How to Sell More Jewelry at Home Shows

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kristie_Leong]Kristie Leong

Home parties are a great way to sell your handmade jewelry designs! Why? Because you have a captive audience. There are no competing jewelry booths to steal your sales like you would find at a jewelry or craft show. In addition, you don’t have to compete with the work of other jewelry designers as you do when you display in boutiques and galleries. Everyone attending the show is there to see your exclusive line of jewelry. Now, that's a big advantage! Don't you think?

Once you have a home party scheduled, you need to prepare yourself to sell jewelry. . There are a variety of simple strategies you can use to increase the amount of jewelry you sell at home jewelry shows. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Encourage each attendee to bring along a friend.

It's simple! The more people who attend your home jewelry party, the more jewelry you're going to sell. Contact each person who plans to attend your jewelry party and invite her to bring a friend. Offer a small discount on her purchase if a friend attends the party and purchases your jewelry designs. You can essentially double the size of your home jewelry party just be using this technique. Wouldn't doubling your sales be satisfying?

2. Break the ice early on in the party.

Your home party attendees will be in a more receptive mood to buy if they are made to feel comfortable and relaxed. Always address them warmly and sincerely when they come in the door and thank them for attending. Once everyone is seated, play a few quick games to help everyone relax and get to know one another. You'd be surprised at what a difference this simple little strategy can make.

3. Actively encourage people to try on your jewelry.

The worse thing you can do is give the impression your jewelry is untouchable. Encourage your party attendees to handle and try on the jewelry. When someone puts on a piece of jewelry, it's like magic. The simple act of touching and trying on a necklace or bracelet creates an emotional connection between your potential customer and the jewelry piece. What's the result? Your chances of selling that particular piece of jewelry

4. Mirrors, mirrors, everywhere

Don't skimp on the mirrors. People want to see what they look like wearing your jewelry designs. Bring as many mirrors as you can without cluttering up your display. Have you ever been in a woman’s clothing store like T.J. Max where there weren’t a lot of mirrors? Being unable to see how an item look is enough to drive some buyers away.. Make it easy on your potential customer.

5. Offer discounts for volume purchases.

Entice your home party attendees with enticing discounts such as:

$10.00 worth of free jewelry with a purchase of $50.00 or more.

Purchase a necklace and get the earrings at half price.

Buy three pairs of earrings and get one free.

I'm sure you can think of a lot more variations. Your goal is to increase sales volume and these strategies work.

6. Offer helpful suggestions.

Most people feel a little insecure when they're purchasing jewelry for themselves or someone else. Offer suggestions to your prospective customers on how to wear a particular piece or suggest a piece of jewelry that might look good on them. Do this with care and moderation. You don't want to be too pushy.

7. Get their contact information before they leave.

As each person leaves your home party, have them sign a guest book with their name, address, phone number, and email address. This will give you the opportunity to market to them in the future and potentially sell more jewelry.

8. Don't forget the power of a thank you.

Always thank your home party attendees for taking the time to attend your party. Let them know you're available to host parties for them if they're interested in making extra money and earning free jewelry. A sincere thank you is always appreciated.

Give these jewelry home party tips a try and I'll think you'll be rewarded with increased jewelry sales.

If you want to create an avalanche of jewelry sales, visit http://www.jewelry-marketing.com for little known secrets to selling handmade jewelry. Kristie Leong M.D. is committed to helping you be successful in your own handmade jewelry business.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristie_Leong http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Sell-More-Jewelry-at-Home-Shows&id=759737

Nightlife show

Types of Beads

Jewelry submitted by Brooke Brimm





rBy [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Felicity_Walker]Felicity Walker

Walking into a bead shop can be a wonderful experience - so many colors, shapes and designs. It's almost impossible not to get incredibly inspired, and it's just as hard to walk out without having spent more than you intended! But when you're confronted with so many beads, it can be helpful to have some idea of what the different types of beads are, and how they're used. That way you can choose the right sort for your project.

Seed Beads

Probably the most widely used beads, seed beads are small, round or shaped, and can be made from almost anything. The most common seed beads are made of glass or plastic, but you can also get them in wood, pearl, jet, metal and so on. There are a huge variety of sizes and shapes available, which is very confusing. The smallest seed beads are often referred to a size 10 or 12, and slightly chunkier ones are size 8. Because they're so small, they're great for decorating garments, using in almost any type of jewelry design and in most types of sewing and embroidery.

Bugle Beads

A bugle bead is a long tube shaped bead, made from plastic, glass or metal. They can be anything from 2mm (1/16") to 5cm (2") long. The most popular is a size 2 bugle bead, which is around 5 to 6mm (1/4") long. These are also great for sewing projects, and can be very effective in certain types of jewelry as well. They're often used as flower stems in sewing projects, or can be used to lengthen a fringe.

