If you are approaching the jewelry business as a complement to your daily job, it is a great opportunity to sell your pieces at the office, maybe even ask your spouse, friends and family to offer it at their workplaces.

And to help you get started with the right foot, here are five valuable tips for selling jewelry successfully at work:

1.    Before you start offering your jewelry to your colleagues, talk to your boss about it and get the OK.  Some companies may not be as flexible as others, so you have to ensure they approve of your idea to offer your pieces there, only during lunchtime, coffee breaks, or after work.  You have to also clarify that the company will not be responsible for any loss or damage to your product.

2.    If selling jewelry at the office is not an option because of the company’s policy, you can find other ways to show your pieces to your colleagues.  You can wear your jewelry during the week and when people comment, you tell them that you sell it and offer them a business card.  Tell them that they can host a jewelry party at home, and that you can take their custom orders (talk to your jewelry wholesaler to confirm how custom orders work).

3.    If you get your boss’ OK, plan a trunk show during lunchtime or a coffee break on payday.  You can also take advantage of a special date like Christmas, Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day, to ensure you do really well.  Be it at a conference room, the cafeteria, patio, or even your car’s trunk, your show will have to be set up fast, thus, use rolls, trays and other practical containers.

4.    Allow your friends and family to offer your jewelry at their workplaces.  Ask them to tell their colleagues that they will be bringing some pieces to show around, so that everyone is expecting them.  Your friends and family can choose several pieces with specific people in mind, and make sure you provide gift boxes so that they can pack the pieces nicely and fast.  Of course, thank them by gifting them with a piece of jewelry after they sell your pieces.

5.    Always be out on the look at what others are wearing so that you identify what type of jewelry your colleagues like.

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Excellent customer service, in any area, can be translated as giving the kind of service you would like to receive.  We all desire to be valued, listened to, and respected.  It makes you feel important when you give feedback that is not only heard, but sincerely appreciated too.

Once you turn to the other side of the business, and instead of the buyer, you become the seller, you must begin thinking about the best ways to provide service so that one sale turns into many repeated ones.  The best way to do this is to imagine you are the customer, and in this state, think about what you would like to receive.

In order to help you get started, here are some ideas that will put you on the right track to offering excellent customer service:

1.    Present your product accurately. You wouldn’t like to be deceived, right?  Neither do others.  Show your product in a clear way, without props that could divert attention from your pieces, use different angles if possible, and be exact about dimensions.  If there are inconsistencies in the stones, silver, or any other material used, note them from the beginning, because the customer will surely see them at some point.  Contact your jewelry wholesaler immediately if you need to exchange a piece.

2.    Have a clear sales policy. If you were the customer, you would like to know shipping time and policies for returns and exchanges.  Clarify every detail of the transaction; no matter how small, everything is worth saying.

3.    Be and act professionally. Write e-mails and letters in a formal tone, not as if your customer is your best friend.  Always be courteous and natural, but keep your distance to be perceived as a professional.  If possible, sign every communication by hand so that it looks personal, to show that you took the time to answer them with care.

4.    Act fast. You must reply to e-mails, letters or phone calls in a timely manner.  Make everyone understand that they count and are important.  Do not delay more than 24 hours to respond to a client.

5.    Become efficient. Design a fast process that allows you to present your product to the client in less time than expected, because, once a client pays, he/she expects the product immediately.  Have all your packing supplies ready in one place so that you do not have to hunt for them, and follow a simple, yet rigorous process to ensure the jewelry is securely and beautifully packed.

6.    Show appreciation. Make sure you show your clients how much you care for them and how much you appreciate their purchases.  Thank them in every e-mail, letter or phone call, double check your products to ensure their quality, pack everything with care and love, send a nice thank you note to extend your gratitude for their support.  Treat your customers with care and they will stick with you till the end.

7.    Follow up. It may not happen all the time, but from time to time, something can go wrong.  During these times, remember what customer service is all about, respect the client and find a positive solution that benefits everyone involved.  Thank your client for the feedback, and if the problem was your responsibility, offer them a discount for the next purchase and apologize sincerely.

Good customer service doesn’t have to be such hard work, if you believe in your product and wish for others to enjoy it, just think of what would make you happy and get going!

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We all understand the incredible power behind advertising to get customers to buy what we are offering them.  We know it is one of the best ways to create confidence and urge them to buy, and we also know it is one of the most expensive marketing activities.

Getting the word out about your jewelry is only the beginning.  You must fully engage into marketing and public relations if you really want to get as many customers as possible to buy your jewelry pieces.

Luckily, there are effective ways to advertise your product without spending any money, and imagination has a lot to do with it.

1.    Appear in feature articles.  Feature articles are a great way to promote your jewelry online.  Look for writers or websites that specialize in writing about jewelry and ask them to write a piece about your product in their blog or newsletter.  Writers are always in search for good material, and they will be happy to feature your jewelry if it presents an interesting piece.

2.    Ask your jewelry wholesaler for advertising materials. Professional jewelry wholesalers will be very interested in knowing how their product is being advertised, and they will be very glad to provide interesting materials to support your efforts in different ways.

3.    Answer writers’ questions. Article writers will send you a list of questions that are based on what they believe will interest the readers.  By answering these questions effectively, you can enhance the way you promote your jewelry through them.  Follow these tips when answering:

-    Open up and tell your story.  Make it brief, but accurate.  Show your passion for your business; make it interesting so that it can trigger an emotional response.  When you are able to tell your story in a way that impacts the reader, you will surely get a positive reaction.
-    Show your potential customers why they need your product, why yours stands out from the rest.  Present the added value and advantages of your jewelry.
-    Look for websites that rate and review products.  They will ask you for a sample to inspect the quality, materials and craftsmanship; please, send it to them.  This will show you are confident in the quality of what you are offering, even better, send them your star product, and let them confirm your worth for themselves.  Remember that website visitors prefer to read customer reviews instead of the designer’s description, they want to know how others feel about the product after purchasing it.

In times when money is tight, there is always imagination!  Unleash it, and create new ways of getting to your potential customers to present your jewelry in new and enriching ways.

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One of the key elements of a successful jewelry business is to be able to sell the pieces everywhere, no matter the distance.  In this way, you can grab a huge market, not just the people living around your town.  This will surely make you and your jewelry wholesaler very happy!

To be able to conduct long distance sales, you must ensure your mailing system is safe, easy, inexpensive, and efficient.  Luckily, this is possible, as jewelry is a lightweight product that can be packed easily and mailed with minimal postage.

-    First-class mail will cost you less than $1, and you can safely pack the piece inside a zip lock jewelry bag and put it into a cardboard gift box.  Then, put the gift box, packing slip, and a business card, in a small bubble mailer.  All these provide great protection for the jewelry.  You can order bubble mailers, tape, and other supplies, through the Internet and save a lot of money.

-    Priority mail is another good way to send jewelry.  It takes around two or three days for a person to receive the order through this method, and it is fairly inexpensive.  You will get free priority mail boxes from the post office, and in different sizes, which is very convenient.  You can fill the boxes with crumpled paper, recycled packaging peanuts or bubble wrap.

-    In regards to the postage, you can use USPS.com or Stamps.com to buy and print your own at home without having to go to the post office and wait in line.  You can mail the package from home, insure it and have a delivery confirmation included.

-    Do not write any jewelry related word on your return address if you do not want the package to be stolen; stick to your first and last name.  The same goes for packages that are sent to you.  Never specify that your business is selling jewelry.

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