answer Book and 20% off a 1-year subscription to Jewelry Selling Insights through October 15th by entering the code AFF20 into the Coupon Code box at the order page and click "Apply"!

Don't forget to subscribe to the free jewelry selling tips newsletter. It is something I look forward to in my inbox !

~Here's to your success in your handcrafted jewelry business,

Randi
P.S.
Did you see yesterday's post where you can subscribe to David Weiman's You tube video's (check out selling handcrafted jewelry in a tough economy)?

Selling Jewelry in a Tough Economy

2008-09-28T10:42:00.004-05:00

I'm a huge fan of David Weiman. His "Marketing Jewelry" resources for the handcrafted jewelry artist/designer are priceless. When I first stumbled upon his website, I signed up for the free jewelry selling tips newsletter as a way to find out more about him before I spent my hard earned dollars on his "jewelry marketing/selling products".

While being a full-time clinical scientist, I was able to realize my dream of becoming a full-time jewelry artist/designer. Was it overnight? Heck no....it took several years but now I get to do what I love from my home studio everyday.....creating jewelry!

With the current economy, it can be scary for anyone but especially jewelry artists because jewelry purchases are a "luxury" or "splurge" for many.

That is why I think you will be interested in watching the latest You Tube video from David Weiman that is focused on selling your handcrafted jewelry in a tough economy---

I encourage you to sign up for the free jewelry selling tips newsletter and see what a great resource David Weiman can be to your business. Plus you can subscribe to David's videos so you never miss out on great jewelry selling tips.

Social Networking Advice from the Packaging Diva

2008-09-25T09:51:00.002-05:00

As an artistic entrepreneur, I embrace change and creativity in all aspects of my personal life and business. One of the biggest changes that can really boost you and your brand is social networking. While there are many platforms to do this, I've become a Twitteraholic and have thoroughly enjoyed my new connections through Twitter. Every day I learn something new personally and professionally and I urge you to explore this social media.

Starting something new especially if you are technically challenged can be intimidating but it does NOT have to be....not when we have fantastic advice from Joann Hines the Packaging Diva!

So grab a cup of coffee or tea.....and read on to see how easy it is to "Package Yourself" on Twitter.

Randi
P.S.
You can follow me at Designing_Diva on Twitter!

Packaging Yourself On Twitter - The Beginner by JoAnn Hines Packaging Diva

Being really new to social networking I was intrigued to understand the branding concept behind Twitter. I pondered how one could connect and relate to other social networkers in 140 characters or less. Would this really be the best investment in social networking for my time and effort?

As I studied Twitter, I realized that tweeting is really an intellectual exercise. It forces you to be clever, articulate, and sometimes funny within 140 characters. So in addition to thinking about what to post that someone would read I needed to learn how to post too.

Like all social networking you have to find your own persona... Something that you are comfortable with and that makes sense to you;ie. your brand and your business. It’s not about emulating someone else, you want your tweets to be unique and represent you in the best light.

Twittering is also something that you have to commit the time to do. The beauty of Twitter is its user friendliness, accessibility and level of personalization. I have found two basic types of “Twitterers”: There is the touchy-feely warm and personal kind that talks a lot about their personal lives, and there is the business professional that uses Twitter as a business tool to build their business and their brands and rarely gets into non business discussions. There is also the hybrid of both and that’s ok, as long as you stay focused on whom you want to be to your followers.

It’s OK to integrate personal info along with business advice. I do a combination of the two. As you build your following you will build relationships and you have to be REAL to be believable and develop relationships. Just be wary of what is good to talk about on Twitter and what needs to be moved off the Twitter venue. From personal experience I was passionate about a topic that escalated to some what of a controversy between three Twitterers. After much debate and wildly tweeting we recognized that we needed to move our conversation elsewhere. I wrote another article about this experience entitled “How To Agree, Disagree And Remain Friends On Twitter.”

Get your profile set up before you begin Tweeting. People will go and check you out to see who and what you are all about. The more you can share the better. My twitter survey showed people preferred pictures of other people by more than 2-1 (said they liked to see who they were tweeting). But if you use an avatar that's OK too. Its about the connection you make with your followers pic or avatar.

As a newbie read and learn from other Twitterers. First and foremost give before you take. See how you can help other people with their issues and problems. Once you start giving, the return will come back to you. If you give really good advice people you don’t know will start to follow you too.

