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Jayne
22-09-2009, 11:00 PM
Hi there,
Just thought I'd say 'Hi' and introduce myself to the Forum. My name's Jayne and I'm based in Tunbridge Wells. I'm 41 and have been making jewellery for about 8 years now - mainly on a bespoke basis - but have recently decided to make a 'range' and put it on a website. I used to enjoy a career in retail buying/merchandising pre-kids (love Mary Portas) so I'm really looking forward to seeing if I can apply the same principles to a website......something tells me that it's harder than it looks though......

mizgeorge
22-09-2009, 11:33 PM
Hello Jayne - and let me be the first to welcome you (though I might just be the only person still up ;))

Enjoy the forum - look forward to seeing your work :)

MuranoSilver
22-09-2009, 11:41 PM
Hi Jayne
:welcome: to the forum :)
Nic x

Di Sandland
23-09-2009, 02:17 AM
Hi Jayne

I see the softees have gone to bed now! Welcome to the forum.

bustagasket
23-09-2009, 06:24 AM
morning Jayne, welcome to the forums nice to someone else in my neck of the woods :D:~:

Solunar Silver Studio
23-09-2009, 06:25 AM
Hi Jayne:~:, and welcome to the forum. The early shift is up and running now!!:D. I think anything that you can bring to the forum on the marketing side will be much appreciated. Most of us seem to fall at this hurdle!!

...and what are you doing up that late Di? Or is it up that early!!?? 3.15 is sort of betwixt and between... Cant be good for your beauty sleep though!!:-D

Rustic Charm
23-09-2009, 07:03 AM
Hi Jayne,:~: and :welcome: to the mad mad world of the forum!!!!!!!!!!

snow_imp
23-09-2009, 07:06 AM
:welcome:

Hi, nice to meet you.

MuranoSilver
23-09-2009, 07:28 AM
Ooh Di
3.15am =D>
see Jayne the forums not addictive at all :-" :-D
I'm on a pop-in this morning as today is a making day! YAY!
Nic x

Di Sandland
23-09-2009, 07:53 AM
Barbara said:


3.15 is sort of betwixt and between... Cant be good for your beauty sleep though!!

LOL - its a bit like sitting on the middle step. I used to do that as a child on the basis that halfway up and halfway down is, in fact, nowhere.

Yes, I was a strange child.<:)-

And who said I even needed beauty sleep?

Petal
23-09-2009, 08:07 AM
Hi Jayne and :welcome: to our friendly forum.

There's a real mix of people and skills here and you may find the forum as addictive as some of us already have! OOOh yes, more marketing tips would be very useful, but we all share our tips and hints here, that's what makes this forum so informative.

Looking forward to hearing more from you.

Jules x

Petal
23-09-2009, 08:09 AM
Hi Jayne

I see the softees have gone to bed now! Welcome to the forum.

OMG, Di, do you never sleep....? :-D Or are you an afternoon catnap lady instead?

Jules x

Di Sandland
23-09-2009, 08:11 AM
Sleep and me seem to have parted company lately :(

agent_44
23-09-2009, 09:29 AM
Hi Jayne and welcome to the forum! :D

Ominicci
23-09-2009, 10:18 AM
:~: Hello Jayne and :welcome: to the forum!

lorraineflee
23-09-2009, 11:47 AM
Hi Jayne and welcome from Bedfordshire! :~:

Lorraine

Solunar Silver Studio
23-09-2009, 12:55 PM
LOL - its a bit like sitting on the middle step. I used to do that as a child on the basis that halfway up and halfway down is, in fact, nowhere.

Yes, I was a strange child.<:)-

And who said I even needed beauty sleep?

Why is it that the Kermit the Frog version of that song is going round in my head now....or was it his nephew Robin...

Look what I have just found on youtube!! (There is a sort of random 15 second intro to sit through first...)

YouTube - Halfway Down the Stairs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyiIYOhq6fM)

And that doesn't look a bit like Di now does it??? Might do though if she doesn't get a bit of SLEEP! once in a while!!!:D

Sorry about the diversion Jayne:threadjacked:...but this is what we are like!!!!

Di Sandland
23-09-2009, 01:09 PM
Aw, Bee, you've brought tears to my eyes now (nostalgic ones). So now my eyes are double red! []

Solunar Silver Studio
23-09-2009, 01:13 PM
It's good to cry - if they are the right sort of tears. Have a wallow...it might do you good.

