Create Your Own Exclusive Jewelry Shopping Events

by Juliet Renee Williams.
(JulRe Designs (TM) Exquisite Wearable Art Jewelry)

The most successful jewelry shopping events I’ve had are held in my design studio or private trunk shows in customers’ homes.

Each of these types of events allow me to provide customers with a personalized shopping experience.

In order to do that, I don’t cast a wide net to compile my guest list. Exclusivity is key.

Some may feel that the more people you invite, the more opportunity for sales. However, I believe that inviting the RIGHT people gives you a better chance of forming lasting relationships which are integral to cultivating the repeat customer.

This method requires identifying and understanding who your true customer is and giving them a memorable occasion based on their desires.

Special Touch:
Give a Complimentary Gift

Make sure every guest who attends your trunk show or studio event, whether they make a purchase or not, receives a complimentary gift.

This not only gives shoppers a way to remember you and your jewelry once they leave, but it also is a great way to encourage customers to attend.

Business cards are fine and they should be available throughout your event space and in each shopping bag but they can get lost or thrown away.

Something a little more meaningful, like a simple, inexpensive pair of earrings you’ve created, goes a long way towards establishing a connection with your customer.

Including Charitable Work
in Your Jewelry Events

Tying your philanthropic efforts into your events is a great way to bring attention to the charity(s) of your choice.

If you design special jewelry to benefit an organization, make sure to display it prominently with any supporting literature or information about the cause and how customers can donate directly.

If possible, invite a representative or spokesperson from the charity to attend your event.

Add Guests to Your Mailing List

Be sure to have a sign-up sheet for your mailing list near the event entrance / exit and your check-out area.

As you are greeting guests, you can ask them if they would like to receive your emails. Offer the benefits of signing up, for instance access to secret sales or special discounts at your next event.

About Juliet Renee Williams:

After running a successful Personal Image Consulting firm, Juliet responded to a cry from her clients who were frustrated with the lack of original jewelry available in stores by learning to design jewelry to fit their personalities.

The response to her custom work was overwhelming and JulRe Designs was born.

Juliet conceptualizes and handcrafts her jewelry in her design studios in Jersey City, NJ and Philadelphia, PA, while showcasing new work exclusively at private trunk shows and shopping soirees in other major US cities and online at Etsy.com.

Her jewelry has been featured on NBC’s “Today Show” and Heart and Soul magazine.

Juliet Williams
JulRe Designs
Juliet’s Style Baubles Blog

Comments:

Creating Exclusive Jewelry Shopping Events
by: Rena

Fantastic ideas, Juliet! Thank you so much for sharing them with us.

I so agree that getting a smaller group of very targeted shoppers can be much more powerful than having a large, general-interest group of folks. Especially when it gives you the opportunity to lavish personalized customer service on them.

Love your suggestion for inviting a spokesperson from the charity to participate in the event – what a great win-win idea.

And I have to say how very much I love the beautiful graphics you put together (like the ones in the photos above), featuring your jewelry. So lovely to look at and such a professional touch!

Thank You!
by: Juliet Renee Williams

Thanks, Rena for featuring my tips on your wonderful site! I appreciate all that you do for jewelry artists.

Thanks!
by: Missy’s Inspirations

I also have shows in my studio several times a year. My studio is a finished basement room with its own entrance from the street. I have had success with that.

Question: do you offer incentives for trunk shows you hold in someone else’s home?

Trunk Show Incentives
by: Juliet Renee Williams

Missy’s Inspirations: Yes, I have an incentive program for my private trunk shows. It has proven to be a fantastic way to generate interest and repeat events.

great idea
by: Pauline

I love this idea. I’d find it hard to get the courage to do this but I can see how excellent it would be. I do love the idea of people coming to see what I make. I myself prefer to see and touch whatever I want to buy.

I have to comment on your photos here. WOW. Just love the sand next to the sand colour beads, and the turquoise with the men in the same colour robes. Bravo!

Well done!
by: Patricia C Vener

Juliet, your posters are stunning – I’m assuming professionally photographed? And your thinking impeccable. I agree completely that focused marketing (as it were) is much more effective than quantity marketing. It’s not jet about the sales but about relationships and connections.

I see and understand this but sadly haven’t been able to make it a reality yet.

I also am curious about your separate etsy shop for bridal pieces. What made you decide to focus on just this one aspect of your whole body of work? My etsy shop (SilverDragon – long story) contains at the moment 81 different works from almost the whole range of price points (ok, my most expensive piece (Lace Me Up at $2,100.00 is not up yet) and media. I have been thinking of listing some of my framed paintings as well.

Hi Patricia!
by: Juliet Renee Williams

Thanks for the compliments!

My reason for multiple Etsy shops? There are a few but mainly because it’s easier to show a distinction in styles and it’s great for SEO.

There are some cons but that’s for another article….

mutiple shops multiple emails?
by: Patricia C Vener

Don’t you have to have a different email and paypal or credit card for each shop?

I’m thinking of letting my shop go completely dormant. I have listed and listed and tried the search ads and it’s done nothing but cost me. No sales at all. I was in a car accident the other day and my beloved 13 year old Saturn was declared a total loss (just because it’s old?!) so I can’t really afford to spend money for no results. Thankfully many years ago I bought a lifetime account with my web host so that’s a cost I don’t have to worry about. I should just concentrate on my website. I’ve been saying this for a long time but felt I had to exhaust the other alternatives first.

Here it is, the season when people buy gifts or things to help them create gifts and despite my high quality of work I can’t get a single sale? If that doesn’t tell me something I am an idiot.

Good luck with the multiple shops!