Sequins

Although not exactly a bead, sequins are often used together with beads in sewing projects. They are round pieces of plastic or metal, and either have a hole in the center or to one side. They can also be either flat or cupped. The most common sequin style is a 6mm (1/4") cup sequin. Generally sequins are used as decorations for garments and sewn items. The ones with center holes are sewn in rows or individually for the right effect, and the sequins with a hole on the side can be used to form clusters that hang or in fringe work.

Center Beads

A center bead is used as a feature bead in the middle of a jewelry piece, a sewing design (such as a flower), the end of a dangle, or to complete a row of beads. Basically almost any bead that doesn't fit into another category and is larger than standard beads can be loosely classified as a center bead. They come in plastic as well as glass and metal, but if you're using one as a feature, it may be better to go with glass or even crystal, because they last longer and are more beautiful to look at then plastic.

Oval or Rice Beads

Named because of their oval shape, these beads are generally used as a spacer in dangles or as a feature in sewing. They can produce some interesting effects when used in jewelry. The most common size is 1cm (1/2") long, and they come in all sorts of colors and materials.

This is only a quick look at the main categories of beads. Once you start exploring a bead shop you'll realize there's far too many types of beads available to fit them into a few categories. Still, this guide should at least help you get an idea for what types of beads are available, particularly if you have a project you're planning to make which asks for a specific type of bead. Have a great time beading!

If you want to learn more about beading, click over to Felicity's site at http://www.beading-is-fun.info To read Felicity's Ultimate Bead Lover's Guide, go to http://www.ultimatebeadloversguide.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Felicity_Walker http://EzineArticles.com/?Types-of-Beads&id=327578
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Festival & Show Season

Well, I am out a little early this year working festivals and shows. My first one was a total bust! I didn't even make my booth fee:( The one shown in the pic was pretty good for me. The event didn't have many people there, but they were my target market, which is key!!!! I think it's going to be a good year because I feel committed to working more this year. Here's a secret to finding shows and festivals, CRAIGSLIST!!!!! I found the last three out of four shows on there.

Indian Beads Are Perfect For Jewelry Making

I have actually bought a bunch of beads from India wholesale. It cost me about $700 ( shipping included). I have had the beads for about two years making lots and lots of great jewelry. Plus, I sold some of the beads on ebay! Here are some of my designs with Indian Beads. This article below gives more detail!

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Himanshu_A.]Himanshu A.

India has a vast diversity and abundance of handicraft source. It is one of the worlds biggest producer of handmade products, still India is a labor based country, and still Indian product has signature of its makers.

In the field of jewelry India has its own unique class. Its designs are magnificent and classical. Beads contribute a vital part of jewelry market in India and they are admired through out the world.


India produces variety of beads such as glass beads, wood beads, clay beads, horn beads, metal beads, ceramic beads, lac beads and many more. Crystal beads are very popular due to their transparent and clear nature which makes them shine with any type of accessories. Indian handmade beads are one of the most demanded beads in the world. The majestic handwork of the Indian expert craftsman has made these beads very popular all around. Lac beads are generally handmade and are greatly admired by people all over the world for its exclusive handwork.


Glass beads occupy the biggest bead market in India and are available in variety of colors, designs and shapes. Indian glass beads are exported in all countries as they are cheaper and have great finish. Wood beads are also available in abundance, carved wood beads and painted wood beads are the two main streams under which wood is processed to make beads. Although ceramic beads don’t have as big market as glass or wood beads but it has a great potential. The shiny finish of ceramic beads makes them very attractive.


The main thing which has lead to the extensive spread of the Indian bead market is the fact that every buyer (whether it be a small shopkeeper or a wholesale businessman) can satisfy his needs of beads through the Indian market. Normally people dealing in [http://www.beadnshop.com/]wholesale beads keep a great variety of beads under a single roof which makes it easy for the buyer.

Find some of the most unique and rarest beads from India at [http://www.beadnshop.com]Bead ‘n Shop [http://www.beadnshop.com/handmade-beads/]handmade beads

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Himanshu_A. http://EzineArticles.com/?Indian-Beads-Are-Perfect-For-Jewelry-Making&id=632319

Top Ten Tips For Finding A Great Bead Jewelry Supply Website

By Eri Attebery

Boy do I spend a lot of time shopping for and buying beads on the internet. My husband would say way TOO much time! Compared to shopping at my local craft stores, I just love the unbelievable variety of beads available on the internet.

If you're patient, you can search various online bead jewelry supply stores and find some amazing prices on beads as well. This is particularly important if you are buying beads and beading supplies on a wholesale bead supply basis to make jewelry that you plan to sell.

I've been buying beads online for so long now that I decided to put together a list of things that I think make a great bead jewelry supply website. No site on the web is perfect on every aspect, but many of the places I shop on the web do very well in many of these categories.

I put the list in prioritized order of what's most important to me, but you may have different preferences so please rearrange the list to fit your own priorities as you see fit.

Here goes:

1. Secure Payment Page

I'm sure you hear horror stories on the news all the time about people having their financial information stolen when they purchased from not very reputable online stores.

