Promotion time vs. production
A quick hello to all! My thoughts today are kinda jumbled. The main thing I do want to talk about is how much time I spend promoting my jewelry business than I actually make jewelry! I just can't believe the amount of time I spend on this computer, writing blogs, reading blogs, joining groups, etc. A great book I've read that I highly recommend to anyone in the jewelry/arts and crafts field is: "Marketing and selling your handmade jewelry", by Viki Lareau. Great book! I think she states that you will spend 3 times the amount of time promoting your business, than you actually make jewelry. Well, I have to agree with that! My current schedule allows me to work on my business, usually 4 days a week. Not to mention the daily checking of emails and my Etsy store for sales. And usually my first day I spend talking with others on-line, updating blogs, and the like, sorting through new supplies that may have come in the mail, pricing everything, logging everything (for inventory and tax purposes). So let's see here, I wear many hats! I'm a jewelry designer, promoter, writer, accountant, buyer, photographer----have I missed any? and I mean just for THIS business, not to forget about my day job, home life, husband, exercise, yoga, friends.....o.k., this is making me tired!
I'm still reading "Social Networking: Sell your Jewelry online the new way" by Rena Klingenberg. Another great book by someone who knows the business. You can access her sites at: http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com or http://www.jewelry-business-blog.com
As you can see from the side bar here I've joined a number of interesting groups. I now have updated my gallery page at:http://www.jewelryartists.org/devinedesigns/
also started a Flickr site which includes my sold items and past designs: http://www.flickr.com/photos/devinedesignsjewelry/
Oh and now I'm a member of FEST: Florida Etsy Street Team! Note to self: have to remember to upload some image at sidebar! This has been keeping me busy now that I'm getting about 50 more emails per day! (Not complaining) And I always enjoy looking at new shops on Etsy and ones that I follow on a regular basis. I've just found a great site/designer of polymer clay beads! I have to thank Kristen of MJM Jewelry Designs for this. She had made some beautiful pieces for a friend and posted them on her blog. I just fell in love with how pretty, how unique the polymer clay beads were in her pieces, so (of course) I had to go investigate this bead artists shop/sites myself. More on that will follow. If you want to check out Kristen's beautiful jewelry, you can go to: http://mjmjewelrydesigns.etsy.com.
Next item up: Check out my new tumbler!
It's a Lortone single barrel with a 3 pound capacity. I'm going to use it to polish up oxidized copper and sterling silver jewelry that I'll be making in the near future. The tumbler also hardens wire, making the piece more durable. But you can also hammer wire with a rubber mallet or pull it through a nylon jaw pliers for the same effect. Both of which I've been doing before the tumbler. Thank you to Rebecca of Adobe Sol Designs for helping me out and giving me tips on tumbling! You can check out her great work at: http://www.adobesol.com or http://www.adobesoldesigns.etsy.com.
ALSO: Every Saturday night I've been participating in Etsy's official Saturday Night Specials (SNS), so you might want to stop by my Etsy shop and check out what's on sale tonight. I change it around every Saturday, so the sales/offers are never the same. I'm doing something different and fun tonight. I've got 3 SECRET SALES going on in my shop. You have to search to find them. I played this game myself a couple of times and got great deals on items, free stuff, etc. I found a great shop for soaps and lotions, ie: my new addiction, http://magichands.etsy.com. Great smelling soaps, sea salt bars, bath bombs, etc. Oh, and I just noticed she's having a SNS sale AGAIN tonight. I might be in trouble. Going there now to search for SECRET SALES! Maybe I'll get around to making some jewelry this weekend, or just taking a nice long bath! Enjoy!
I'm still reading "Social Networking: Sell your Jewelry online the new way" by Rena Klingenberg. Another great book by someone who knows the business. You can access her sites at: http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com or http://www.jewelry-business-blog.com
As you can see from the side bar here I've joined a number of interesting groups. I now have updated my gallery page at:http://www.jewelryartists.org/devinedesigns/
also started a Flickr site which includes my sold items and past designs: http://www.flickr.com/photos/devinedesignsjewelry/
Oh and now I'm a member of FEST: Florida Etsy Street Team! Note to self: have to remember to upload some image at sidebar! This has been keeping me busy now that I'm getting about 50 more emails per day! (Not complaining) And I always enjoy looking at new shops on Etsy and ones that I follow on a regular basis. I've just found a great site/designer of polymer clay beads! I have to thank Kristen of MJM Jewelry Designs for this. She had made some beautiful pieces for a friend and posted them on her blog. I just fell in love with how pretty, how unique the polymer clay beads were in her pieces, so (of course) I had to go investigate this bead artists shop/sites myself. More on that will follow. If you want to check out Kristen's beautiful jewelry, you can go to: http://mjmjewelrydesigns.etsy.com.
Next item up: Check out my new tumbler!
It's a Lortone single barrel with a 3 pound capacity. I'm going to use it to polish up oxidized copper and sterling silver jewelry that I'll be making in the near future. The tumbler also hardens wire, making the piece more durable. But you can also hammer wire with a rubber mallet or pull it through a nylon jaw pliers for the same effect. Both of which I've been doing before the tumbler. Thank you to Rebecca of Adobe Sol Designs for helping me out and giving me tips on tumbling! You can check out her great work at: http://www.adobesol.com or http://www.adobesoldesigns.etsy.com.
ALSO: Every Saturday night I've been participating in Etsy's official Saturday Night Specials (SNS), so you might want to stop by my Etsy shop and check out what's on sale tonight. I change it around every Saturday, so the sales/offers are never the same. I'm doing something different and fun tonight. I've got 3 SECRET SALES going on in my shop. You have to search to find them. I played this game myself a couple of times and got great deals on items, free stuff, etc. I found a great shop for soaps and lotions, ie: my new addiction, http://magichands.etsy.com. Great smelling soaps, sea salt bars, bath bombs, etc. Oh, and I just noticed she's having a SNS sale AGAIN tonight. I might be in trouble. Going there now to search for SECRET SALES! Maybe I'll get around to making some jewelry this weekend, or just taking a nice long bath! Enjoy!
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