Do you sell jewelry? If so, we reached out to many of our readers and followers who sell jewelry and asked them to share their best marketing tips and strategies. Here's what they had to say and if you have any tips you'd like to share, please leave a comment below this article.
40+ Jewelry marketing tips to sell more jewelry
Quality vs. Quantity
I believe the best marketing tip for my jewelry business or any business for that matter is to be “impeccable” with your word. To stand behind the quality of your work and the quality of your team. Mostly to be honest and fair and to treat people the way you want to be treated yourself. Taking pride in everything you do will always come back to you in some form. – Jeannie Manzo from Say Hello Diamonds
Get your jewelry on as many people as possible
Don't be hesitant about loaning. That's what's insurance is for. – Kim Carosella from Sorellina
Master SEO
When I first launched my jewelry business, I didn't have much of a budget for advertising, so I invested my time into mastering SEO or search engine optimization. Once I figured out that search engines were bringing me traffic, I began to implement SEO much more intentionally. Once I got the hang of it, it quickly became my top source of visitors. – Kathy DalPra from BrideAppeal
Run strategic Facebook advertising campaigns
For certain holidays, make sure to advertise special deals that are only available to Facebook fans. These campaigns are great because you can target consumers according to certain demographics: age, gender, location, and whether or not the people are connected to your business. Also, you can set a strict daily budget and select how long you want your advertising campaign to run. – Claudia Montez from isabellegracejewelry
Take fabulous macro photos that sell your jewelry
Show off that great detail you handcrafted into each piece with vibrant, clear photos that make your customers believe they are holding the piece in their hands. If you don't have good photos, no amount of social media, google ad words or e-blasts will sell your product. If you don't know how to take photos or have the time to learn – invest in someone who does! – Marja Huhta from Glass Elements
Wear a piece of your jewelry every day, everywhere you go
Every person you meet is a potential customer. Be friendly, positive and smile to everyone you see. When people compliment you on your jewelry, say thank you, hand them your business card, and say, since you like these earrings or this ring, bracelet, necklace or whatever it may be, please visit my website to look at my other jewelry. – Diane Batoff from Micassileo Jewelry
Donate to charity
We have found that finding “outside the box” ideas work really well for us. For example, we donate to a couple of animal charities in Bali and wanted to be a part of animal charities here at home as well. We have teamed up with a couple of charities in Chicago and either donated a percentage of our sales at a charity function or paid a flat fee for a table at an adoption function. Finding what you are passionate about, besides your business, will help drive your ideas in the right cross-promotional path leading to long term relationships, which is what our businesses are all about. – Sara Davis & Erika Herrera from Sandpiper Imports, Inc.
Work with a sale event website to sell jewelry
Reach hundreds of thousands of potential customers who are ready and able to buy by working with sale event websites (like Zulily, Gilt, Jane, etc.) which will host a dedicated sale promoting your designs. I have worked with several and, while you generally have to offer a generous discount, it's worth it for the sales volume they are able to generate. – from Michelle Esposito from NotJustAnyOldDay Datesake Jewelry
Tell your personal story
Oftentimes in business, we are advised to be professional and leave out the personal. Give your customers a genuine glimpse into who you are. It allows them to make a stronger connection to the work. – Betsy Cross from betsy & iya
Get your name out there, wherever you can
One of the best things, while difficult to do, is getting your product featured in a magazine (not an ad). You have to find the correct contact person (editor of a specific area of the magazine). Send them your info, either by email or hard copy, including any pics of your product. Offering to do a giveaway with them as well will get your name in the magazine. Just one great feature can bring in all kinds of business! – Bonnie Riconda from Calico Juno Designs
Use Instagram
Social media has become an amazing sales tool for us. We are working moms, so being able to promote ourselves via our iPhones and iPads makes running a business (on the go) that much easier. Our Instagram feed has especially allowed us to spread the word (and make sales) while showcasing our product. – Gloria Bijou & Renee Haddad from Wren & Glory Jewelry
Sell to stores
Having some of my jewelry at a retail boutique introduced new clients to my work. I was commissioned to make new pieces for some of those clients. – Merrill Gambro from Merrill Gambro Jewelry
Reach out to fashion bloggers
Online fashion bloggers are always looking for pieces to add, and with my experience, they will post your products for the small fee of sending one of your pieces for free! – Kaitlin Durkin from DurkyDesigns
Participate in shows and events
Take the time to set up a professional booth with a consistent look to sell jewelry. And, put down your cell phone…people want to shop with an artist who is present in the moment. – Sherry Trammel-Schauls from Balsamroot Ranch Jewelry