Make sure you only purchase from a store that has a secure checkout. That means the site uses encrypted servers. How do you know if it is an encrypted server or not? You can identify this when you go to the payment page the browser should have an https:// and not just http://

2. Great Value

Of course, you want to get the lowest prices you can get for what you buy. But make sure that you buy quality as well. That means you should look for the best value (the combination of quality and price), not just the best price.

3. Low or Free Shipping Costs

You've probably had the experience of shopping on a website and thinking you found a great deal, then you get to the payment page and get surprised by a large shipping fee. Suddenly, that great deal turns out to be not quite as great as you thought.

Make sure that the bead supply website you're using doesn't use low prices to bring you in and then make up for it by tacking on high shipping charges. Look for sites that offer very low, or even better, Free shipping.

4. Large Selection of Products

When you go grocery shopping, wouldn't you rather get everything at one place rather than having to go to many different places?

In the same way, when you are shopping online it's nice to have a bead supply store that has a very large selection of products so that you can do "one stop shopping" and save a lot of time.

5. Products Always in Stock

It can be very frustrating to find what you think is a good bead supply website, you place an order, use your beads, then go back to the website to order more, and find out that they are out of stock.

If you sell jewelry then a wholesale bead jewelry supplier that doesn't keep a stable level of stock can really put you in a bind. Find a supplier that maintains a high level of stock, particularly for items that you use often.

6. Good Customer Care

Even the best suppliers will occasionally make mistakes and ship you the wrong thing, the wrong quantity, or a product will be damaged.

When this happens, you want a supplier who will quickly resolve the problem for you in the way that you choose to communicate with them.
Email, phone, quick response

7. Shopping Cart that Stores your Information

If you frequent a bead supply website often, you don't want to have to re-enter all your shipping details each time you purchase something at the site.

Advanced shopping carts will store this information for you which makes it much easier, and much quicker to check out once you have all the items you need.

8. Volume Discounts Offered

The more you buy from a retailer, the more discount that store should be willing to offer you on your purchases. Smart retailers know that you will buy more if they offer you a discount for doing so, or give you free shipping or some kind of incentive.

Also, if you are making jewelry to sell to others and buying large amounts of beading supplies, getting discounts on volume purchases means more profit for you when you sell your jewelry.

9. No Minimum Order Required

While it's true that it cost companies money to process orders, it seems to me very self-serving and short-sighted when a company charges a fee if you don't purchase a minimum $ amount when you order. It sure doesn't make you feel like a valued customer.

Fortunately, there are some bead supply sites that don't have any minimum order requirements. That can be a big help during times when you only need a couple of small parts.

10. A Strong Privacy Policy

No one likes spam. Many companies will sell their customer's information to email list marketers, and that's when you will start receiving unsolicited emails for things you don't care about.

Make sure the store has a policy of keeping your information to themselves with a commitment to not give it to any third parties without your express consent.

Are there more things to consider?
Actually, I have an additional 15 or so things that I look for, which I'll offer in another article, but the ones listed above are the big hitters. Use these tips when evaluating bead suppliers and you'll end up dealing with the best.

Eri Attebery operates http://www.JewelryMakingProfessor.com a site
dedicated to offering products that teach how to make jewelry,
and http://www.JewelryMakingInformation.com a site offering jewelry making
tips, video tutorials, product reviews and resources for both
jewelry making beginners and pros.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eri_Attebery http://EzineArticles.com/?Top-Ten-Tips-For-Finding-A-Great-Bead-Jewelry-Supply-Website&id=882335

Where You Can Find Jewelry Making Patterns

Jewelry making is by far one of the most popular and well known hobbies in the world today, and if you are interested in jewelry making then you should know that there are many different things that you are going to have to take into consideration here.

When you want to begin something like jewelry making, one of the first things that you are going to have to get is jewelry making patterns.

With jewelry making patterns you are going to be able to find different types of jewelry that you can make, and because you have actual jewelry making patterns, you will be able to follow the patterns step by step, making the entire process much easier on you.

More About Jewelry Making Patterns

If you are interested in getting jewelry making patterns then you should know that there are many different places that you can go to in order to get them. One of the first places that you should check out is your local arts and crafts store, where you should be able to find a great selection of jewelry patterns.

However there are many other places that you can go to as well, and for instance, you can go on the Internet, and his is a really great idea because the speed and efficiency of the Internet allows you to be able to quickly and easily find exactly what it is that you are looking for.

Your options are really endless here, and so regardless of what type of jewelry making patterns you are interested in, you are surely going to be able to find something that works perfectly.

Browse through as many different jewelry supply stores as you can, so that you can have the most options, and thus end up being the most satisfied in the end. Just make sure that you set out a budget for yourself beforehand so that you can calculate out how many patterns you can purchase and thus you will not end up going overboard and spending more than you should.

Taking your time is incredibly important here, and so you want to make sure that you do this so that you pick out patterns that you are going to be able to complete without trouble and that you are going to have fun while you are making the jewelry as well.

About the Author

Article written by Ann Marier.