It’s OK to be a little self serving by posting information about your products, services and upcoming events. But nothing will turn your followers off faster than too continuously self promote yourself. Remember Twitter is about your followers and what you can do for them, not you personally.

The easiest way to showcase yourself is to respond to someone’s tweet with helpful information. Once you have established yourself as a resource, people will follow you because they know you have something interesting or useful to say.

It’s OK to unfollow people too. Sometimes there is just really no “connection.” Here’s a tweet on 9 reasons you should unfollow peeps (people).

9 reasons 4 dropping peeps: swearing inappropriate content no interaction 2 intense 2 personal 2 self promoting 2 negative 2 strange 2 much

If you notice there is no punctuation it’s because I was limited to 140 characters. So it is an exercise in getting all your thoughts marshaled in a succinct, intelligent and interesting fashion.

Here are a few beginner tips to get you started:

1. Look up your keywords in the search feature. You will see who is tweeting about the same topic you are. You can also use some of the specialty Twitter tools, such as summize, to see what topics are hot that you might want to follow the thread.

2. When people follow you, see who they follow or who follows them. In turn you follow them too.

If they are well established in their field then typically you will get a quality following of people you need to know.

3. When someone follows you thank them for following with a brief statement about you and what you do. Don’t sell!!

Here is what I use:

Thanks for the follow. I try to amuse and educate my followers what they need to know about product packaging. I am all about the packaging.

If you will notice its exactly 140 characters (how to do this is a skill you will learn as you tweet).

4. It’s your choice to thank them publicly or privately. When I surveyed my followers they were split 50/50 on the issue. Personally, I like private so I can send each person a message. Do what’s comfortable for you.

5. When someone tweets something important or interesting retweet the information to your followers. As a case in point I retweeted someone’s information on sustainability to my followers they in turn retweeted something of mine. It was a win-win for both parties.

6. Lastly try to develop interesting dialogue with your followers. Be positive, engaging, complimentary and funny too (if that’s your style).

Twitter is one of the fastest, easiest and most fun social networking tools. You can quickly see a return if you work at it consistently and with an open mind.

Twitter is an incredibly powerful business tool. I’ve gained new business, a host of new associates, and even hired my VA…All of whom I have met on Twitter. Like all social networking tools not everyone will like you or your style. Get over it and move on to the next follower as you package yourself and your personal brand on Twitter.

Follow me on Twitter too as I share personal packaging lessons on how I built my global brand the "Packaging Diva."

Happy Packaging!
JoAnn Hines
Packaging Diva
All Packaging All Of The Time

Reprinted with permission: I package people, products and services. Get started in the right direction by visiting any one of my websites for free advice, articles or just plain help. You can ask a question to a packaging expert too, list your packaging request, subscribe to my complimentary newsletter Packaging News You Can Use or just visit my website to ask me your packaging question. I *will* find your perfect packaging solution!

Personal Website: http://packagingdiva.com/
Corporate Website: http://packaginguniversity.com/
Packaging Help: http://packagingcoach.com/

Packaging Yourself: http://packagingyourself.com

Rock the world, show off your jewelry and have the chance to win prizes.....

2008-09-24T22:35:00.003-05:00

Are you ready to rock the world? Grab your digital cameras, flip videos, iphones, whatever...this is a great way to "market yourself" to thousands of women!

SPIRITED WOMAN is sponsoring its first ever video contest. Yeah! Enter your 2-minute or less video, and you'll have a chance to WIN a $100 first prize, the Spirited Woman Video Award, a one-hour astrology reading with famed astrologer Susan Miller, a $250 Emerita gift basket, and some very special prizes.

The goal of the video contest is for spirited women from all over the planet to show your "spirit to the world" and to answer the question, "Why am I a Spirited Woman?" or put another way, "Why do you feel that YOU are a Spirited Woman?"

We're looking for you to show your enthusiasm, unstoppability, zest for life, personality, sense of adventure, creativity, and to be inventive. We want you To HAVE FUN and to EXPRESS YOUR SPIRITED WOMAN SELF. All levels and ages are welcome!!

Check out my video entry, Why Randi-Sue is a Spirited Woman, and the PR I'm receiving because it is on the front page Spirited Woman today. The video was super easy and fun to film....I can't wait to see your entry. Leave a comment with a link to your video and don't forget to wear your jewelry creations when you film!

