Comments on: Handmade: How Do I Make That Clear To Customers? https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/ free jewelry tutorials, plus a friendly community sharing creative ideas for making and selling jewelry. Tue, 19 Dec 2017 21:10:46 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.7.15 By: Ann Letelier https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/#comment-510687 Wed, 15 Feb 2017 14:15:53 +0000 http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/?p=15545#comment-510687 ]]> thank you so much for all these good ideas !! ♥

]]> By: Duane Aldrich https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/#comment-510437 Tue, 14 Feb 2017 13:53:46 +0000 http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/?p=15545#comment-510437 Great ideas! I think I’ll be making a slideshow to run on the tablet that will show the processes.

I still take the “you make all this?!?” comments as a compliment. I have been to crafts shows where only hand made items are allowed and still had people not realize you make it all by hand.

]]> By: Becky https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/#comment-412742 Wed, 14 Oct 2015 14:40:21 +0000 http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/?p=15545#comment-412742 I have a ribbon washing line on my stall with past commissions and making of photos. It has been very popular and a great conversation starter.

]]> By: Vicky https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/#comment-151875 Sat, 09 Aug 2014 19:08:35 +0000 http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/?p=15545#comment-151875 Photo of the artist at work is perfect. I’m gonna get a friend to take some and get a poster size one of these from one of those online print places. Genius. THANK YOU. I will hang it behind me at my booth.

]]> By: Susan https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/#comment-16325 Mon, 22 Apr 2013 02:30:44 +0000 http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/?p=15545#comment-16325 At shows, once I am totally set up, I usually pull out my tools and some “work in process” and yes, I get “did you make all this?” There are lots of folks selling mass produced jewelry, so my things normally stand out and get a lot of attention. I use mostly gemstones and have a little sign that identifies the gemstones I use and gives a little interesting info on each one.

]]> By: Natascha https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/#comment-5559 Mon, 24 Sep 2012 17:20:57 +0000 http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/?p=15545#comment-5559 Thank you so much on all of your ideas and nice words about my jewelry. I will definately try getting some photos of me on the workbench and will also try to get some “handmade” signs on. But I am glad that I am not the only one with that “problem” 🙂

]]> By: Lisa W. https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/#comment-5499 Sat, 22 Sep 2012 06:09:03 +0000 http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/?p=15545#comment-5499 I agree with all of the photo and video ideas. Make them as prominent as you can, a picture is worth a thousand words! All the signs in the world can’t substitute for people seeing you at work. If you can create a grouping of 4-6 photos that shows the work from beginning to end (maybe a photo of the raw components, a couple of you working with them, and then one of you with the final piece, or a customer wearing it, etc. ), you could create a beautiful large-scale photo montage that you could have printed on vinyl as a booth banner. Maybe even add text saying “Buy direct from the artist!”, highlighting the ‘artist-made’ aspects that make your work so unique in that market. If you add a photo frame or ipad with your video, or with a large number of still shots in a slideshow loop, you have a great conversation starter for bringing in customers.

Even better, if you can bring a booth helper so that you can set up a small workbench and demonstrate a simple piece at some intervals, you will pull in interested customers with “edu-tainment”. Another trick – a small work table with a few appropriate tools and works-in-progress sitting at the side of your booth suggests that you make this all yourself, even if you don’t do a stitch of work at the show. I have heard of unscrupulous resellers using that trick to suggest they made their pieces when they didn’t, but since you do, you should shout it loud any way you can! Beautiful work, and best of luck!

]]> By: Glenda https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/#comment-5406 Wed, 19 Sep 2012 15:21:14 +0000 http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/?p=15545#comment-5406 Similar to Jeanine, I have made a tag that I plan to attach to my pieces that says something like this: this is a handmade piece of jewelry designed with comfort and durability in mind…. Then I list my warranty policy on it (repairs for breakage time and condition. For example, if it breaks in 1 month because a pet or child played with it, it says that is not covered, etc. I laminated several of these tags and punched holes to attach them.

]]> By: Pam https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/#comment-5390 Wed, 19 Sep 2012 02:15:43 +0000 http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/?p=15545#comment-5390 I love the idea that others have shared about photos! Thinking a framed 4×6 photo right on the table, of artist working at the workbench, amid the usual mess – could be a great conversation starter!