Connect with your target customer
Know who your consumers are and connect with them. Being able to relate to their lives and their style on a personal level is my ultimate goal for my jewelry brand. – Gina Chinino from Wristcandie
Use free tools
FB, Pinterest, twitter, e blasts, and blogging are great, but you have to stay on top of it all and integrate all platforms together. Since it is free you can experiment as much as you like. It's really rewarding to have so much interaction and feedback from customers. – Sarah McBrair from Love of Pretty
Connect emotionally
To distinguish yourself from other artists, make sure your website & marketing materials speak directly to your prospects and convey an engaging story about your jewelry (of beauty, history, nature, myth, family, etc). Give them more than just a list of metals, gems and dimensions so they can connect emotionally with your creations and be motivated to buy. – Alyson B. Miller from PivotGuild
Promote your sale with ads
Google AdWords and Facebook ads could be another driving force at bringing interest to your site. Be sure to budget ads correctly and you can be marketing to the masses in no time. – Fallon Morris from Din'e Creations
Make it easy for retailers
Instead of relying solely on a website or direct customer interaction to market the jewelry, make it easy for retailers to make the sale for you. Develop an attractive display to convey your story and showcase your quality. The retailer then sells a packet or order form, connecting you directly with the customer. While you may need to split your margin with the retailer, you gain a great deal more exposure and the retailer makes a good profit “brokering” the connection. – Sharon Herrman from Zelda’s Song
Invest in photography
Jewelry is hard to photograph but there are lots of tips and ideas available online and remember, your potential customer can't pick up the piece of jewelry and hold it, they can only see what you show in your photos so never stop trying to improve your photography. – Paula Huckabay from Pacific Jewelry Designs
Invest in branding
Create a look, word or color that is distinctively yours. When people see your work and marketing material, your name should pop in their head. – Lauren Sigman from Lauren Sigman Jewelry
Stand out
My brand is like my personality. I create quirky, fashionable jewelry that supports my values of being sustainable and budget-conscious. I gave serious thought to my values, beliefs, passions, creative inspirations and who I am as a person; the outcome of that is a brand that describes who I am and what I create, which in turn helps me focus on marketing to my target audience. – Merry Ware from This Merry Life
Share on Instagram
I actually use Instagram a lot to market my jewelry. Often, I'll post supplies for my supply shop because it's easier just to photograph than with my phone and end up having someone who wants to purchase it as a made piece! It's also great to get quick feedback about if people like an item! – Jenipher Lyn from Cherry Runway
Use hashtags
Creating Branding Content on Social Media Networks such as Twitter and Instagram! Utilize Hashtags to create a larger based audience for your product! You never know who might be paying attention. – Lisa Rocha from Ilaments
Wear your jewelry
This way potential customers get to experience your work in person, and how it is meant to be worn. I've found that women seem more likely to approach someone who is wearing something that they like, and ask that individual where they purchased it. – Rosa Villanueva from Fornication Nation
Have clear and informative descriptions
What are the dimensions of the work? What are the materials used? Potential customers need this kind of information to help them decide on their purchase. And to seal the sale, give a little insight into the inspiration behind the piece and a story about the techniques you used to create it. Personal details will help your item come alive for the shopper. – Peggy Li from Peggy Li Creations
Use business cards
I've found it's important to have lots of takeaways such as business cards or postcards at craft shows. It helps indecisive buyers track you down later to make a purchase online, and is also a great way to get found by boutiques and show directors looking for jewelry to feature. Some of my biggest leads for wholesale accounts and other shows have come from an email saying “I saw you at a craft show and took your card, we would love to have you… – Tess Fedore from Gilded Days
Embrace marketing to sell jewelry
My tip would be to embrace marketing as an important part of your jewelry business and not to be afraid to try new things. If you have a limited or non-existent marketing budget, take advantage of social media to make connections and get the word out about you and your brand, and also submit high-resolution images to magazines and newspapers. Sign up for HARO. – Anne Bliss from Bliss Designs
Be all over social media
Using social media sites can be a great way to market a new business. I recommend utilizing sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest to gain followers and awareness in your brand. Setting up a page on Pinterest is easy and fun! You can create the look you want for your brand, and use it to promote items or services you offer. You can answer questions directly about your products, engage in conversation with fans, and create polls and questions for ideas you may have for your business. – Heather Markowski from Posh Adornments
