Elizabeth of Stones in Harmony wrote to tell me about a jewelry business success day she had this past week:
First, she did a jewelry trunk show at a financial services office, where she made some great sales from just five customers.
While she was there, the necklace Elizabeth was wearing caught the eye of a top-level financial planner.
This executive fell in love with the necklace - and not only insisted on ordering it, but also wants to shop directly from Elizabeth’s home jewelry boutique / studio.
(Since then, this executive has been spreading the word to her friends, who also are now interested in Elizabeth’s jewelry.)
After the trunk show, Elizabeth returned home and the cable guy arrived.
Elizabeth says,
“I mentioned that he’d best buy something for Mamma for Mother’s Day. It is creeping up on us. Would you come into my studio?
“The studio was empty of course. So I pulled my jewelry case from the car. [It was still there from the trunk show.]
“We sat down on the rug and pored through jewelry options.
“I gave him a really good price (yes, I did make a profit) because this boy had so much love in his heart for his mother and girlfriend that I just felt so gifted to be able to give him something so personalized and special, not to mention with gift boxes.”
So here is one of Elizabeth’s very happy customers - the cable guy who now has his Mother’s Day gifts completely taken care of, well in advance, including lovely gift boxes:
You may remember Elizabeth’s first jewelry success story - when she helped her washing machine repairman take care of his Christmas shopping with her jewelry gifts (you can read about it near the bottom of my Jewelry Business Success News issue #65).
Elizabeth very kindly gives me credit, saying she learned her success techniques from my Secrets of a Handcrafted Jewelry Shopping Service book.
But obviously her jewelry is a big part of the magic, and so is her manner of putting customers at ease and solving their gift-giving problems.
Elizabeth’s jewelry business success story illustrates a couple of ways to recession-proof your jewelry business:
1) Take your jewelry for private showings to people who can afford to buy it (the financial services office trunk show).
2) Connect directly with people who have gift-giving needs to take care of (the cable guy).
The next day, Elizabeth sent a dozen roses to the woman who had invited her to do the trunk show.
She says, “developing friendships is much more meaningful to me than sales.”
Congratulations, Elizabeth - for putting yourself out there and doing it, and for all the wonderful things that came from it! Thanks so much for sharing your success story.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I LOVE this story. And the cable guy looks so happy. He is going to be a hero. Way to go! Char
Charlene,
Thanks so much for your comment. This cable boy was so sweet and yes - he was so very happy. I made hardly a profit at all. I forgot to tell Rena about the man who installed the blinds in my jewelry studio: He is in love - and as I was making a new design, he told me his whole life story. Then he flew off to meet the love he had been writing back and forth to for 6 months.
He came back to finish the installation and ordered another set for his mother - said his new soul mate was smitten. He quoted me: “you really did not think I came down here empty handed, did you?” I made an emerald and pearl necklace with earrings to match for her birthstone.
When he came back to finish the installation, he also asked, “what do I do now?” I pulled out the already made earrings to match as he was not looking. I replied, “do about what?” “Well, she is coming to meet my mother in two weeks he replied.” I said, “Gregory - did you think that I had not already thought about that?” When I opened the gift box with the BEST materials for matching earrings he looked like a little boy in wonder at the circus. I was in belly laughter!
Yes, the cable guy was such a happy sweetie. Thanks so much for your feedback. You made my day.
Elizabeth
Stones in Harmony
Elizabeth…you may not have made a lot of money with your kindness but you made millions in what really counts. I love your attitude. I showed my husband the pic of the cable guy and he said “he sure looks happy.” Isn’t that the best we can do in life? You made many people happy with what you did and I bet you’ll get the best cable service in town, and should you need more window treatments installed, the guy will be there in a flash! Char
This happened to me not long ago with the guy who brings the supplies to the tea bar where I do my Tarot Readings. I was showing the latest jewelry pieces I had made to a friend and, as he had seen me there before, came and directly asked if they were for sale. I got a “small profit sale” but a customer forever!
I would like to congratulate Elizabeth for her marketing instinct and her understanding of people - yes, making that kind of connections is so much better than any money you can make making jewelry!
Elizabeth -this reminded me so much of me and my designs and how i like to help people find meaningful gifts out of my own creations. I don’t always make a big profit when I do these things either, but it makes me feel good about doing it! It is so great to hear about a true artist who shares these feelings.
Dawn