~ A fun and spirited woman at heart,

Randi

Live in DFW .....call for entries for Jingle Bash

2008-09-23T10:54:00.004-05:00

Etsy Dallas is hosting its first ever Jingle Bash on Nov 22nd at Sons of Herman Hall in Dallas.

For non-ED members.....
- Booths are $60 each
- App Fee is an additional $10 (non-refundable)
- Deadline to apply and pay is October 3rd
-Request an application by e-mailing JingleBash AT yahoo Dot com.

Get your application in quick: We are about full of jewelry vendors, although we are accepting applications from any handmade artists and crafters and will jury each applicant equally.

Notifications of acceptance will go out the week of October 13th

Paypal Checkout Tips

2008-09-19T11:50:00.002-05:00

One of the many reasons that I love using Paypal is that they are continually evolving their product to keep up with e-commerce demands. I also love the fact that they offer several very useful resource guides whether or not you are new to e-commerce.

I just tripped across the "Checkout Optimization Guide" and was impressed with all the "Eleven Steps to a Better Checkout.....and more profits".

This information couldn't be more timely for me as "behind the scenes" at Designing-Diva, I'm upgrading my shopping cart because of feedback from my customers.

If you use Paypal or want to streamline your checkout, I think you will find this 33 page guide very useful!

To your success,

~Randi

Build Relationships.....

2008-09-18T09:10:00.003-05:00

When I first took the leap and decided to sell my handcrafted jewelry, I was very unsure of myself and definitely out of my comfort zone. Looking back, I don't know why I couldn't see the parallel between my retail experience and my new entrepreneurial adventure!

I had a very successful retail career that helped me pay my way through college. The reason that I was always in the top 10 sales was because I always focused on building a relationship with the customer and NOT jumping right to "selling".

I don't know why I thought selling my artisan jewelry should be any different? Nerves, I guess!

Now, I love doing shows and don't get butterflies and continually 2nd guess my display, pricing, etc...I get excited about all the people that I'm going to meet that day. Does that mean I will have stellar sales? Maybe...but it is not my focus. My goal is to "reach out and touch" as many people at possible so they will remember me in a "positive" way.

With each show I do, I have repeat customers whom I have come to know many personal details...from births to deaths and many celebrations in between. It is these relationships that have allowed my business to flourish.....not only do they trust and continue to buy from me but are my "cheerleaders" and refer others to my business.

Now, remember the 80/20 principle I've mentioned.....80% of your business will come from 20% of your customers! Do you know who your "golden 20" are? I do and I treat them like "Platinum" with targeted offers , handwritten cards, and phone calls.

By building relationships and NOT focusing on selling, I have gained many loyal customers who continue to "cheerlead" and send referrals my way. It is so much easier to build a relationship when there is a connection already ( eg My aunt has a gorgeous necklace and said you could help me customize a design for the corporate world.).

Here's to your success in business,

~Randi
P.S.
I'm sponsoring " 3 original necklaces valued at $100 each" as prizes for the Spirited Woman Video contest. The entry deadline is Sept 30th so grab your video camera and your friends ....and show your spirit!

You can check out my alternate persona, the Dallas Designing-Diva's, video entry here......Post a comment and link to your video entry here!

In Home Jewelry Show-Success Checklist

2008-09-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Long before I had an e-commerce site, I sold my jewelry through in-home shows/parties. These were great ways to build my local customer base and get referrals.

Whether you are just getting ready to show the world your designs or you are a seasoned designer, hold an Open House in your home/studio and invite your local clients.

Jewelry Show Success Checklist

Choose a date and time that there is nothing major going on in your community. Scheduling a show on Homecoming Weekend would probably NOT be a good idea!
Use e-vite to send out e-mail invitations 3 weeks before and a "card" in the mail 1 week before as a reminder.
Ask your family, friends and customers to RSVP via e-mail or phone. Encourage them to bring a guest by offering an incentive (discount, etc).
If possible, ask at your church , children's school, hair salon, local coffee shop, etc...if you can put up a flyer to invite people to your Open House. This is a great way to get more exposure within your local area.
When setting up your display. Simple is best. Remember, the jewelry should be the focus. Arrange your jewelry by color, style or price so it is cohesive.
Don't forget to have a few mirrors so guests can try on and see jewelry on.
If possible, have a friend or two that can help out to answer questions, help check out and /or gift wrap.
Offer a refreshment and snack. It will help people linger.
Put your game face on and interact with customers. This is not the time to be the wall flower. Ask someone what drew them to a design....start a conversation...that is how relationships start!
Don't forget to have ample cash on hand to give back change. Have a designated area to check out and specify what types of payments you accept. This is also the perfect area to have a "gift wrap" area.
Make sure you have business cards and promos to put in bags and to give to everyone who attends. Even if they do not buy, you want them to be able to contact you in the future.
Have a sign up sheet to collect customer information. Ask for referrals!
Remember to smile and have fun! You will learn something at every show just by engaging your customers!