I'll just surround you with hugs and kisses to make you feel better/worse....(delete as appropriate!!)

[]:XU:X[]

Jayne
23-09-2009, 01:49 PM
Wow! Thanks for such a warm welcome everyone :~:
Di - 3.17am?? That is seriously hardcore! I can see that I will have to 'up' my game to keep up with you lot ;)
Su' - yes, we are quite close; only about 30 miles away from each other I think. You'll have to pop in for a cuppa sometime :)
Barbara & Jules - I am a complete newbie and in no position to offer advice to you guys. (I haven't even built a website yet, so technically I would be a pre-newbie). I feel like a bit of a philistine to be honest as you guys are all so passionate about your craft, whereas I am in a place where I am putting commercial/marketing considerations first. I used to be incredibly enthusiastic about learning new techniques but found it fraustrating as I couldn't find good quality training that was local to me - having a young family meant that going to the big smoke to complete a 'proper' course was out of the question. I persevered with adult ed classes for several years but it was all pretty stagnant and difficult to learn new techniques because you had to lobby so hard.
So.......I decided to approach it from a different angle and learn to do the simple things really well. I really think that it is possible to produce good quality, desirable jewellery using simple techniques, so my plan is to start a website on that basis and learn new skills in a slower, more 'organic' way. I've spent the last 2-3 years studying other people's websites - mainly top end jewellers - and trying to suss out what works, what doesn't and what's possible.
I did make contact with a friend of a friend a few months ago who has been selling jewellery on the net for quite a while to ask for advice and this is what she said:
* count the clicks that it takes to actually buy a piece of your jewellery and try to reduce them to a minimum,
* make the site as simple as possible (leave out the fancy animations & gizmos) as it will operate faster and not everyone has the pc capability to support a fancypants site
* introduce a really expensive item to your range and market it alongside low and mid-priced items. You may not sell many of them, but it is meant to improve sales of the mid-priced item.
So, that was her advice, some of which I thought relevant & some not.
I am so in awe of you guys and have so much to learn. If I do manage to launch a site and it does ok, then maybe I will be worthy to talk marketing, but until then......I am the pre-newbie....
(and a bit of a waffler as you have no doubt noticed)

J x

Di Sandland
23-09-2009, 02:29 PM
Jayne I think you'll fit in just fine! :Y:

Solunar Silver Studio
23-09-2009, 03:21 PM
Pre-newbie...huh!! Are you trying to up the stakes in the self deprecation department!!??:-D Just because you are approaching it from a slightly different angle don't you go thinking you don't have a lot to offer!![-X .

I for one found your waffle extremely interesting and informative and will implement it as soon as I have a bit of time!! My website is very new and very empty...I just can't find the time to fit everything in...so rather than stressing to try to keep up with my business plan - I've decided to take it at a comfortable pace that just about keeps me afloat and keeps me sane (ish)!! I thought that bit about an expensive piece for sale on your site was just brilliant!!

So many of us on the forum are either self taught or have done evening or part time courses - so you are in good company!! In fact - as Di says - sounds like you will fit right in!!

(As you can see I'm a waffler too!!:Y:)

Emerald
23-09-2009, 05:27 PM
Hi Jayne welcome to the forum:~: sounds like you are going to fit right in lol x

Jayne
23-09-2009, 05:31 PM
you are all so nice :)
I really feel like going and making something fab now and I also feel as if I'm not on my own - thanks guys :Y:

J x

The Dragon
23-09-2009, 07:17 PM
Hi Jane and welcome from a slightly damp Nottingham. :~:

Don't worry, give it a day or two and you'll find you do have something to share, everyone does. The big grand ideas are easy to find thanks to google, it's the little tried and tested shortcuts that are invaluable here. We often have so little time to indulge in our craft that the commercial side gets sidelined and I'm sure a lot of the principles you have learnt will apply here too.

You will also find that we are capable of discussing anything and everything when the mood takes and we support each other emotionally as well so I think we'll just take a rain-check on the newbie tag. :Y:

EmmaRose
24-09-2009, 10:52 AM
:welcome:!
Mary is great isn't she! wish she would come help me :D
Em

amazingbabe
24-09-2009, 01:28 PM
Hi Jayne and :welcome: