Jewelry
Money
Let’s face it - if you were a super-salesman you wouldn’t be wasting your time selling your own hand-made jewelry. You can walk into any high-commission sales job and live in luxury.
However, if you aren’t a super-salesman how are you to sell your hand-crafted jewelry? Well, for a start, the same argument applies to all your competitors. They hate selling as much as you do.
Discover how Rena had the same problem with her home-made jewels as we all do and won. People were happy to accept her work as gifts, but when she set up a jewelry booth at a show, people stayed away in droves, though she usually did manage to have a dollar or two of profit once the expenses were deducted. Was that enough to compensate her for all these hours of work, even though she did enjoy hand crafts?
Fortunately she didn’t give up. She did what is so often gives good results. She studied successful artists, and each time she learned a new technique there was an increase in her booth traffic and sales.
If you’ve never tried booth sales you may think that the job starts when the customers are allowed in to the show. However the paperwork comes before, during and after the show. If you want to keep the IRS happy you’ld better not be scared of paperwork.
And what about your insurance? It’s no good leaving it until after the show.
How should you set your prices. If you charge rubbish prices then visitors will think it is rubbish and turn their noses up at your work. Rena will show you how to set your prices, and how to sell other people’s work on consignment at a profit.
Have you ever heard of shoplifters? It might take some skill to steal something from an almost empty shop with security cameras all around, but at a show, it is easy to take one step and blend in with the crowd. Learn from Rena’s experience to keep your money for yourself, not some thief.
OK. Have you finished with the planning yet? Can I get started? Not quite. You have forgotten to consider your own needs. You will need a personal show survival kit of food, drinks, and medications, wear the right clothes and shoes, and decide what to do about your booth during toilet breaks.
Oh, and should you even be at the show in the first place? It helps to know how to choose the right venue. Rena explains what questions you should ask a show organizer beforehand - and wouldn’t it be nice to make sure that you were the only jewelry booth at the show?
Right…Can I start now? Why not do a full practice run at home where your mistakes won’t matter?
How about your mailing list? What mailing list? Find out from Rena.
And you still haven’t reached Rena’s advice about the show. You’ll have to see her jewelry booth page here to find out more. I’m particularly keen on her idea of making jewelry at the show - it often attracts a crowd.
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