Check out this great article at Fire Mountain Gems on holding an In-home Jewelry Show. Plus, if you are a "beader" they have a great idea and printable resources on how to host a Swarovski Workshop.

Here's to your success having a fantastic jewelry show!

~Randi

Are You Getting Ready For Valentine's Day?

2008-09-15T10:12:00.003-05:00

Don't forget.....magazines have LONG LEAD times ....so you should be pitching national magazines with "Valentine's Day" themes....

I know it is only mid-September but prominent national magazines have 6-8 month lead times. Now is the perfect time to be working on your Valentine's Day pitches to the editors....the deadline for pitching will be late this month/early October so don't be caught out!

Here's to getting your product placed in a national magazine......

~ Randi

New (to me) Resource for Online Artists

2008-09-10T08:46:00.003-05:00

Nicolette Tallmadge is the creative genius behind the fabulous resource for artists, The Crafted Webmaster. She has run a successful handcrafted jewelry business , Mixed Media Designs, for over 11 years.

"The Crafted Webmaster's goal is to help artists, craftsmen, gallery owners and other people in the art and craft industry learn how to effectively use the web to promote and sell their works."

I connected to her through Twitter (Did you read the Twitter for Business I reprinted from John Jantsch/Duct Tape Marketing regarding this social network?) and signed up for the newsletter immediately. I found several relevant topics as I'm in the midst of changing over my shopping cart (the main reason for sporadic posting at the moment) like "keeping your website design simple" to how to get more sign ups for your mailing list.

If you are selling your jewelry and/or art online, I highly recommend The Crafted Webmaster as resource.

~Here's to selling more jewelry and/or art,

Randi
P.S. You can follow me on Twitter here.....

Save on Jewelry Selling Insights

2008-09-10T08:34:00.003-05:00

Wooho. David Weiman has just announced he is lowering the subscription price to Jewelry Selling Insights.

The subscription price for the monthly pay-subscription newsletter, The Jewelry Selling Insights, has been reduced from $47 to $36 per year. That's just $3 a month which is less than a gourmet cup of coffee from Starbuck's!

Just click on the banner image to get signed up!

Here's to your jewelry selling success!

~Randi

Press Release Writing Made Easy

2008-08-27T08:36:00.003-05:00

Duct Tape Marketing is a fabulous resource for my jewelry business. John Jantsch has just released a fabulous Press Release writing tool that allows you to write and format an one page press release. This is a FREE tool that stops you procrastinating because you are not sure how you should write that press release!

Even if you have written several press releases you will find this an invaluable tool that you can use over and over!

Don't forget to check out the resource page on assorted public relation resources too.

Blog & Donate Jewelry for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society

2008-08-07T10:49:00.005-05:00

Want to help those with blood cancer? Join me and help promote the 1st annual "Blogging for Blood Cancer " event that will take place August 11-18, 2008.

I am donating 5 pairs of handcrafted sterling earrings with a min. value of $25 to this worthy cause. On my maternal grandmother's side, the male members of the family have a genetic predisposition to leukemia and have passed on as early as 15 years of age!

Read on how easy it is to help by just blogging to raise awareness and share a personal story if you have one. Plus, if you have some extra handcrafted jewelry designs on hand why not donate them to be used as give aways for this worthy cause! Act fast and you will have the opportunity to win a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble too!

This first time event will bring bloggers from across the United States together to raise awareness for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and its mission to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

The event is being hosted by Goodies for Mom in conjunction with the Friends of Heroes (FOH) National Light The Night Team .

All bloggers participating will have the opportunity to be entered to win prizes donated by event sponsors by leaving a Mr. Linky link on the Goodies for Mom post for the event. The event post will go up on August 11, 2008 at 8:00am. Even if you do not have a blog, visitors to the Goodies for Mom and Friends of Heroes blogs during the week will also have opportunities to win as they learn more about the importance of LLS’s research and patient services in the fight against blood cancer.

