How to turn press on your jewellery designs into money

Press Coverage - How to turn press on your jewellery designs into money

Over the years I have received print press coverage by Fashion Magazine, Toronto Life, Flare, Chatelaine, , and by national newspapers.  Most of these were submissions by retail boutiques to which I wholesale my collections.  They all have mention of my company name and the photography is always superb.  I've been meaning to for years to turn press coverage into strong marketing tools.  I know I can do this and should know how to do it.  After all, I went through an awful MBA program and worked through more than 6 courses on strategy and marketing.  I have friends in the public relations industry who have been giving me advice through the years, and I've traveled to many countries and seen how strong firms utilize press coverage to increase sales.  But self-promotion goes against the grain of my upbringing.  Well, I am here to tell you that if you have the same problem, then overcome it and I will show you how to turn press coverage on your jewellery designs and company into strong marketing tools that will help you enter into new territories and gain profit growth.

Press is built on momentum, regardless of good press or bad.  The more press you already have, the easier it is to get more.  Every venue in the fashion world wants to be in the "know" and no one wants to be out of the loop in mentioning what is the "hottest ticket".  So, strike while the iron is hot and take advantage of the momentum.

Mention the Press Coverage on your website
You should always put it up on your website.  It adds credibility to you as a designer.  It works equally for consumers as well as wholesale customers, the more the better.  Check out how some of the better brands do it.  It is better to include the cover of the magazine for the edition in which your designs have been featured.

Frame it
Frame the press coverage or plaque the write up and feature pictures.  You notice that restaurants do that with great success in attracting more patrons.  You can do the same in your studio or office.  Just as it does on your website, it adds credibility and validity as to why they should buy from you.

Create a P.O.P. (point of purchase) display
Select the best feature(s) and digitally create a little 4x6 or 5x7 (larger if the retail display allows) card.  Frame it using clear acrylic to minimize the size, or use a display that is congruent with the style of your collection.  If possible, send one out to each retail boutique that carries your line.  It does wonders for increasing sales and helps boost the retailer's image.

Create a portfolio
Create a tasteful portfolio of the press coverage you've received, in reverse chronological order.  Just like a model's look book that she brings to her casting calls, it helps your sales representative when making sales calls to new boutiques.  This portolio should always be in your booth at tradeshows, and with you when you meet potential sales representatives.  You should also send a lighter version of this portfolio with the product samples which you send to media for PR, or to celebrities for future press.

Earth Day - All Brown and Blue Stones on Sale at 20% Off!!!

Stones and Findings is having a sale just in time for Earth Day sale! We’re celebrating now and you can save 20% on a large selection of stones such as Turquoise, Kyanite, Sodalite, Lapis Lazuli, Bronzite, Brown Sardonyx and many more. Our crystal cubic zirconia, pearls and shells are also on 20% off ! So pick up your favourites today, before they're gone!

http://www.stonesandfindings.com/specials

Our offer is only valid from Monday, March 30, 2009 to Sunday, April 12, 2009!

You can shop online, or visit our showroom Mon-Fri 10:00am - 6:00pm and Sat. 11:00am - 4:00pm.
Hope to see you there!

Using Semi-precious Beads in Clothing

How use semi-precious stones, freshwater pearls, and crystals in your garments

Beads are often used in everyday life items that aren’t considered to be pieces of jewelry. When I think of beads that are used outside of jewelry I think of either home décor or clothing.
Most notably beads can be found on evening wear or wedding dresses. Adding beads to a special occasion dress or outfit like crystal just add some sparkle to the outfit and work to highlight certain areas by catching and reflecting the light, giving the outfit, and the person a sense of glamour. Pearls are often also found on wedding dresses as they give the dress some visual texture, and they just look so good with lace!

