Jewelry Parties

Sterling Silver Jewelry Parties

Have a Jewelry Party Soon

!! A wonderful way to earn extra money and have fun doing it !!
Over the years we have tried everything we can think of to improve sales, make things easier and earn more money.  We have had lots and lots of ideas - we've tested, we've discussed, we innovated, redesigned, and then tried some more.  Imagine - since 1982 we have been doing everything we can to make things better - and to sell more jewelry.  Here's the simple fact that has always been true - as great as the other methods are - as well as they work - as simple as they are -- No matter - Jewelry Parties are the best way to sell jewelry - and in particular, Sterling Silver Jewelry.  Sure, you can sell from the catalogs, you can do referrals, you can work on-line auction sites and flea markets or trade shows.  They all work and you may well want to make them part of your approach to success. 
         BUT, if you want the best return on your investment of time and money - work on becoming a party expert.
Party Expert - Simple, this is a person who can co-ordinate a jewelry party, set it up, work it and make money as a result - all while having a wonderful time, meeting new people, working her own hours and taking control of her life.  You can do this!
Wait - Stop - Let's take a minute and go over what you need to do parties successfully.  You will need these things: some jewelry to show; a place to have the party; and a plan to make the whole thing come off successfully.  That's it - you only need those three things - but if you don't have one or more of these things, don't waste your time, choose another method of making this work for you.

Jewelry

A place for the party

The party plan
Inventory - you will need some jewelry to show and demonstrate.  Having a few items right at the party will help your customers see the quality - they can touch and wear it.  The more jewelry you can display and present, the more apt you are to have what they like and want to purchase right then at the party. Place - you need a comfortable, quiet location for your party.  You will want no distractions and the space available for people to move about freely.  This should be an area where you have the ability to setup and display your jewelry easily and in good taste.  Don't forget, you will need bathroom access! Plan - plan and then plan some more.  Think about what you're doing and how you are going to do it.  Include who to invite, what time, what to offer as treats, displaying your items, seating, how long should it last, games to play, topics to discuss, parking and change making, rewards for the hostess - guest follow-up, etc.

Inventory

Jewelry party inventory -the jewelry party business has a few simple inventory rules.  If you intend to "get in the jewelry business", open a store and work in that store 40 to 60 hours each week, then some of these rules just won't apply to you at all.  These rules only apply if you want to have jewelry parties for a few hours a week, make great money, enjoy the time - and then go off and do something else.  Your "something else" could be another job, relaxing at home, vacationing, reading, shopping - wow - just imagine!
Inventory Suggestions
Starter Kits make sense
  • Supplies, displays and materials to support your parties and sales
  • Select jewelry from our best selling items - bulk pricing to insure large profits and fast sales
  • Allow guests to choose from existing inventory and make immediate sales
  Special promotions - huge savings.  
 

5 rules for inventory
Rule 1:  Don't buy a lot of inventory to keep around for your parties.
Jewelry parties work best when you have some inventory to display and sell.  This allows you to show the workmanship and quality and to encourage impulse buying.  Your display and sample jewelry will always work well when you choose items which you and your friends like.  Select items you like and would wear yourself.

How much inventory is enough?

  1. Select enough inventory to provide prospects with a cross-section of items and to show off the quality and workmanship.  This encourages impulse buying and catalog orders.
  2. Judge your display inventory size by the size of your shows or parties.  If you are holding parties with 5 - 10 guests, a smaller inventory will work well - for example, if you invest in $500.00 worth of jewelry, you will be able to display a nice inventory with a retail value around $1,500.00.  For larger outings or sales, you might would to increase your display size and value.

Which jewelry kit should you buy?
  1. Choose as much inventory as you can afford - without pressure.  Be conservative in the beginning and allow your display and sample inventory to grow as your sales increase.  Work with people using the catalogs and other promotional materials to make catalog orders.
  2. Make sure you include cleaning and display materials in your setup.  Keep your displays attractive and clean, polish your sample jewelry pieces.
  3. Always check the sections of the store which are offering promotions, sales and discounts.  For example, always check the following: 
     
 
Rule 2:  Don't let your inventory get stale, keep it turning over.
Make sure your inventory is working for you.  If you have had a piece of jewelry for some time and shown it at parties, then it's time to take a look at it.  Maybe you need to put it on sale, discount it, combine it with another item as set, give it away as a door prize or put a promotion on it.  Keeping your inventory fresh makes your customers very aware that they need to decide and "get it now" because it might be gone the next time.  Sure, some things are seasonal, but for the most part, people buy sterling silver jewelry items all year round and they buy again and again.  If you notice certain types of items have slowed, maybe you should plan a different style party, look at different people as guests, change your party plan.  Keep it moving, keep it fresh!

  • Show it off, display it and put emphasis on it.  Then, if it doesn't sell, put it on sale, discount it or give it away as a party gift.  If you have items which are tying up your money, then you are losing money.  Keep track of how old an item is in your inventory - make a date after which you get rid of stale inventory.

  • Look for different people and personalities.  Change your guests, set up a party with a group of people you haven't been working with before.  Try having a party at a rest home, an apartment complex, an office building, a factory, a hospital - anyplace where you might find a group of people different from your "regular" customers.  Different people buy different styles.

  • Combine stale items into sets.  Put a set of earrings together with a pendant, or a pendant with a necklace.  Set up a display with a ring, earrings, a pendant and chain.  People will often buy a complete set - when they can see it "all together".  Usually sets are sold for a single price, but you can display a set and then price each item individually - this method helps to show off the value of the "set" price.

