If one were to ask what are the most important points that determine whether a customer buys a piece of handmade jewelry, most people would answer "what it looks like and the price." If a good well made piece of handmade jewelry is presented at a competitive price, you should make the sale.
Unfortunately, this is not necessarily the case. There is another important feature to the eventual sale of your handmade jewelry. Can you guess what may be this missing element that will eventually make the sale. Think a bit, and then it will come to you - what is the story behind your handmade jewelry.
If each piece of your handmade jewelry does not have a story to go with it, you are missing out on sales. Why is this? People buy on the basis of emotion and on how a particular piece of jewelry makes them feel at that particular moment in time. They do not buy the jewelry based on features, what it is made of, how it is designed or on the basis of price.
A handmade piece of jewelry can in a few words tell the prospective customer something emotionally stirring or thought provoking about the jewelry piece they are looking at. Watch closely as a customer comes forward and picks up one of the necklaces from your display that is made of some unique gemstone probably never heard of before. As the customer inspects the necklace,
casually approach and deliver your handmade jewelry story which might go like this: "This necklace is designed with unique gemstones that were mined in Brazil. I came across these stones called "xxxxx" during a visit to a gem and mineral show, and they just jumped out at me to put them into a special piece of jewelry. I just knew that they would make an exquisite necklace. So I combined these unique gemstones with other stones, crystals and a copper chain and claspe. If you notice no two stones are exactly the same which makes the finished necklace truly one-of-a-kind. The necklace feels really good when you put it around your neck. Would you like to try it on?" Of course you want to be sincere. Never make up a story about your jewelry. Customers can detect a fraud a mile away. What have you accomplished by telling your handmade jewelry story? You have helped the customer establish an emotional connection to the necklace. When the customer sees the price tag on it, she immediately understands why it is priced that way.
If you don't have a specific special story about the pice of jewelry, you can also talk about:
1. The materials your jewelry is made of. If your jewelry is designed using gemstones, each stone has a history and mysterious properties. This is great information to relay to your customer.
2. The history behind your jewelry design. Is this piece based on a design that you saw someplace, is it inspired by vintage jewelry designs, or is it solely a piece from your imagination?
3. Your inspiration for the design. Describe how you got your idea by looking at the main stones, combining them with other stones or materials, and the end result was this stunning piece of jewelry.
No matter what though, keep your jewelry story short and meaningful to the customer. You don't want to bore the person with lots of lingo and technical language. You're trying to appeal to emotions which means using simple, easy to understand connective language. Once you have connected with the customers emotional side, the sale should be in the bag as long as you have not priced yourself out of the customers safe zone.
