Jewelry Business: Free Way to Market Handmade Jewelry
If you’re a handmade jewelry designer who’s serious about marketing your jewelry, you’ve probably wracked your brain to come up with clever marketing techniques to get more business. Well, I’m here to tell you, simpler is sometimes better! Have you ever stopped to consider how powerful the two little words, “thank you” can be to your customers? So few salespeople know how to express true appreciation these days, that you can stand out just by saying those two little words.
Customers want to know that their purchase was appreciated. Are you saying those two magic words when your customer buys a piece of jewelry from you?
Let’s take it one step further and use that magical phrase to do a little branding.
Let’s say your jewelry line is called, “Rare Earth Creations”. You might say to your customer as you hand her bag with her jewelry:
“Thank you for purchasing a Rare Earth Creation. You’re going to get many years of enjoyment from this beautiful piece. Your purchase is very much appreciated”
What has this accomplished?
You’ve:
1. Shown your customer that you truly appreciate her business. This means alot to people
2. Reinforced the name of your business by repeating it to your customer. (You’d be surprised at how many people won’t remember the name of
your business unless you repeat it to them.)
3. Let the customer know that she’s purchased a high quality piece that will LAST.
Do you think she’lll become a repeat customer? Absolutely!
This type of customer service doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s what is missing at most of your larger department stores and chains. It’s important that you say your thank you with a smile on your face in an unhurried, sincere manner. A perfunctory thank you voiced casually to a customer without eye contact is not going to win you any points or repeat sales. Learn to interact with your customers on a genuine, more personal level and you’ll be rewarded with more sales and lots of good word-of-mouth advertising.
If you’re a handmade jewelry designer who’s serious about marketing your jewelry, you’ve probably wracked your brain to come up with clever marketing techniques to get more business. Well, I’m here to tell you, simpler is sometimes better! Have you ever stopped to consider how powerful the two little words, “thank you” can be to your customers? So few salespeople know how to express true appreciation these days, that you can stand out just by saying those two little words.
Customers want to know that their purchase was appreciated. Are you saying those two magic words when your customer buys a piece of jewelry from you?
Let’s take it one step further and use that magical phrase to do a little branding.
Let’s say your jewelry line is called, “Rare Earth Creations”. You might say to your customer as you hand her bag with her jewelry:
“Thank you for purchasing a Rare Earth Creation. You’re going to get many years of enjoyment from this beautiful piece. Your purchase is very much appreciated”
What has this accomplished?
You’ve:
1. Shown your customer that you truly appreciate her business. This means alot to people
2. Reinforced the name of your business by repeating it to your customer. (You’d be surprised at how many people won’t remember the name of your business unless you repeat it to them.)
3. Let the customer know that she’s purchased a high quality piece that will LAST. Do you think she’lll become a repeat customer? Absolutely!
This type of customer service doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s what is missing at most of your larger department stores and chains. It’s important that you say your thank you with a smile on your face in an unhurried, sincere manner. A perfunctory thank you voiced casually to a customer without eye contact is not going to win you any points or repeat sales. Learn to interact with your customers on a genuine, more personal level and you’ll be rewarded with more sales and lots of good word-of-mouth advertising.
Tips On Buying Womens Business Casual Clothing
Article by JD Hoopes
The keys to good womens casual clothing include a smart fit and good tailoring. This article goes into greater detail how to recognize a quality fabric and good tailoring and provides greater insight into the fabrics typically used in manufacturing Women’s business casual clothing.
First, in order to dress right, you need to know your fabric. Even if you’re wearing the right style, if you have chosen the wrong fabric, it can look all wrong. In short, there are two kinds of fabrics. First there are natural fabrics, which include cotton, wool, silk, linen, etc. and then there are synthetic fabrics which include nylon, polyester, spandex, and rayon. Specifically a natural fabric is made from naturally occurring fibers, such as the hair from a sheep is used to make wool which synthetic fibers were created from chemical reactions in the laboratory and are essentially plastics. Each has its advantages and disadvantages and each has a distinct look and feel.
When choosing fabrics for business casual clothing, it is best to buy skirts, pants, and even shirts made from natural fabrics like cotton and wool followed by linen. Natural fabrics tend to breathe easier are more comfortable, and are not too formal. In addition, natural fabrics can be laundered and ironed easier because of their resistance to heat. This is particularly important because business casual clothing is expected to be worn regularly and so you need to be able to launder it without regular trips to the dry cleaners and you want to be able to keep it wrinkle free and always looking its best.