Beads can also be found on everyday items of clothing like tops, dresses, and even pants. They work to dress up a piece of clothing a little more, and give the consumer yet one more reason to buy that special item of clothing.
Adding beads to clothing is not all that difficult. It is often quite fun to do, and the sense of accomplishment once you are done and the piece looks amazing is well worth it. My suggestion when adding beads to an item of clothing that are going to be permanently attached to the garment is to work with a smaller sized bead. Three millimeter crystals , or size ten seed beads work well, as a rule I would not go much above four millimeters, but ultimately it is going to come down to the type of garment you are working on, and the bead that you want to use and if it will be a good fit. Three millimeter crystals , are a favorite as they are a perfect size and they give both a fun sparkle and some colour to the piece.
When sewing the beads on, work with embroidery floss, preferably the colour of the clothing item so that your stitches will disappear. Embroidery floss comes with six strands so I suggest pulling the strands apart, and sewing the beads on with either two or thee strands of the floss. Embroidery floss will be stronger then regular sewing thread, but you could also use something like nylon if you prefer.

If you want to add something to a dress, top, skirt or jacket with out making it permanent there are a few things that you can do. Not making your changes permanent will have a few benefits, the first being that it will make the item much easier to wash- with no fear of looking any of the beads in the bottom of your washing machine, and the second being that it will give you the ability to give a garment multiple looks. First you can embellish a separate piece of fabric with stones, pearls or crystals , and then using snaps or hooks you can attach the fabric to the item of clothing that you are wanting to add it on to. Another thing to do is securely attach clasps to your item of clothing, at the shoulders for a top or dress, or main seam lines for other garments, and then create strands or 'faux necklaces'. Once you are done, finish them off with soldered rings on both ends, and then you can mix and match them onto your garment.
With all of these many different techniques to try out, there are endless possibilities for the person that just simply can’t get enough of beading.

Designing with Sardonyx

In the Ancient Roman Empire, sardonyx was an especially treasured gemstone, and was often used by the elite for making wax seals. Its smooth texture didn't stick to the wax, so it was a natural fit in that role. Romans also used its wonderful visual personality for ornament and high fashion: the esteemed general Publius Cornelius Scipio was reported to frequently sport large quantities of the stone.

With such an eye-catching visual personality, it's easy to see why. Sardonyx is characterized by the brilliant deep red bands that distinguish it from normal black onyx. Both are members of the chalcedony family. Sardonyx is thought to help its wearer cultivate positive energies, while dispelling other negative or unwanted energies.

Click here to browse Sardonyx at Stones and Findings

Designing with Sunstone

Sunstone, known to the scientific community as aventurine feldspar, is famous for its spangled golden brilliance. It is the official state gemstone of Oregon, where sites of sunstone abundance have actually been opened to the public. Even though Oregon residents and commercial enterprises have harvested countless tonnes of the gem, it still remains in wealthy abundance. If you like, you can go hunt for your own sunstone finds there.

Long, long before sunstone deposits were discovered in the USA, the mineral was of indispensable aid to Vikings who, surprisingly, used it for navigation. This is due to an amazing natural property of sunstone known as polarization; sunstone's metallic inclusions reflect light in a stunning blaze of colour that changes depending on what angle the stone is facing in relation to the source of light. So on foggy or overcast days when the sun was not directly visible, those Nordic sailors of old simply pulled out their handy piece of sunstone and rotated it until they saw the tell-tale gleam. From this they could gather their bearings and sail in an informed trajectory.

Tested navigational benefits and awe-inspiring beauty aside, sunstone has been thought to aid digestion, help with rheumatism, and increase strength and vitality.

Click here to browse Sunstone at Stones and Findings

Back to School Sale! July 28-August 31!

For those students out there, here's a sale just for you!
With a valid student ID, you can purchase from Stones and Findings with NO WHOLESALE MINIMUMS!

And for those of you who still want in on the sale, we're giving 5% off of all regular priced Pearls, Crystals and Stones with every purchase of $150 or more!

Wow your teachers with your bedazzling jewellery!
Stock up now!