How to Use the Power of Niche Marketing to Boost Your Jewelry Design Business

!±8± How to Use the Power of Niche Marketing to Boost Your Jewelry Design Business

If you're a jewelry designer, you're probably already aware of the amount of competition there is for the handmade jewelry dollar. It can be frustrating when you exhibit at a jewelry or craft show and find you're one of many jewelry exhibitors. What's the best way to overcome this problem? Your answer may lie in harnessing the power of niche marketing for your jewelry business. Why? It's easier and less costly to reach your market if you're a specialist in your jewelry niche. Being a specialist also gives you added credibility.

Let me illustrate by telling you about a business that has found a unique little niche that has made them quite a success.

One day at our bead store, a lady walked in with an interesting line of handmade jewelry. Her jewelry consisted of little teapots in all shapes and sizes cast in sterling silver. Some of the teapots had beads as the body of the teapot, while others were composed of hollow sterling with intricate patterns on their surface. She had made these little teapots into earrings, Victorian looking necklaces, bracelets, and pins. According to her, she had the teapots cast by a silver casting company in Providence, Rhode Island. Once casted, they were sent to her to make into completed designs.

Although she had a great deal of success marketing her teapot jewelry at craft and jewelry shows, her biggest source of sales has been tea stores across the country. It seems these stores can't get enough of her tea themed jewelry. She has a beautiful color brochure that really plays up the beauty and uniqueness of her designs. To reach her market, she simply sends out mailings of her color brochure to tea stores across the country and then follows up with a phone call. This is a very simple and effective marketing technique.

This lady has found a powerful niche market for her jewelry. Wouldn't you think most people who shop in a tea store for teapots and tea accessories would be interested in what this lady has to offer? Teapot collecting has become a popular hobby and what better way to express a love for a hobby than by wearing teapot jewelry? In addition, people know they can't find teapot jewelry just anywhere so they're more inclined to buy it when they see it.

Is there a niche market for your handmade jewelry you may have been overlooking? Could you adapt your jewelry to meet the demands of particular niche market?

A few ideas might be:

1. Cat jewelry for a veterinarian's office who specializes in the care of cats.

2. Dog jewelry for veterinarian's offices, doggie day care facilities, boarding and grooming centers, pet stores etc.

3. Ballet themed jewelry for dance studios and dancing supply stores.

4. Plant and flower themed jewelry for gardening centers and gardening gift shops.

5. Food themed jewelry for gourmet supply and gourmet foods stores.

6. Bicycle themed jewelry for bicycle supply stores.

The list could go on and on. Sometimes making jewelry for these markets can be as simple as adding a sterling silver charm to one of your current designs with the appropriate theme. Just imagine of all the hobbies and occupations you could target with your handmade jewelry designs. Give niche designing and marketing a try and see if it can help YOUR jewelry business.

How to Use the Power of Niche Marketing to Boost Your Jewelry Design Business

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How to Clean Your Statue

!±8± How to Clean Your Statue

When you are cleaning anything made out of stone, certain care must be taken, depending on the type of stone that it is and the size of the statue. Outdoor garden statues and monuments will need special care, as they are prone to all the barrages of the elements, including fungus, lichens, mold, and mildew. Without regular cleaning, several layers of grime can build up which will eventually end up chipping or cracking the rock. A good statue cleaner will break through these layers, nourishing the stone and helping with restoration. Be sure to first determine what type of stone that you are working with, however, because the cleaner will depend on the stone.

Softer stones, such as limestone, sandstone, or marble, will need a more gentle type of statue cleaner. However, hard stones such as granite are more durable and will withstand the elements better as well as harsher cleansers. A good rule of thumb is to give outdoor statues a thorough cleaning every six months if you live in a harsh climate or one that has a high degree of humidity; and on an annual basis in other climates. This will keep them in good shape, keeping them clean year-round.

To begin, it's a good idea to rinse the statues thoroughly with water. This rinse-off will remove any surface dirt that is clinging to them. Then, using a paintbrush or toothbrush, you can start to brush around the statue to get into all the details and remove dirt that is more deeply embedded. After this first brushing, you can then take your statue cleaner, and combine it with water if the directions indicate to do so. Using this mixture, you can then brush the cleaner into the stone using circular motions. Give the statue a good rinse after this second cleaning, and let dry thoroughly.

Finally, once the statue has dried, you can give it a good look and see if you have removed the majority of the residue or not. If there are still stubborn etchings or dirt, you may need to repeat the cleansing process with your statue cleaner. After this cleaning is done, the next step would be to polish the statue using a buffing solution of some kind. This can be more difficult for ornate statues or sculptures, but will help restore the sheen of the natural stone and can really make your sculpture come alive.

How to Clean Your Statue

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