How to Tell a Handmade Jewelry Story

If I were to ask you what are the most important points that determine whether a customer buys a piece of handmade jewelry, you'd probably answer product and price. After all if you have a good handmade jewelry product at a competitive price, you should make the sale. Right? Unfortunately, this isn't necessarily so. There's something just as important, if not important, to the sale of your handmade jewelry than product and price. What is this mysterious element? It's the story behind your handmade jewelry.

If your handmade jewelry doesn't have a story, you're missing out on sales. Why? Because people buy on the basis of emotion and on how that particular piece of jewelry makes them feel. They don't buy based on features or exclusively on the basis of price.

Exactly what is a handmade jewelry story and how do you develop one? A handmade jewelry story is a few lines that tells the prospective customer something emotionally stirring or thought provoking about your jewelry.

For example, a customer comes forward and picks up one of your bracelets that's made of handmade, lampworked beads and a unique, hand forged clasp. As she's inspecting the bracelet, you would casually approach her and deliver your handmade jewelry story which might go like this:

"This bracelet is designed with beads I made myself over an open flame in my studio. No two beads are exactly alike as the flame can be a bit unpredictable which makes the finished beads truly one-of-a-kind. The clasp is hand forged with a hammer I found in an antique store using techniques developed hundreds of years ago. It feels really good when you put it on your arm. Would you like to try it?"

Of course you want to be sincere. Never make up a story about your jewelry. Customers can detect a fraud a mile away.

What have you accomplished by telling your handmade jewelry story? You've helped the customer establish an emotional connection to the bracelet. When she sees that you have a $79 price tag on it. she understands why. She can just envision you working over that open flame in your studio or hammering out that unique clasp with a hammer from the early 1900's. This adds romance and intrigue and she wants to be a part of it.

What is your jewelry isn't made of handmade, lampworked beads and a hand forged clasp? Your jewelry can still have a story to tell. You can talk about:

1. The materials your jewelry is made of. If your jewelry is designed using semiprecious stones, each stone has a history and mysterious properties. This is great information to relay to your customer. Is you jewelry made of beach glass? Boy, do you have a story to tell. You can talk about how the ocean polishes each piece of glass in its own special way.

2. The history of a jewelry design. Is your jewelry made of vintage beads or inspired by vintage jewelry designs? Talk about how these designs were worn back in the time they were popular. Paint a picture of a Victorian woman at a special event wearing a similar design.

3.Your inspiration for the design. Describe how you were walking through the woods one day and looked down and saw this stunning plant. It's beautiful awed you so much that you wanted to replicate it in silver. Thus, your handmade nature jewelry line was born.

4.Your romantic life as a jewelry designer. :-) Paint a vivid picture of how you create the design in your studio. Bring to line the design and creation process so your customer almost feels like she's there.

Keep your jewelry story short and meaningful to the customer. You don't want to bore her with lots of lingo and technical language. You're trying to appeal to her emotions which means using simple, easy to understand language.

It's important that you have your jewelry story planned before you attend a craft or jewelry show so you'll be ready to deliver. Give it a try and see if it doesn't make a difference in your sales.