]]> By: Kathie L https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/#comment-5382 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 21:09:45 +0000 http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/?p=15545#comment-5382 Beautiful work! Awesomely unique! You have a beautiful gift! Expanding on the very cool ideas presented – It would be really neat to use a light weight easel to put behind your booth with a large picture of you crafting, with the caption Hand-crafted/Made by Hand/Uniquely Hand Made….. I wish you extreme success! Thank you for sharing your amazing work! I’ll look forward to seeing your success in JMJ…..

]]> By: Denise https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/#comment-5370 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 16:52:50 +0000 http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/?p=15545#comment-5370 What beautiful pieces! And how unique. I also think the pictures of you making the jewelry is a good idea, and I would suggest putting them in one of those digital frames. Takes up little space and will transitions the pictures so that the movement will catch attention. And you can even include pictures of people wearing your jewelry to demonstrate how it looks on. Good Luck!

]]> By: Jeanine https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/#comment-5348 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:09:10 +0000 http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/?p=15545#comment-5348 All of my jewelry tags are marked “handcrafted”. I like the idea of showing a video, and if I ever do a craft show, will definitely try that.

]]> By: Linda Sinish https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/#comment-5328 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 14:34:44 +0000 http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/?p=15545#comment-5328 I have 3 methods to let my customers know that I have made the jewelry myself.

1st – It’s a great opening conversation starter to let the protential customer know what they are looking at…’I make all of my jewelry by hand from yards and yards of plain wire.’ If they look interested, I say ‘I form the wire with hand tools and then hammer it and then patina each piece.” This helps them to understand they are buying something special – and they want special!

2nd – My sign says ‘Hand crafted wire and metal jewelry by Linda Sinish’ But, I am always amazed at the people who ask – ‘Did you make this yourself?’ (Duh!) That’s my opening to go to step 1.

3rd – I have examples with signs. A large coil of bare wire that says ‘BEFORE’ and then a piece of jewelry made from the same wire, that says ‘AFTER’. Yet, again, I get ‘Did you make this yourself?’ So, again I revert back to step 1.

Good luck and make your business fun by enjoying your customers!

]]> By: Karen Simmons-Milligan https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/#comment-5320 Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:56:48 +0000 http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/?p=15545#comment-5320 Natasha, I work in precious metal clay and find if I have my video running with the whole process beginning to end it immediately lets potential customers see the uniqueness of metal clay work. (Also, I have watched and most men will pause to watch a video even if the wife was going to walk by so that gets me a customer I might not have had)

I try to always display a project in various stages from beginning to completion. It is a great conversation starter when someone stops to look at that unfinished piece and wonders “What is that doing here?!?”

Maybe showing some of your work from the sketch to the components and then the finished product would be a quick visual tutorial of how your jewelry is handmade. A potential customer would easily see the process and know it is something special.
Kind Regards, Karen

]]> By: Mimi https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/#comment-5087 Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:03:53 +0000 http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/?p=15545#comment-5087 Hi Natasha – I love your work! My thought is along the same lines as Joseph’s but to have someone do large black/white and color photography of you in the process of making some pieces. My idea is to have some pics of your hands w/tools in close-ups as well as pics that show you in them as well. It would be doubly nice to have a pic displayed by a particular piece of jewelry you have on display and/or with the person who bought it actually wearing it.
Good luck!

]]> By: Joseph Cozad https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/#comment-5080 Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:09:10 +0000 http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/?p=15545#comment-5080 A friend of mine who does lots of shows commented to me that she tells people that her jewelry is handmade (she does metalsmithing) and sometimes tells them the process she goes through but still doesn’t feel like she gets across to them the work involved. I suggested to her that she have someone video record her making pieces and perhaps she could even narrate some of what she is doing then have that on display in her booth as well as on her website. Perhaps this idea might work for you too.

]]> By: Christa https://jewelrymakingjournal.com/handmade-how-do-i-make-that-clear-to-customers/#comment-5043 Sun, 09 Sep 2012 15:43:27 +0000 http://jewelrymakingjournal.com/?p=15545#comment-5043 Hi Natasha,
put a big sign in your booth saying: “Unique handcrafted jewellery by Natasha” and put it in a prominent spot.

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