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Have an Earring Lunch – plus Four More Jewelry Business Ideas

by Lori Anderson.

Have an “Earring Lunch”

Usually I sell at juried craft shows and online, but I’ve gotten creative in the recent past. One of my favorite tips is to have an “Earring Lunch”.

This worked out wonderfully with doctors’ offices in the area.

I sent out an oversized postcard, color front and back, showcasing my earrings, and the call to action was to give me a call to request a lunch time jewelry show.

I would show up with several baskets of earrings, set the baskets out on the lunch tables, and let the ladies go wild.

The earrings are displayed on pretty paper, complete with a price and what materials they’re made of, but then slipped inside plastic sleeves so nothing will damage the jewelry.

I use the paper displays at my shows, so keeping them clean of mustard or grease spots is important.

Why don’t I set up the earrings on a rotating display or some other creative, traditional display? Speed.

These ladies have only a short amount of time to eat and shop and get back to taking care of patients, so about three baskets spreads things out nicely and I’ve found that people LOVE to rummage through things – plus it takes the stress off and no one ends up feelings like they’re being forced to buy.

Use MOO and Business Cards Creatively

I’ve gotten creative with MOO cards and business cards, tying little buttons or beads to the them to make them stand out.

Have Memorable Packaging

I make sure to have great packaging – I don’t know HOW many times my purple bags and pink boxes have gotten just as many comments as the jewelry!

I believe that you should have pride in jewelry from beginning to end, and that end is handing it over to their new owner.

Use Scratch-off Discounts

I use scratch-off stickers, like the ones used on lottery tickets, on the postcards I mail out. Scratch it off, and you get a code for a certain percentage off my web site.

It works particularly well when you give the lottery card out at the end of a show sale and the discount is for a future web site sale.

Surprise People with a Gift

Lastly, I believe in Karma Gifts. Sometimes a customer buys a bracelet and there’s a pair of earrings that goes with it.

I don’t know what it is about that person, but something about them makes me think, “give them the earrings for free.”

And I can’t tell you what that good feeling can do – it can carry you through a rough show a lot better than chocolate can!

Lori Anderson
Lori Anderson Designs
Pretty Things Blog

Comments for
Have an Earring Lunch – plus Four More Jewelry Business Ideas

Great Idea
by: Regina

I work downtown, among CPAs, Attorneys, Legal Assistants, Secretaries, etc. and this is a wonderful idea. Thanks Lori.

Great Idea!
by: Kim

I really like your creative marketing idea, and I think the colorful packaging makes the jewelry more special. Thank you for taking the time to share it with us!

Earring Lunch
by: Dita

Hi Lori,

What a great idea. I’ll try it. Also, your packaging tips are so neat. How do you do this scratch thing? I have seen it of course, but I don’t know how to do it on my post cards.

You know I am a great fan of your blog and visit there often. I’ll have to get this scratching tip from you though.

And thank you Rena for publishing this great article in your site.

Dita
http://www.alankarshilpa.etsy.com
http://www.alankarshilpa.blogspot.com

Have An Earring Lunch
by: Alice

What a great idea! You’ve inspired me to thing differently on my marketing strategies.

Love the Hot Rod Earrings!

Great Idea!
by: Linda Landig

Hey Lori!
This is a great idea. Did you just send out those postcards “cold”, without knowing anyone at the doctor’s offices? If so, I’m impressed that you got such a good response. I never would have thought to make a cold call like that. Makes me think that maybe I should! Thanks for sharing!

Thank You Lori…
by: Saucy Chick Sherry

Once again Lori you have been so generous to share your business savy and jewelry success tips. This is a brilliant idea and your keeping it simple and quick and low pressure is the equation. Your jewelry and your packing is so beautiful. Thank you so much for generously sharing.

Wow
by: Rose

Thank you for sharing this idea! This is why I love jewelry people, they are so open and sharing that its amazing to me. I work in a rather competitive profession where trade secrets are guarded jealously, and jewelry is soooo different; thanks again!
Rose Young

Thank you!
by: Lori Anderson

Thank you all for your sweet comments!

The scratch offs can be found here:

http://www.myscratchofflabels.com/round-scratch-off-labels.html

And you just write or print your discount code on a spot on your card where the label will cover it (if you print it, you may have to experiment a bit to get the spacing correct). I have several discount codes for various levels so there is an excitement-factor during the scratch-off.

Yes, I did send cold-call letters to the doctor’s offices, addressed to the office manager, who, like the stereotype or not, is likely to be a woman. Never ever show up at the door with your wares expecting a warm welcome! I include a flyer with high-quality photos of earring examples and price ranges.

Feel free to email me directly at lori at lorianderson dot net!

Question re MOO
by: Kathleen

Fabulous idea – I love it!
Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is a “MOO Card”

lori@lorianderson.net
by: Lori Anderson

www.moo.com — the little cards with the jewelry photos in the left purple tin in the photo. They’re awesome!

Earring Lunches
by: Peggy

What a great idea about the earring lunch. Can you explain how it works though?

I know you have three baskets of earrings in the lunch room for the ladies to sort through, but are you there at noon too to take the orders, collect the money? Or do you just pick up the money and earrings not sold later on in the day?

Thanks.

Peggy

.
by: Lori Anderson

Hi Peggy! I stayed during the lunch and wrote up invoices, made change, and ran credit cards as sales were made.

brilliant.
by: Pauline

Absolutely brilliant idea! I’m finished with market stalls and I’m looking for future ideas.

Brilliant Idea!
by: Lynn Douglass

I love this idea! I’m going to see how I can incorporate this into my own plans.

Lunchtime sales
by: Jane

Another question…Do the offices where you sell ever expect some share of your profits, or do you offer?
Not that your jewelry wouldn’t speak for itself, but how do you word your flier to get office managers interested in hosting you? Thanks!

Flyer
by: Lori Anderson

Hi! No, they don’t require a percentage but it’s something I’ve done with fund-raisers in the past. It could be a selling point for you.

The flier is worded as succinctly as possible — too many words, and no one is going to read.

*********************
Not enough time to shop?
Have an earring lunch!

I’ll bring in earrings,
priced from $10 to $45,
and during lunch hour
have fun playing dress-up
and shopping!

Cash, check, and major credit cards accepted.
******************************

Then photos. Photos speak more than words. Include your contact information. And it’s never a bad idea to show up with a plate of cookies!

Love this creative marketing idea!
by: Julie Brown

A wonderful “think outside the box” idea. I’m curious to know how many earrings you would take? I would love to try this, but I am not sure I could keep enough earrings in stock to make it work.

Awesome Idea!
by: Cory

I love this idea!

I was thinking last year that I would love to get into some big companies and bring jewelry for them to look at and buy but I didn’t think about a postcard…love it, now I need to get the courage to do it!!!

Thanks for sharing so much info, very much appreciated.