Balancing jewellery with full-time work

**bustagasket** · 30-07-2009, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by Solunar Silver Studio

I've been thinking Su (bustagasket)... What sort of garage do you (does he) own? Does it come with a snazzy sales area? Is there anywhere where customers are directed to wait while their car is 'seen to' or finished off? (I make it sound like a breakers' yard there - but I'm sure you know what I mean!) Does he send out promotional literature to past/present customers by post?
...couldn't you involve him and the garage in your 'marketing'? Set up a sparkling display cabinet in the showroom/waiting area ...where women can drool over it and men can decide what to buy their woman as a surprise gift while they are waiting? Or a business card or leaflet for your jewllery popped into every envelope that leaves the place...(all my family are doing that for me now!!) ...or stapled to the final bill!!

If he wants your business to prosper - get him to help...just like you have helped him for 7 years!!

Barbara

Unfortunately we have a car repair garage, and that creates a pretty dirty "air"
I have a stand in reception with me cards on and a layout of candles and a couple of display bouquets, but i have to clean the cellophanes every week cos they get coated with a kinda greasy black dust that come from brakess and seems to drift into everywhere. So its not the best place to display stuff, and definately not for jewellery.

I have today ordered my MrSite website in a box, so i am looking forward to that arriving next week and then having a play with it. I shall probably have to rephotogaph a lot of stuff and i really need a booth to do it. I am hoping that once my son moves all his stuff out properly from his room, that Pete will build some shelves and things in the wardrobes, and make up a bench for me. Gotta prize him away from his fishing for it :-s

**Ominicci** · 30-07-2009, 11:46 AM

Well done getting the MrSite Su. Hope you have fun doing it. Mine is still 'in production' but will be getting back to it soon. Perhaps we can have a MrSite thread for if anyone needs advice or help with anything - I'm still not sure exactly how the shop works i.e. How I will get notified about someone buying something...

**bustagasket** · 30-07-2009, 12:01 PM

i have a long wait for it to arrive now (yeah i know it will be withing a week but i want it yesterday like everything else) Just hope i can underwstand the bugger when it gets here lol

**Maddie106** · 24-08-2009, 02:27 PM

Hiya,

I'm very lucky in that I'm now retired and can indulge myself in creating jewellery!
It is MEGA difficult if you are working full time. I found that the daily graft killed my creativity!

Now have lots of ideas to explore creatively, but buggered by people at craft fairs who want an original design that has taken 2 hours to make at an "Argos" price of £5!!

Sod that.....I could make more money as a bar maid at the local pub!!

Chris Hannett

**Di Sandland** · 24-08-2009, 02:30 PM

Hi Chris, and welcome to the forum.

Selling is a thorny issue, isn't it, caused in no small part by cheap imports and folk who refuse to charge for the time it takes to create a piece.

The only advice I can give is that you stick to your guns and don't undersell yourself. If they don't want to pay your prices, they are not fit to own your pieces (I need a thumping someone on the nose smilie here).

I would suggest that you do a bit of cross-pollination by setting yourself up with a website. To be honest, most websites don't bring in much dosh but they serve as a shop window - and every little helps.

**CyberPaddy66** · 24-08-2009, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by Moon Cottage

Hi Chris, and welcome to the forum.

Selling is a thorny issue, isn't it, caused in no small part by cheap imports and folk who refuse to charge for the time it takes to create a piece.

The only advice I can give is that you stick to your guns and don't undersell yourself. If they don't want to pay your prices, they are not fit to own your pieces (I need a thumping someone on the nose smilie here).

I would suggest that you do a bit of cross-pollination by setting yourself up with a website. To be honest, most websites don't bring in much dosh but they serve as a shop window - and every little helps.

Agreed, we get a little business from the shop website but that's probably due to us not advertising it that well but it does give us a web presence we can send possible customers to and it's a great place to show off your creations, we have a bespoke gallery of items we make for special orders. If anyone likes something we've done they can ask us for a copy or something like it

Both of us are disabled in some small way so work from home, it makes it really difficult sometimes setting aside the time to work and the time to play