To help promote the event, anyone who puts a button or banner on their site, or writes a post about the event with a link back to this post, then leaves a link below on our Mr. Linky by midnight on August 10, 2008 will be entered for a chance to win a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card.

Social Media-Twitter for Business

2008-08-06T10:40:00.003-05:00

I'm a huge fan of Duct Tape Marketing because it is geared to small business and is often well within my marketing budget. I was really excited to read about the new social networking site, Twitter, and what it could mean to your business. If would like to jump on the social media bandwagon, read this article and download his free guide on "Twitter for Business".

Here's to your jewelry marketing success,

Randi

Twitter for Business
Yet another Web 2.0 social networking tool got you puzzled - ready this guide

Oh, about twice a day now I get asked if this twitter thing is a tool for business. Sometimes the requests are muddled with puzzled tones of "I just don't get it." Other times folks are sort of pissed off. I mean, yet another thing to keep track of and do.

I happen to think that twitter has some fabulous business uses, and not just for the ultra connected techie, for the typical small business too.

Maybe the siren's call of twitter - http://www.twitter.com (everybody's doing it) has become too much and you've jumped in. Or, maybe you have no clue what it is or why you would care. I get asked enough about this mircoblogging tool that I thought I would create a practical guide for business folks wrestling with yet another social media outpost.

What is it?

In simplest terms, twitter is a free service that allows anyone to say anything to anybody in 140 characters or less - it's the "what are you doing right now" kind of micro-blogging that permeates online social communication.

So, now the question is - is that all? Well, no, not exactly. While people are using it to tell no one in particular what they had for lunch, millions are leaning on twitter pretty hard as a way to network and communicate with contacts new and old. twitter is outfitted, like most social media tools with the ability to subscribe, share, friend or follow as many twitter feeds as you like. In addition, developers

How do I use it?

First thing, sign up for an account. It's very painless - http://twitter.com/account/create

Your next stop should be to the twitter help guide - http://help.twitter.com/index.php?pg=kb.book&id=1 this is where you get all of your basic how to questions answered. Read it, it will save you some time and anquish.

Once you create an account you will be given a home page and a profile page - ie: my profile is http://twitter.com/ducttape. So my twitter handle is @ducttape. From these pages you can find others Twitter streams to follow, post your own messages and even watch the entire public stream of comments flow by. (I don't recommend that unless you are really, really bored.)

Why would I use it?

Now that is the real question isn't it? Many people look at twitter on the surface and conclude that it's just one big waste of time. I can't say I disagree completely, but like all social media and marketing tactics, before you can determine if something makes sense you need to analyze your objectives. So, instead of asking why you would use it, ask how it might help you achieve some other already stated objectives.

Before you really jump into a service like twitter, it's important that you identify at least, and initially only, one objective from the list above and focus your efforts on learning how to use the tool to that end.

Getting the most from it

I've put together my "Beginner's Guide to Using Twitter for Business" and offer here to all as a gift. This is not the definitive guide to all things twitter, this is a nice, simple, practical road map to show you how to start using twitter to reach some of your business and marketing objectives

Related article - Creating your social media strategy
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Reprinted with permission: John Jantsch is a marketing and digital technology coach, award winning social media publisher and author of Duct Tape Marketing. He is the creator of the Duct Tape Marketing small business marketing system. You can find more information by visiting www.ducttapemarketing.com

Do you know who your customer is?

2008-08-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

Knowing who your customer is (ie your target market) is key to expanding your jewelry business.

As my jewelry and glass business has grown, here are a few ways that I have kept track of my customers....

Newsletter sign-up at retail shows and on the e-commerce site, Designing-Diva
Custom orders
Purchased orders-When at retail shows, I really pay attention to who stops by and who buys my jewelry and glass designs.
Abandoned shopping cart visitsWhile my jewelry and glass studio is in my home and NOT open for retail, I use my e-commerce site

By using this information to target my advertising efforts to my niche market, I have been able to grow my business consistently. Here is another example of a business owner who tripled her sales by learning who were customers really were! There is a valuable lesson to be learned....don't assume you know but really find out who your ideal customer is!

To your continued success in your jewelry business,

Randi
P.S. Happy National Girlfriend's Day! Check out my limited edition Riveted Pink Ring for only $25!