Starting Your Jewelry Business: Key Concepts for First Sales & Long Term Growth

Have you said to yourself: 
"I really enjoy making jewelry and I want to try selling it, but I don't know where to start."
or
"I've started selling some jewelry and I really enjoy it; how I can I keep growing my business?"

Then this is the course for you!

In this 4-week course, students will learn extensive tips and tricks for how to develop their starter business specific for their passion in jewelry making. Each class is a blend of discussion, analysis, sharing thoughts, and brainstorming. Students will be given prompts for critically analyzing how to take intriguing photographs, how to set prices, how to exercise excellent customer service skills, how to improve the quality of their art, how to keep proactive financial records, and more. 


THIS COURSE IS...
• an answer to the questions "how do I get started selling jewelry?" and "how do I keep growing my jewelry business?"
• an opportunity for students to ask questions specific to their own business goals.
• a combination of learning advice directly from an experienced jeweler plus collaborative discussion with peers. 
• designed to support students in developing brainstorming, planning, and speaking skills. (Note: If any student is interested in this course but is shy about speaking, ask me about personalized 1-on-1 lessons to learn the same tips and tricks in a private setting.)
• an expansive overview of multiple outlets for selling jewelry both online and in-person with key tips and considerations for starting out; this will not be an exclusive "How to Sell on Etsy" or other online platform.
• designed for students who have already started creating jewelry and are looking to grow their hobby into a business. 


PLEASE NOTE:
1: This course will not be covering techniques for making jewelry itself; if you're looking to get started making jewelry or improve your jewelry making skills, check out my following courses:
   o  "Complete Introductory Course to Jewelry Making Like a Professional"
   o  "Intermediate Jewelry Making Course for Wireworking and Developing an Artist's Style"  

2. Students will be asked to share thoughts and feedback in each class, so students are encouraged to keep their cameras on to be a part of the classroom community. If any student is interested in this course but is shy about speaking, ask me about personalized 1-on-1 lessons to learn the same tips and tricks in a private setting.

3. This course is not a focus on how to use social media for building a business. The topics covered here are independent of what platform is used for selling.

CLASS SCHEDULE:

Class 1: Starting out, Photographs, Presentation, and Goals
What are your goals for selling jewelry? How do you take high quality photos that showcase your work? Where can you sell your jewelry locally and what are some easy next steps you can take to make in-person sales? If you’re selling jewelry at a local fair, what are good ways to set up a stand? A successful business starts with focusing your ideas and having clear goals, and this class kicks off the course with these essential starter considerations. 

Class 2: Displays, Materials, and Crafting with Quality
What kind of materials should you use when making jewelry? Where else can you buy your supplies other than your local craft store? How do you check the quality of the materials that you purchase? How can you keep growing your knowledge of improving the quality of your work? What kind of displays should you consider purchasing for both photos and in-person displays? These are some of the little details that can be easily overlooked when we get excited about selling our art, but they are key investments into the long-term success of our business. 

Class 3: Prices, Value, and Customer Service
How do you figure out what kind of prices to place on your items? How do you think your competitors price their items? What are key elements of quality customer service that you can incorporate into your business? Determining how to increase your profits takes time and research, and this class provides key starting information to get students started out on the right foot.

Class 4: Record Keeping and Managing Finances, + Special Requests
How do you keep track if your business is profitable? How do you record your sales and keep notes on your customers? How can you review your records and find areas for improvement? How much inventory should you prepare and how do you stay organized? This class covers key essentials of good record keeping, plus allows extra time for students to ask personalized questions specific to their businesses and interests.