Get visual
Social media platforms see high engagement levels with photos, especially something as flashy and sexy as jewelry, so use photos of your jewelry to create a buzz about you. This is perfect if you're small and selling to consumers (B2C) because a Facebook page can work as effective as a website and reach potential clients. – Jayme Pretzloff from Wixon Jewelers
Respond quickly to sell jewelry
This has been my most important element in growing my business and it includes quick responses to questions, polite and informative answers, custom designs or re-sizing to fit the client, beautiful packaging, quick shipping and, above all, making a personal connection with clients. It is a great way to add that element of personality to an online shopping experience and it has resulted in repeat buyers, personal recommendations to other clients and amazing feedback which in turn helps new buyers feel comfortable purchasing your product. – Catherine Scott from JanJat Jewelry
Send out holiday cards
I always send out a holiday card with a special discount code that can only be used in person at a craft show or gallery show (I list all the events on my card for that season). This makes my good customers want to come and see me in person. I can usually talk a customer into something bigger or more expensive if I can sell the piece in person rather than through my website. – Andrea Lucille Shin from Andrea Lucille Designs
Post consistently
When you post on Facebook or Pinterest, it needs to be VISUAL and done CONSISTENTLY. I take some time at the beginning of the week to gather some photos, quotes, product shots and get them ready to go for use that week. I also find material to share from other sources that fit with my brand (blogs, products I like, photos that inspire, quotes). This doesn't mean you have to be online constantly. Just schedule your posts in bulk and it's really pretty easy. – Sarah Jane Nelson from Life is Rosey: Jewelry that Speaks
Mix things up
Don’t depend solely on one avenue, especially when you are in the e-commerce business. I make sure to diversify our online marketing strategy to include numerous avenues where potential customers can find and buy our jewelry. We invest heavily in SEO, Social Media, PPC, Blogger Outreach, Shopping Comparison Feeds and Online PR. – Jennifer Dunphy from South Of Exotic
Participate in trade shows
The line is currently sold in 650 stores! We market mostly at the fashion and accessory trade shows held in New York City. We also have sales representatives all over the country selling the contemporary line. – Marlyn Schiff from Marlyn Schiff
Hire sales reps to sell jewelry
My sales reps make what my stores make, the difference between wholesale & retail and these motivated women are great sales for me because they are passionate about the line & wear it daily which is just more exposure for the line! – Rachael Miller from Go Sports Jewelry
Provide good customer service
Respond promptly and try to solve any problems that come up quickly and make sure that your customers know exactly what they are getting beforehand so there are no surprises. – Joleen from Wasataylor
Host trunk shows to sell jewelry
Host a jewelry trunk show, by yourself or with other jewelers who do not produce the same type of jewelry that you do (less competition). Produce a few pieces to be donated to high profile charitable auctions, to get yourself in front of the appropriate clientele. Don't just go to craft shows, but expand your reach to religious holiday bazaars and showcasing your wares at networking opportunities. – Jocelyn Brandeis from JewelsByJocelyn
Be a guest blogger
During our second year of business, I started to write about my business and my products in magazines and articles. Currently, I blog for two magazines and write for Examiner.com for the fashion, and business columns. Recently, I was named the Best Fashion Blogger by Examiner.com. – LaNette Kincaid from Just Pearlz
What an amazing accumulation of wisdom here Andreea! Thank you for bringing it all together and for including our tips and those of our friends at Dine Creations. I loved Kim’s suggestion from Sorellina – of course wearing your own jewelry and having others wear it publicly is brilliant. Sometimes, the best advice is simplest and most overlooked! With gratitude.
Awesome….great information for a beginner and I now have a list of those who are making it to inspire me. Thank you
This article came at a time when I really needed new inspiration to make my online jewelry business more profitable. I needed this! Thank you so much! I have bookmarked this for future reference.
Thank you for such an informative article, I’m attempting mastering SEO as BrideAppeal mentioned. My ETSY shop is successful in selling bridesmaid jewelery, hopefully organic leads will arrive to my own website as well.
I found this information invaluable as I am working on expending traffic to my site to build customer base, using social media and there was much more information posted above that I can experiment with!
Great post and thanks for sharing all that wonderful feedback information from the many who have already run the course and continue to run it!!!
Priceless advice! And I love Go Sports Jewelrys’ marketing tactics re fundraising, SEO and having sales reps. Will be starting my business in the new year… so so glad I found this article before launch. THANK YOU!