When considering fashion styles, in addition to being low maintenance, womens business casual clothing must also be conservative. A skirt meant to be worn around the office should always fall below you knees when standing and should cover your thighs when sitting. In addition, the slit of a skirt should only provide greater comfort when walking and climbing stairs and is wholly unnecessary otherwise.
When shopping for business casual pants and shirts, the key point to watch out for is that your skin is not exposed when crouching. This means not buying pants that are worn low on the waist and shirts and blouses that are long enough to stay tucked in if you wanted to tuck them. It is inappropriate and distracting in business to have the small of your back exposed every time you drop your pencil and while working you want to remain focused on the work at hand and not on keeping yourself fully covered.
In summary, the right fabric that has been properly tailored and a smart fit are what you should be looking for when shopping for the office. Keep in mind that you are in a business setting and that you have been hired to get the job done. Whatever that job may be, wear attire that makes you look and feel like a professional and then helps you stay focused on the task at hand.
Can A Small Business Franchise Opportunity Really Make You Money?
Article by Dane Pearson
Small business franchise opportunities are definitely not limited to food kiosks and carpet cleaning. There are literally hundreds of businesses franchised in the United States, ranging from automotive and children’s franchises to pet and travel service franchises. Whatever kind of business you might be looking for, the spectrum of choices is limited only by your imagination and level of determination.
But how do you determine if a small business franchise opportunity is really right for you?
Franchise versus business opportunity
Perhaps the best place to begin your research is to briefly explore the difference between franchises and business opportunities.
A business opportunity is purchased outright. You, and perhaps your partners, own it and operate it under the name you have chosen. Typically, the seller makes his profit by delivering the equipment, real property, training or service that you just purchased. In some cases, the seller might earn residual income from your success (as is the case in a network marketing business). In most business opportunities, though, your relationship with the seller ends when you purchase the business. Basically, you are on your own at that point.
A franchise, on the other hand, is an ongoing relationship between franchisor and franchisee. The franchisor collects a fee up-front and also receives ongoing royalties in exchange for brand name recognition, an established business model, training and support. The franchisee receives the benefit of this brand name recognition and proven-successful business system. In exchange, the franchisee is required to follow established guidelines and policies regarding the operation of the business in order to ensure consistency from store to store.
Home business franchises are booming
One of the really marvelous benefits of a small business franchise is the ability to run it from your own home. In fact, many franchise companies encourage you to do so.
A home business franchise, allows you to enjoy the enormous benefit of an established company while avoiding the expense and headache of a storefront environment. Plus, many franchise companies invest their time in training you to run your franchise business from home. Your success is certainly in their best interest, so they will make sure you are properly trained and equipped.
One of the great benefits of being a home business franchisee is the ability to drawn upon the experience of other franchise owners. You will find that this network can provide a wonderful source of advice, encouragement and camaraderie.
Knowing your strengths and weaknesses are important when considering a small business franchise
While small business franchises have a considerably higher success rate than start-up businesses, you need to consider your natural strengths and weaknesses when deciding whether this is a good fit for you.
For example, being a team player is an essential factor in running a successful franchise of any kind. While you may be your own boss, you do not make the rules. You must be able to carefully and completely follow a system that someone else created. If you are willing to do so, you can successfully avoid many of the pitfalls responsible for the early demise of thousands of businesses.
Another necessary trait is the willingness to ask for help when it is needed. Again, this is the beauty of the franchise environment in that the small business franchise wants and needs you to succeed. In fact, the motto of the franchise industry is that you are in business for yourself, but never by yourself.
Do you consider yourself a “people” person? Do you enjoy providing a service or product that brings satisfaction to others? As a small business franchise owner, you will need to build loyalty and trust among your customers. The best and probably only way to accomplish this is by developing relationships with these important people. The good news is that if you answered “yes” to these two questions, you already possess two of the most valuable assets a franchisee needs for success.
Now, how do you feel about risk-taking? If the idea of having the safety net of minimum risk when starting your business appeals to you, then a solid, well-researched franchise is probably your best way to go.
After taking a serious and honest look at each of these personal characteristics, you should have a really good idea about whether investing in a small business franchise opportunity would really be your best choice. If so, do not be afraid to take the next step and begin carefully examining your wide variety of choices within the rapidly expanding world of franchising.
With so many highly successful niche markets to choose from, you are sure to find just the right fit.
Remember, a small business franchise requires much less capital than a traditional start-up business and certainly much less than a mega-franchise like McDonald’s, while providing a recognizable brand name and a business system that works.