  • Change your background or display setting.  If you have some stale inventory, mix it up - instead of displaying it on a black background, move it up, put it on white and put light on it.  Add mirrors or glass.  Bright colors and a fresh display can make even the dullest items shine!

  • Keep it clean.  Polish your display jewelry.  Sterling silver has a wonderful luster when it has been polished.  Rub it, wipe it and it will shine for you.  Keep a polish cloth around your display, wipe your jewelry.  It's a good idea to keep some alcohol for earrings also.  
Rule 3:  Don't give out your inventory on consignment or free setup displays.
Consignment sales just don't work out very well in the long run.  People don't take care of your jewelry and keep up with it as they guard and treasure their own items.  We have been damaged by consignment more than any other single technique.  Lots of stores, beauty salons, tanning rooms, video stores, gas stations, flea market vendors will offer to set your inventory in their outlet and sell it for you - trust me, it's no challenge to find people willing to do this.  Forget it - it won't work out for you.

  • Consignment does not work.  Beware of offers which sound too good to be true!  Imagine - someone with an established business offers to let you put your jewelry in their store front and they will sell it for you.  Sounds great right?  You just come by and pick up your money.  Too good to be true?  That's right, it is.  This won't work.  Either they don't sell it and don't maintain the display or they sell it and you can't get your money, or your prices are too high or "whatever".  Something always happens.  Beware!

  • Don't let others have your jewelry.  People offer to put on a party for you - and it sounds pretty good.  They come by and pick up your jewelry, take it off to the party and bring back the sale money and the jewelry which didn't sale.  Then you pay them a commission and you have your jewelry back and the profits.  Keep dreaming!  Doesn't work.  Guard yourself and treasure your investment.
Rule 4:  Don't forget to display all of your jewelry at each party.
Don't hold items back - put them on display and show them off.  It's easy to "not" show an item you don't like yourself or don't find attractive - doesn't matter, put it out there.  Actually, it's best to highlight this item - put it under the lights or on a pedestal, make it the featured item.  Maybe you'll sell it and then you won't have to "not" like it anymore.  But it's important to get everything you have exposed to as many people as possible.  Take that extra time to clean it, make it show the best that you can and then work it hard.  Keep everything out on display.

  • Work on your inventory and keep it "display ready".  This is a very common error.  It can be a lot of work to keep jewelry clean and freshened up.  You know, the price tags, the cleaning, straightening out knots in chains - it's work!  The urge is to just go with the stuff that looks great, lay it out there and get the show rolling.  Keep your inventory ready for sale all of the time.  

  • Give your inventory a chance to sell.  Get it out, get it ready and then talk about it.  If you absolutely haven't had time to create a new display for your jewelry or you couldn't get it ready before the party - well, then just get it out and start cleaning and displaying it while your party is going on.  It will amaze you how much jewelry you can sell right from your hands as you are cleaning it or arraigning a display.  Handling and working with your jewelry right in front of your potential customers is a very effective technique - don't be afraid to use it.
Rule 5:  Guard your jewelry every party, every minute.
People steal jewelry.  People take jewelry by accident.  People break jewelry.  This jewelry is your investment, your money, your chance to make more money, guard it like it was precious.  It is!  Set your displays and presentations so that people may move around them and see your jewelry, but make sure it's well lighted, easy to see from many angles and then keep your eye on it.  Tag it, put stickers on it and keep it in cases or other display boxes or kits.  People love to handle jewelry, they like to see "how it looks on them" and they forget to put it back down.  Happens at the "best" parties.  Guard it, love it and use it to your advantage.

  • Securely tag and mark your jewelry.  Good jewelry tags are quite a bit tougher than paper tags.  It almost takes a knife to cut them off a properly tagged item.  We have these in our supplies section.  Good investment!

  • Pin or secure items to your displays.  Velcro, safety pins, straight pins and needles all work well to help secure items to your display stands or tables.  Lay out your displays so that an empty space is very obvious to you with just a casual glance.  Keep a sharp eye peeled!

  • Use "blank" space fillers.  These are markers which you put in the place of something which you have sold.  You may have these which say "I'm sold!" or they may be as simple as a penny you stick in a ring slot, just something you use to mark a blank spot with a known marker so that a casual glance will notice something wrong.

  • Display a message or sign about security.  We put tags on everything.  Price tags and sale tags - regardless, everything gets a tag.  We keep a sign or poster up which cautions guests that our items may have security tags which must "deactivated" when sold.  When we sell something and package it, we clip the tags off it and wipe them across this really great novelty mouse pad we found - that "deactivates" and removes the tag.  Actually, our normal price tags haven't any security - but our number of "missing" items has decreased significantly since we put up the sign.  The mouse pad just looks cool and can be found anyplace.

  • Manage your sales and coverage of the display areas.  Focus on one sale at a time - but keep an eye on everything.  It's a good idea to have someone helping you with a party.  One of you work the sales area and handle the sales, the other do presentations and keep an eye on the overall party.  Keep the conversations going, keep people on track - no politics, no religion and no children discussions!!  Keep people talking about jewelry!

  • Guard your cash drawer or cash register.  Keep you change box in a secure location and keep an eye on it.  You might want to think about "rounding" your prices also, just so you don't have to make so much change.  We "round down" everything including taxes.  So, if you buy a ring that is 15.00 plus tax - for a total of $15.90, we round that down to $15.00 including taxes.  That way our customer gets a small - special discount and feels good - we don't have to make change and worry about all of the nickels, dimes and pennies.  We calculate our sales tax on the total sales from the parties anyway, so it's a math formula for us even if we collected it out each time.  We just total up all of the tickets for the party and divide it by 1.06 (out tax rate is 6%) and subtract that amount from out total sales - the amount left is the tax amount.