Above : The Bollinger Jewellery Gallery at Victoria & Albert Museum by Eva Jiricna Architects 291008
From day one, I know I'm not crazy about mass-producing my jewelry pieces. My wild thoughts will be to treat Little Li's jewelry like a wearable art. Hence they'll be available only in very limited quantity or even a unique piece of it's own. Like I've said it's a very idealist thought and I'm not sure if it will work.
But recently I've found this interesting tips from www.associatedcontent.com which teaches you how to market yourself as a jewelry artist. Hmmm......maybe it's workable with blessing from God?
Here's the tips from the website...
1. Offer your jewelry designs in limited quantities
Instead of making thirty of a particular piece and flooding the market with it, try making only a select few and offer them at a higher price. It's the simple law of supply and demand at work. When your potential customer sees you only have a few of a certain item, they believe the jewelry item to be more desirable and sense they had better purchase it while they have the opportunity.. Artists rarely paint multiples of a particular piece of art which allows them to command high prices for their creative efforts.
2. Consider signing your jewelry pieces
This one small change can elevate the customer's perception of your jewelry designs significantly. Customers know that truly original works of art are signed by the artists and will perceive your jewelry to be in that category. Many jewelry artists sign their pieces report a big jump in sales. Again, a signed piece is thought to be more on-of-a-kind which increases its value in the customer's eyes.
3. Give your jewelry designs an identity
Another way to increase perceived value is to give your jewelry designs names. You can also design a collection of jewelry with a particular theme and promote it by name. For example, the seaside series. Let people know in your literature that each collection is limited edition and you'll vastly increase the interest in your jewelry pieces.
(I would think it would be nice to have collection names)
4. Stop using mass produced findings
Nothing suggests mass produced jewelry more than the use of common findings such as plain fishhooks on earrings and ordinary lobster claw and toggle clasps on necklaces. It' might be worth your effort to have a distinctive toggle clasp designed for your necklaces and reproduced by a casting company.This will give even an ordinary necklace a look that can't be replicated.
5. Display your items in an artistic manner
Don't display your jewelry on commercial display units. Design a unique display that really plays up your jewelry line. Use sleek, contemporary artistic props such as granite, stone, sand, polished rocks or elegant, high end fabrics. If you're going to promote yourself as a jewelry artist, your display needs to be elegant and slightly understated. Have you ever seen a cluttered museum? Don't overcrowd your displays.
(Oooh...we need those wonderful looking display glass shelves)
6. Promote yourself as an artist
In your promotional literature, describe yourself as a jewelry artist. If you've had any formal training, discuss this in your brochure. Have you won any awards? Let the public know about them. This increases your credibility as a jewelry designer and an artist.
(hmmm....wonder if my awards from publication will help???)
7. Use only high quality materials
Be meticulous in the selection of materials you use in your jewelry. You want to be perceived as offering only the best if you're going to be thought of as a jewelry artist. Add some unusual components to your designs that can't be easily found.
Sounds so ideal!!! Wonder if there'll be enough dough to feed myself...: p
