Don't Let Fear Stop You From Marketing

I recently networked with other new and seasoned artisans and as we were "chatting" about marketing and PR I had a "light bulb" moment. I heard several artists discussing what they "would like to try/do" and "why they had not"........for most, it was a case of "fear" preventing them from doing anything!

Does that sound familiar to you? If it does, hear is your wake up call. Do NOT let fear prevent you from pursuing your passion designing your jewelry and having a market to sell it to!

Whether you want to create a press release, submit or pitch a product to an editor or partner with another business, do NOT let fear prevent you from getting started. There is a wealth of information on "how to's " on the internet, book store, and do not forget any mentors you may have.

Still need a little inspiration? Check out this wonderful blog post on Getting Press for Your Jewelry by Peggy Li. If your still wondering where to start, do not forget to check out the forums at The Switchboards (this is a HUGE resource...be careful you can lose hours reading posts! ^-^)

If you are serious about growing your jewelry business, you must market and get as much PR as possible so that your brand is recognized locally /nationally/internationally (whatever your goal may be). Getting in front of the public and your "niche market" is the key to not only sustaining but growing your business.

Marketing will take a "chunk of your time" if it is to effective and must be conducted on and offline (even if you are e-commerce based).

Write /type your PR goals . Leave space after each goal to document how you will achieve your goal. Prioritize your goals and take the top 2 or 3 and work on them consistently. Put a sticky note on your computer to remind you of what you want to achieve.

Here's to the NO FEAR approach to marketing your artisan jewelry!
-Randi

5 Business Actitivities You Must Do Consistently to Grow your Jewelry Business

1. Get in front of customers every day. For me that means, I advertise online and offline to drive customers to my online jewelry boutique.
**I post for FREE everyday in Craigs List
**I have Google Ads
**I hand business cards out everywhere I go because I "wear" my business and get comments all the time.
**I submit online press releases
**I submit articles to my local paper

2. I add a new offline or online venue to contact every single day. I call mid-upscale boutiques ( the newspaper is a great resource) and ask to speak to the owner or retail buyer; this is how, I have attained several wholesale accounts. I also search other venues online that I can write an article for in exchange for a link, or a place that I can post a blurb (social networking sites) about what I do, etc...

3. Ask for a Referral. Whenever I have a customer, I always tell them if you love the jewelry,

Tell your Friends

. Another example of viral marketing (yes, I do sound like a broken record).

4. Customer Service Excellence: offer the best customer service starting with their shopping experience, checkout and impression of your jewelry (package and display). But it doesn't stop there, keep in touch with your customers ( I use e-mail) and I offer Customer Rewards (Diva Bucks, private sales and trunks shows).

5.LISTEN to your Customers: if you just listen, they will tell you what you could do to improve and if they don't ASK.

Is there anything that we could be doing better? Did we meet your expectations?

These are just a few ways to get feedback. If you do get negative feedback, do NOT react. Write it down and look at what they have said. Is it an angry customer or is it a valid point? If it is valid, you better change and quick because it could be hurting your business.

In order to have a successful jewelry business, you must do these 5 activities consistently.

If you found this information helpful or if you have soemthing to add, post a comment. If you would like to see other topics covered, post that too.

HOT Jewelry Marketing Tip: Offer a Gift Guide & Market It

This jewelry marketing tip is HOT. Offer a one page gift guide for special occasions like Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Grad 2007, Holiday 2007. This is also a great idea for your seasonal collections: Spring 2007 Gift Guide, etc...What's your best seller? Have a "What's Hot Guide" and feature your business's best sellers.

Here are just a few things to consider for your gift guide:
*Break it down by price (e.g. gifts under $25,$ 50, etc..)
*Break it down by color or style
*Make sure your descriptions include a call to action
*clear photos of your items
*where to buy/shop/purchase your jewelry product
*a discount if applicable
*your contact information with logo (for branding if applicable)

My one page gift guides are "electronic". I do NOT go the printers because it is expensive and not really necessary; I put it up on my website and promote it. I e-mail the gift guide to my customers (you should be in touch with your customers in some way),my local newspaper and magazines (the lifestyle section and fashion section may be looking to fill some blank space and voila you have just received FREE publicity that would have cost you $$$) and local retail boutiques ( I have a list of retail buyers whom I keep in touch with) who may be looking for new stock and haven't been to the wholesale market yet.

My customers look forward to my gift guides and often forward them to friends and family ---viral marketing at work. I often used voucher codes for my gift guides so I can track their success which helps me tweak my presentation, description and call to action.

Have fun with your gift guide and here's to your jewelry marketing success.