If you have a passion for Jewellery, creativity and a flair for design then you could well have the skills to set up your own Jewellery making business. The development of fashion or costume Jewellery is a relatively simple process that people with the right skills can turn into a profitable home business.
Without a good creative eye your business will sink without a trace it is vital that you can distinguish yourself from your competitors (make no mistake there are many!) with designs that are fresh and unique. And that is not all, to really make this business a success you will need to have excellent people skills, being able to talk positively about your designs, finding out exactly what buyers want from you and dealing with all enquiries politely and positively are key factors in any successful business.
The great thing about a Jewellery business is the fact that your customers are everywhere. Handmade products are really hot right now and selling in local markets or even renting a stall in a local mall or shopping center can prove to be really lucrative. Or you might prefer to just do the designs and leave the selling to someone else, in that case dealing with small independent retailers who are looking for something a bit different can be a great place to start, and also allows you to concentrate on the more creative side of your business, ultimately commanding higher prices for your exclusive designs.
Another great market is selling online. Using your offline marketing methods such as advertising in Jewellery boxes for pieces you sell, putting flyers locally in shops and art galleries to promote your site can really help drive buyers to your site, allowing you to generate substantial income whilst keeping your overheads low. However, by far the easiest way would be to sell via ebay. Start a new account in the business name to really distinguish yourself and allow the huge potential of ebays marketplace to generate serious potential customers to your products.
One way to sell locally and really keep your costs low is to sell by party plan. Visit local groups such as Youth Clubs, Community Centers etc, anywhere where your potential customers are likely to gather and ask to give a 20 min presentation on the Jewellery you have this will also you to take orders from prospective customers, test out new designs and hone your selling skills for free!
Start up costs for a jewelry maker can be as little or as much as you want, this really is a flexible business. Tools can be bought for around $100 - $150 (£50 -£75) and your initial stock should cost around the same, although could be slightly more depending upon which materials you decide to use. If you choose to take on premises or set up a website straight away then the costs will obviously more, but as stated above selling via ebay or by party plan is a more cost effective option.
In terms of the legalities of your business, you will need to register for tax contributions in your local area, however this will be a fairly straightforward process, which will involve setting up as a sole trader. In most cases a telephone call to the Inland Revenue will suffice. In the UK you can register by ringing the Helpline for the Newly Self Employed on 0845 15 45 15.
If you have particularly unique designs you may wish to protect these with copyright or patenting designs. However in most cases it is difficult to prove a direct infringement of copyright, so keeping designs fresh and innovative is often the best solution do not imitate, Innovate.
For further information check out:
British jewelers association
The Association of Contemporary Jewellery
James Beamish has spent many years working as a business adviser. You can check out his blog here - A Business Of Your Own