What a terrific collection of suggestions! Wearing and having others wear your jewelry, consistency, being polite ALWAYS in public (one of my own challenges), taking high quality photos…all so true. Thank you for sharing these tips!
Brilliant information. I’m starting my blog, twitter and facebook. Thank you!
Great article. If I were to add anything it would be to stand out and don’t be afraid to blaze your own path. There are a lot of jewelry websites and designers all marketing similar products through similar medians. Find your niche and serve it with superior quality and service. Tanari Jewelry is a good example of these values.
Thank you all for this amazing yet simple advise. I am working on my jewelry business (first business) currently as of last month. This information will help me. 🙂
From what I read these seem to be some really great tips, especially working at search engine optimization, I tried it out and got frustrated, perhaps I will give it another go. Also the Facebook campaign seems like something I would be willing to try.
Rachel, I hear you! SEO takes time, sometimes months before you see results. Hang in there and keep working at it!
hi! i’m a jewelry designer. i have a studio in jerusalem and i would like to sell my designs to stores around the US. i would like to ask what i have to do to start the process. thank you!
I see that one of the recommendations is Facebook advertising. We historically had not been successful with these and felt they were wasted on the wrong people but thanks for the seasonal specials idea as it’s more highly targeted and maybe will generate better leads.
This article was very interesting and helpful. I do need to try doing SEO for my business myself. Thanks
Thank you so much for this post. What an amazing collection of wisdom from such inspiring people! I am just starting my business and this has really helped me get a perspective on marketing my business. Bookmarked for future reference! 🙂
I think this information help me for my new business
Some great tips from fellow jewelry professionals. I have made many notes and look forward to applying them to the business.
Excellent article! I have learned very much about better marketing our beautiful handmade fashion jewelry, made from custom lamp work glass beads and semi precious stones.
OMG great insight! I printed this page so I can read it slowly and highlight the ones that are more relevant to my business!
So glad to hear that! There are lots of great tips here!
very helpful. Thanks
Fabulous advice for newbies starting up!
Great tips! Thank you.
Wow. A bit overwhelming, but info is truly valuable. Ty. Country lady jewelry
Amazing tips !! Thanks a ton.
So helpful, I’m a new jewelry business and I’m trying to find ways to promote. Now I have some new ways to stay organized and build get the word out!
Excellent tips-thank you for sharing
Thanks for the info Pinterest is definitely helping my inspirational jewelry business.
I find some useful information and confirmation to whatever i have already started doing. But, concerning social media, i always hesitate ……don’t you agree that it is also a great place for some people to easily steal those models and creations which you spent weeks or months to produce ????
Thank you for the information. I have an online jewelry business and it is certainly not as easy as just opening one up. I have found with almost all searches I have done over the past few months and many hours. Most say the same thing with regards to social media. It would be great if there was a forum or website that small business owners can speak about their experiences. I find that many people hold their connections and information close to their hearts and do not really want to share. This is understandable due to competition but sooner or later we will figure it out with many hours and effort. It is very tough market to compete in (fashion jewelry), but when it is a dream and passion it will take perseverance.
This is very useful, I am just getting ready to start my jewelry business and this article has made me so much more excited. Thank you very much.
My wife is a jewelry fanatic and I think she would do really well if she sold some of the pieces she creates. She thinks otherwise, but it still made me curious to learn how it’s done. I really liked how Alyson explained, “Give them more than just a list of metals, gems and dimensions so they can connect emotionally with your creations and be motivated to buy.” I think that is a smart way to look at engaging with customers. Thanks for sharing, I loved reading through it!
I started doing jewelry 2 months ago. This information is very useful for my startup business. Thank you.
I’ve been thinking of selling jewelry, and I like all these tips for marketing. I especially love the tip to wear your jewelry and promote your line. Wearing the merchandise is a great way to get it noticed and show people how to style the pieces. Thanks for all these great tips.
I think all of your tips were exceptional, but my favorite were the ones related to boosting one’s presence with social media. I completely agree with the tips and have actually seen the methods work myself. My wife owns her own quilting business and frequently updated her Facebook and blog with pictures. Soon, after she gained a following, she opened an Etsy account and has been busy with projects ever sense!
