Sell More Jewelry at Home Shows
© by Joanne Stow Boyington; all rights reserved
Being a jewelry artisan allows for very special home shows, as each piece I make is an original, and will not be copied without the original purchaser’s permission!
This works very well with my local customers, as well as on my website. Customers LOVE to receive a note from me, requesting their permission for me to copy a design I sold them – and they never say “No”!
My special idea to share is for your home shows.
Simple "incentive earrings" from Joanne Stow Boyington's home shows.
I am fortunate enough to have a 20-year stash of beads on hand – but this idea can just as easily be done with a local bead store purchase of a few strands of mixed beads, if needed.
At the beginning of each home show, I first briefly speak a little about some gemstone or jewelry process, and about my percentage awards and hostess gifts offered to every hostess, at that time.
I always give my hostesses a choice of jewelry pieces for their hostess gift, which gets them already in a shopping mode!
I also mention that in order for the current hostess to receive a percentage in jewelry, over and above the hostess gift, someone needs to book a show from her. I make sure to put that thought into everyone’s mind from the start of the show.
We then get right into shopping!
Now here’s my tip for what I’ve added to my home shows, that works really well for getting customers there, and motivates them to purchase my jewelry:
I teach them how to make their own earrings, for free – if they purchase jewelry at the home show!
I begin the earring making only after all the jewelry orders from the show are completed – I do mostly “cash and carry” sales.
I have beads already in pairs in plastic boxes, ready for the customers to choose from. I give them each 2 headpins and 2 ear wires to begin with, so they know the limit is one pair of earrings per customer.
Small, simple, "make your own" earrings are perfect for a home show incentive gift.
More than one free pair of earrings per customer raises your show costs too much, and I simply tell them that additional pairs would take too much additional time at the hostess’ home.
After handing out the earring components, I go around with nippers and a plastic bag, and cut their headpin wires above their chosen beads, and then pass out all the round nose pliers I have.
I demonstrate for each customer how to turn the headpin loop and connect it to the ear wire. More often than not, they ask me to just do the other one, too.
This is a quick process, and takes less time than playing a party game where there is only one winner.
If you figure the cost of 2 headpins, 2 ear wires and 2 to 4 beads per customer, you will see that the cost of this incentive is minimal.
And it really boosts your sales – because everyone who buys something at the home show also wins something!
Author Joanne Stow Boyington of Jewelry by Joanne at Artfire offers original designs by an artisan with 20 years in the business. Her work is available online at Jewelry by Joanne on Artfire, and in person at craft and agricultural fairs and local home shows, in mid and southern Maine, USA.
Joanne welcomes custom work at no extra charge. She adds, “Complimentary earrings come with most of my jewelry pieces!”
