if you have a jewelry design business, you’re constantly in need of low cost, high yield ways to market yourself as a designer.. Word-of-mouth is the most powerful form of advertising you have available to you and it’s free! How can you make word-of-mouth advertising work for your jewelry business?
First of all, you must have an excellent product at a competitive price. If customers are impressed with the value your jewelry offers, they’ll enthusiastically spread the word to their friends and family, but there are certain things you can do to make it easier for your customers to tell the world about your jewelry designs.
Here are some suggestions to get you started:
1. When you’re selling at jewelry shows, give your customers some extra business cards or flyers to give to their friends and family. People love to share interesting shopping finds with their acquaintances. Plus, people will be sure to ask about the new piece of jewelry they’ve purchased and will want more information.Make it easy to spread the word by giving out extra brochures with every order.
2. Take brochures and business cards with you when you run your daily errands. If someone asks what you do for a living or inquires about one of your jewelry designs, you can reach into your pocketbook and give them a business card. Always carry brochures to restaurants. I leave one on the table with the credit card slip and have had several calls which resulted in orders from this practice alone.
3. Tell everyone you know that you’re a jewelry designer. I read somewhere that every person you meet knows over 200 other people. By telling one person what you do, you’re potentially reaching a much larger audience. Let people know that you’ design an beautiful and unusual line of handmade jewelry that can’t be found anywhere else. Plus, you can do custom jewelry for special occasions. People love the idea of having something customized just for them!
4. If you get feedback from a satisfied customer, ask if you can use their comments as a testimonial in your next brochure. Jot down their comments as well as their name and address. Before publishing their comments be sure to ask for their written permission by mail.
5. Offer your customer a future discount for each person they refer to you who purchases one of your jewelry designs. When your customer’s name is mentioned as a referral source, keep track of it in a notebook so you’ll remember to give that customer a discount on their next purchase.
6. When a customer buys a piece of handmade jewelry from you, give them a coupon for a discount on their next purchase. At the same time, give them several extra coupons to give to friends and family. People love saving money especially on beautiful jewelry!
7. Always overdeliever! Great customer service goes a long way in this day and age where it seems to be a lost art. Adding a little something extra to help your customer remember you is an excellent jewelry marketing technique. One idea that works is to add a few pieces of inexpensive candy to your customer’s bag when she checks out. Place the candy in a small resealable plastic bag along with a business card. This small gesture is a great sales booster!
As you can see, there are lots of ways you can market your jewelry business via word of mouth without spending money! Give these ideas a try and see what they can do for your jewelry sales.
