Sell Your Jewelry with Twitter

"Tweeting? Tweetering? I have to be a Twit to sell my jewelry?"  If you're selling your jewelry, and especially if you're selling it online, you've likely wondered about using social media to help promote your handmade goods.

I have spent a lot of time lately, experimenting with & learning about social media marketing: blogging, Facebook, FourSquare, Twitter & more.  I even had the opportunity to speak at a Social media conference the other day (http://www.SocialMediaFTW.com) on a "Business Success Stories Using Social Media" panel.  So I have been thinking more about social media marketing lately, and how it can be applied to the hand-made market to help jewelry & other designers and creatives further their sales. I also love simplifying things.  So I thought a Sell Your Jewelry: Top 5 Reasons to Tweet list might be the best way to get some helpful ideas out there, about using Twitter to promote your jewelry.

Sell Your Jewelry On Twitter: Top 5 Reasons to Tweet.

1) Make connections

I once heard a smart woman, savvy in social media say "Twitter is like a cocktail party..." (-@ccmaine on Twitter).  If you were attending a cocktail party, you'd wear your finest beadwork, and you'd wait for someone to notice it.  If they asked about it, you might slip them your business card.  But you certainly wouldn't show up at the cocktail party with a fluorescent sign reading "I Make Jewelry", handing out free samples & with mailing list sign-ups on a clipboard on your hip.  Twitter is the same way.  You should tweet things of interest using your real voice: the voice you'd greet friends in. Or the voice you'd greet shoppers at your craft show booth with.  You might talk about things going on in your lives, the weather, current events, or people you know.  It will get out there that you make jewelry & even that you're selling it in the course of conversation & the word will spread.  It takes time to make connections online, just like in real life.

2) Be The Face of Your Brand

Your avatar (or your picture), says a lot about you.  It sets the tone when people are reading your tweets.  Many jewelry designers will use a picture of their beadwork as their avatar.  This conveys that the tweeter makes jewelry.  However, I'd challenge you to share your face: use a picture of you smiling, laughing or generally looking like you're a fun and approachable person.  If you're just starting out on Twitter, I think you'll find that more people will reply & engage a happy face more so than an object.  Of course, you could always model one of your finest pieces, along with that purdy face of yours.

3) Hone Your Skills

By engaging in what others are talking about on Twitter, you can ask questions and learn.  There are free jewelry how-tos posted on Twitter all the time.  A great tactic to getting people to ask you about what you do, is to tweet about what you're working on in your studio.  Or what you learned in a recent class you took.  Or what you read in your favorite jewelry design book.  Give others interested in jewelry and perhaps in buying your jewelry, a peek at what you're an expert in: not by trying to sell to them directly, but by giving them a glimpse at your work via techniques and tips.

4) Meet Other Jewelry Designers

Networking is always good.  If someone is out there trying to make a living doing what you're doing, don't look at them as competition.  There are so many varying looks and aesthetics to handmade jewelry.  Even if your work might be similar in some ways, it is always beneficial to network.  You might learn of a new resource or technique.  And you might even gain business by referral.  Perhaps your friend's bead-woven jewelry isn't what her potential bridal client was looking for.  However, your sterling silver bead wrapped crystals are exactly what she had in mind.  Your friend & jewelry design colleague knows you'll pass along the favor in the future.

5) Your Work Will Be Seen

Even though you're not flashing your Twitterfeed of all your Etsy listings (Yes, you can do this - however I don't recommend it.  At least, not often.), your work will be seen.  And, it will be seen by honed-in potential buyers who are thrilled to pass along business to a 'friend' or someone with whom they have a connection.  When someone is looking for a referral, don't we all like to refer our friends?  Or our colleagues?

A great example of a prolific jewelry designer who is using Twitter well is @SueAnneShirzay.  She not only makes connections & does well with her beautiful line of jewelry, but she also picked up a recurring spot on a radio show as the style maven.  She posted blogs & tweets about what she loves & loves not-so-much, in the world of fashion, accessorizing & trends and got noticed.

So get on Twitter.com & grab your design name.  Tweet good tweets.

Heather DeSimone
My Bead Store: http://BeadinPath.com
My Twitter Account: http://twitter.com/BeadinPath