I have a retail jewellry store in a small town. I usually gets my jewellry products from my dealer. But I am fed up sitting here in this small town. Now I want to present my retail store as a brand. I want to expand my business nationally. Basically I want to start a franchise system. My business is 80+ years old and My store is very famous in my whole town. So I need help regarding this system. How to implement this franchise system so that others can buy my franchise and start their own business. One question more. Can I sell my dealer’s products under my brand name?
These are all great tips and very helpful as I am a Social Media manager and one of my newest clients creates some beautiful pieces of jewelry and I want her to be as successful as she should be.
Excellent article! I love all the tips provided! I just launched my business (motivational fitness jewelry) on September 1st. It’s been an exciting time.
This article is very useful for these who want to start their business.
I’ve been thinking of selling jewelry, and I like all these tips for marketing. I especially love the tip to wear your jewelry and promote your line. Wearing the merchandise is a great way to get it noticed and show people how to style the pieces. Thanks for all these great tips.
Great suggestions! Having the insurance company waive that $1000 deductible for being a loyal customer is a great idea.
That’s a priceless advice!
Thanks for the great tips, Andreea. I agree with your point that high-quality photography is a must, but I would also add that photographs of people wearing/engaging with the jewelry is vital too.
Using photos with people wearing the jewelry in situations and living a lifestyle similar to your target audience helps put prospects imagine wearing the jewelry. This is a vital piece to connecting with your audience, no matter if you are selling online or in a brick and mortar store.
Expand my business to American and Canadian Market – Expanding your business into America/Canada may be a tremendous opportunity to serve a vibrant and growing market of both consumers.
This article has given my great suggestions. I am not very excited to market and sell my jewelry. Thank you to all of you.
Thanks for these great information you put together in this piece! To my opinion online presence and sales plays a crucial rule for the development of small companies and start-ups in our industry to compete with the big players.
However, some jewelry businesses still refrain from getting on social media, especially smaller businesses, because for them it can seem very time consuming. After all, with so many businesses existing on social media, how can your jewelry business stand out? I agree that you need to put in some efforts to get results but in the long run it is the only way forward!
As a jewelry company, you already have your eye on trends. With instagram/facebook, you can share your findings and create a conversation around popular trends and use this kind of content to get attention and advertise your pieces. Its a great way to encourage customers to engage with your brand by posting photos of themselves wearing your pieces or highlight your most loyal customers.
Social media is one of the best ways to have a digital presence and to drive traffic to your website. If you’re not on social media yet, why not? You are most likely losing sales and audience share. After we implemented our online strategy we have been able to increase significantly our online referrals and got valuable market research since we were able to analyze search pattern on our website.
Social media is about creating conversation and community; having a brand that people want to be involved with and that is inspirational. When you engage with your customers, your brand will seem friendly and approachable and people will begin to know, like, and trust your brand. Brands that people know, like, and trust are the brands that succeed and that people like to engage with, which will turn into revenues!
Good Luck!
Thank you for sharing information about jewelry marketing tips.
Keep sharing…
It is very useful for any jewelry business.
These are all great tips and very helpful. Thank you for giving me new ideas about marketing. I have also a jewelry shop where we provide different types of rings, bracelets and pendants.
Great advice. I’ve been an online jewelry seller/designer/maker for about 10 years and the one thing I would say is you’ve got to have great photos of your product. It also helps to get a review of your product photos from a fellow jewelry merchandiser/seller with more experience. Be careful not to take the criticism personally, use their review to your advantage & make improvements where they may see a weakness. While some high minded designers may take offense to your request, other’s are very willing to help a fellow succeed.
Yes, couldnt agree more! Thanks for sharing this
What a great piece of knowledge Andreea. Thanks for accumulating the whole scenario of jewelry marketing at a single place.
Thanks for these valuable tips. It is always great to learn about new marketing strategies. Nowadays we have a new market on digital platforms where we can easily display our products through social media platforms.
Thank for the amazing advice.
Love all of the above jewelry bloggers, daily drooling over the instagram accounts.
Thank you for mentioning the importance of hiring sales representatives to sell jewelry pieces. As you said, they can show off the beautiful pieces by wearing them themselves when they try to make a sale. If a person does not have a salesperson to market the jewelry for them, maybe they can try wearing it and show it to people themselves.
I like that you mentioned that you should do research on the jewelry that you are considering purchasing before you buy it. My wife and I have been talking about finding a jewelry for our daughter’s sixteenth birthday, and it would be important for us to know that we are choosing the right ones for her. If we decide to get her jewelry, I will be sure to research the jewelry beforehand.