Great Expectations

You've got your first craft fair stall and you're ready to sell your designs. You have visions of selling everything you've made and hauled to the fair, and you see the money mounting up in your bank account.

Have you remembered to:
1) bring your tool kit just in case you have to make adjustments or repairs to your pieces,

2) wear comfortable shoes and layers of clothing you can take off if the venue is too hot,

3) pack your business cards and a way to display them,

4) have plenty of change on hand. You don't want to miss a sale because you can't give correct change.

I have done several fairs and fund raisers since I started making my own jewelry last year, and I have nearly broken even on my costs. My customers have been family, friends, and neighbors who have attended the fairs. No one who I didn't know bought a thing.

I was disappointed, and I wondered if my jewelry just wasn't good enough. Were my prices too high? Did I not use supplies that were suitable? All this wondering made my head spin.

Yes, my jewelry was good enough and my prices fair. So, what was the problem? The problem was that I didn't understand that people are uneasy about buying from someone they don't know. They have no problem buying jewelry from a shop that has been in business for five years. The people who attended the fairs didn't know me at all. They bought from the people they knew, not me.

How do you get past that hurdle? Keep at it. Tell everyone you know about upcoming fairs. If your town or village has a notice board or newsletter, put a blurb in saying where you'll be showing your jewelry and when. And don't forget about networking. Get to know other artisans. They can be very helpful in steering you in the right direction (places to avoid and places to go) and you can swap stories with them. Leave your business card everywhere - laundromats, grocery store bulletin boards, etc. Let the world know who you are and what you're doing.

Hang in there and don't give up. Once you're known, they'll beat a path to your door and you'll be able to do what you love to do.

Word of Mouth

"They" say that word of mouth advertising is the best advertising going, and I have to agree because it's free and effective. At this stage of the game (two months into making jewelry) it's my mouth that's doing the advertising.

I went into the local pet food store today and chatted to the clerk while she tallied my purchases. She asked if I had anything interesting on today and I simply said I was going home to feed my cats and then I'd make some jewelry. She asked me for my card but I haven't gotten them made yet. I gave her my name and number on a piece of paper instead. She phoned me about a half hour after I got home and asked if she could see some of my necklaces. I gathered about ten different ones and shoved them into my bag and out I went. Linda, the clerk's name, bought two straight away, and she asked if I could make another two necklaces for her - one in purple and one in pink. Well of course I could!

While Linda was looking at the necklaces I brought to show her, she said that she loves to buy from individual craftspeople instead of shops because she believes that the quality is better and that she knows she won't see a lot of people wearing the same thing.

I think that's the biggest selling point for crafters who make jewelry - most pieces are one of a kind and folks like to think that something was made just for them. And that is priceless. If you are a good craftsperson, you're reputation will hold you in good stead and your customers will be the ones spreading the word about you and your work.

Until you build up a customer base or start selling to stores on consignment, you'll have to be the one to spread the word about your jewelry-making business. And there's no reason to be shy about it. You don't have to go accosting passersby but once someone gives you an opening, there's no reason why you shouldn't take the opportunity to tell people about your jewelry. You never know. Linda from the pet store will probably tell her friends who will tell their friends and on and on it will go. The same could happen to you. Chat up your hairdresser or the lady at the coffee shop who always serves you and get that word of mouth going in your favor.

Welcome to Bonnie Baubles

Welcome to the blog for Bonnie Baubles, my new online jewelry store. The web site is in the process of being built, so check back later for the announcement that the site is live.

This blog is not going to be like other blogs attached to a site that sells jewelry. I am going to include stories of my progress as a jewelry maker, designer, and seller as well as personal stories about my four fabulous cats - Queen Bea, Molly, Lloyd, and Jack. They all sit around me when I am creating pieces of jewelry and sometimes they are helpful, but most times they are not.

If you have cats and love them as much as I do, you'll enjoy this blog. If you are new to making jewelry, you'll also find something interesting to read here because I am going to make entries about what works for me which I hope will prove useful to you and may even inspire you to give jewelry-making a go.

Jewelry-making is not rocket science. It's relatively easy to do and it gives you a great deal of satisfaction when you put on your finished creations. Making your own jewelry can save you a lot of money, and best of all, you can create exactly what you want with your preferred colors, lengths, and styles.

Making jewelry does require patience because it can be frustrating until you learn the various techniques. There is a learning curve but with practice and patience it becomes second nature - like anything else. There are many videos on the web showing how to make jewelry, and most beading supply houses have their own video "how-to's" on their web sites. Many sites also give detailed instructions on how to assemble featured pieces.

I will include a list of links to videos, suppliers, and other important information you'll need in order to create beautiful jewelry. If you are serious about jewelry-making, I will also include a list of other designers so you can get a feel for what is out there now. Who knows? Maybe you'll be inspired to create a piece of your own.

There are many supply houses that give instruction on jewelry-making and your local bead shop will probably have classes, so check with them.