Handmade Jewellery Maker UK Guild of Jewellery Designers
In the run-up to the Brexit referendum, certain industry sectors were vocal about their position on the matter. Financial services and academic institutions, for example, were amongst the strongest supporters of “Remain”.
The jewellery industry, however, was conspicuous by its absence from the campaign trail, possibly an indication that its members were unclear about how they felt about it, but now that the result has been decided, like everybody else, it has to work out it will mean in real terms.
"Why would I want to use Instagram?" I hear some of you ask. Sales, basically and being present to your fans. As with other social media platforms, Facebook and Twitter for example, there are potential sales to be made when you connect with clients and show your best work and passion. Instagram is mostly about the photos, so a visually-based company like a jewellery designer shouldn't pass up the opportunity to reach millions free of charge with their work.
If you’re new to the industry or starting your own jewellery business, The National Association of Jewellers is hosting a new dynamic one-day Entrepreneurship Masterclass, facilitated by Gordon Hamme, Managing Director of British Silver Week. Gordon Hamme has seen and worked in every type of company in the trade including manufacturing, wholesale, retail and the press.
We had quite a conundrum choosing a winner for the Spring Competition! There were some lovely entries for this competition, in a wide variety of styles and using a range of different techniques. The only thing that they had in common were a fabulous spring-like vibe and amazing craftsmanship!
Now is the time of year to take a long hard look at your business and think about your marketing plan. Are you keeping up with the latest tips and tricks for attracting new customers and keeping your existing ones engaged and interested? There are some excellent articles in the GoJD archives written especially for independent jewellers, coupled with the latest marketing techniques it should give your business a kick-start for 2016! Follow our top tips for marketing your jewellery and building a business image that consumers will trust.
Pricing your jewellery and metal work is a subject that comes up in discussions time and time again. It is sometimes a difficult balance to achieve and many artists and makers have radically different approaches to the issue. Here is the view of Patricia van den Akker, Director of The Design Trust:
‘Costing and pricing is a tricky subject for many designer makers, especially when starting out.
If you charge too much you won’t be making any sales, if you charge too little you won’t survive for long.
