100% Free Jewelry Designs

A high quality sales representative is a unique individual, just as unique as you and your jewelry line, so while the final decision a jewelry designer will make in choosing a sales representative will ultimately be, “How does he or she fit in with my company and what I am trying to accomplish?”, there are some qualities that are the essence of excellence in salesmanship regardless of whether or not there is a personality match.

1. Confidence - Is the person self-assured and truly knowledgeable? When they don’t know an answer, how do they handle it? A willingness to admit they don’t know but will learn and get back to you is a sign of a confident salesperson. Do they make eye contact when speaking with you? Handshakes can tell a lot about a person: Remember if you don’t receive a good handshake, then you probably won’t get a “fair shake”. A willingness to accept feedback, especially the negative, without feeling beaten up or rejected, is another important characteristic to consider.

2. Persistence - Persistence in selling is that balanced practice of following up without being a pest. If you made an agreement to a future conversation, did that person contact you as agreed? If you were not available, did they try again in a reasonable length of time? If you called them and they were not immediately available, did you receive a return call promptly? Did you receive a follow-up call or letter after your meeting? On the other hand, did they call too often?

3. Enthusiasm - Ask your potential sales representative about their favorite city, sport, food, anything really. Then watch their face and eyes as they reply, and listen to the tone of their voice. Ask them about the other jewelry and accessory lines they carry or about their customer base. Listen and look for a similar tone. It is spirited and lively conversation, or do you think of Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh stories as they speak?

4. Communication skills - Communication is 90% listening, and while a sales representative may possess a large vocabulary and excellent command of the language, which are certainly important to have, the question is, how well do they listen? It is the salesman’s ability to listen to your customers’ needs and desires and the the ability to convey them to you clearly that will grow your business. If they are good, active listeners, and maybe even note-takers, you can be assured that customers will be coming to you for their jewelry needs on a regular basis.

5. Loyalty - The hardest characteristic to assess, many times loyalty can be observed only in retrospect, and circumstances sometimes allow only difficult choices. That aside, there are ways to peek into a salesperson’s sense of loyalty. How many years has he or she been associated with other companies? How did they treat their jewelry sample lines? The more years a person carries a line, the more likely it is that there were up swings and down swings in their business. When you call the referenced companies, it may be worth asking about the representative’s attitude and activities during the lean times. their response will be very instructive.

As the potential representative about their childhood friends. Perhaps they prefer certain brands or stores and are willing to pay a bit extra for the sale of being a loyal customer. Do they in fact have a long-standing relationship with their customers, or are they love’em and leave’em type where they get one order and never go back? Ask how they plan to differentiate your line from the other lines they carry. Ask about their parents or grandparents and listen carefully to the replies. With carefully chosen questions, the aspects of a person’s sense of loyal and honesty will present themselves.

Keep in mind that any sales representative worth their salt will be looking for these attributes in you and your attitude towards your jewelry, so remember during your interviews to show confidence in yourself follow up as you would like to be contacted, don’t be afraid to show excitement and enthusiasm over what you have to offer, listen well to the answers you receive, and remember to appreciate your long time friends and business associates who carried you through your start up and lean times.

Andrea Twombly - Vice-President of Guyot Brothers Company, Inc., a fourth generation manufacturer of decorative brass stampings for the costume jewelry and related arts trades.

http://www.guyotbrothers.com

Share This

Gold is one of the metals taken from the earth and is probably the first metal known to man. Its first use has been traced back to 3600 B. C. and was probably originally obtained in Egypt, as the ancient methods of obtaining gold in Egypt are illustrated in early rock carvings. It is said in the book of Genesis that Abraham, in the twentieth century B. C., when he went out of Egypt, was very rich not only in cattle but in gold and silver both in dust and ingots. In Exodus xxv, 29, we read that Moses was commanded by the Lord to make spoons of gold for the Tabernacle. In the writings of Homer, Sophocles, Herodotus, Pliny and others, gold is frequently mentioned.

Gold is widely distributed in nature and is found in many ways and in all parts of the world. It is found in water, in the ice of Alaska, in the sand of South Africa, and in the quartz of Colorado, and is frequently found native, though usually alloyed with silver or iron. The purest specimens of native gold have yielded from 96 to 99 per cent, pure metal.

It is remarkable that all of the races of mankind have selected gold as the first and chief representative of value. In the earliest times it was used as a medium of exchange in the form of bars, spikes and rings; the rings could be opened and closed so that a chain could be made for convenience in carrying. Gold was also used at a very early period for the construction of personal ornaments, as the savage found it easy to beat out the pure ore into circlets to adorn his limbs. The universal use of gold in preference to all other metals is due to its many properties; its color and luster, its malleability and its indestructibility. Gold does not tarnish nor can it be destroyed. It may be reduced to a liquid and the liquid transferred to a powder, and the powder when melted in a crucible returns to its natural state. It is the most malleable of all metals and has been hammered into leaves 1-282,000th of an inch thick. An ounce of gold may be drawn out into a wire fifty miles long. The tenacity of gold is seven tons per square inch.

Pure gold, being too soft for all ordinary purposes, is generally alloyed with other metals. Silver and copper are the principal alloys used, although iron is used in small quantities for different purposes. Pure silver has a brilliant white color and is the whitest of all metals. No metal surpasses silver in its luster and hardness it ranges between pure gold and pure copper. It is more fusible than copper or gold, melting at a bright red heat or at 1873F. It is commonly used for the purpose of alloying gold in its pure state, but if too much is added it makes the gold pale. Pure copper is the only metal that has a reddish appearance. It is both malleable and ductile; hence it is very useful as an alloy for gold.

For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of “How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off.” This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at http://www.morninglightjewelry.com

Share This

Not only can you look great by making your own beaded jewelry you can also have a blast while you create to your hearts content. The first creation you should consider making is a beaded necklace for its elegance and simplicity. The second creation you should consider making is some beaded earrings.

Before you begin go to a bead or craft store so you can buy some supplies. The only things you really need to start are some thread or wire and some inexpensive beads. Always start with the inexpensive beads to learn with then move onto your favorite gem stones once you have the basics down.

Let’s make a beaded necklace first. In the bead or craft store buy some thread or wire, beads, two crimps and a clasp. Next use more thread than you will actually need so you will have enough to attach the clasp with. Layout your beads on the table in the desired pattern you wish to make on the necklace. Now you can string the beads onto the middle of the thread or wire in your desired pattern. Use a piece of tape at the end of each pattern to hold your place. You can also use a spacer bead instead of the tape.

At each end slide one of the crimps onto the thread or wire. Add one half of the clasp, then string the thread back through the crimp and use needle nose pliers and press firmly on the crimp. Now you can remove the tape.

Now you can wear your creation and start all over again to make more. Once you have the knack you will never run out of ideas. So pursue your new found hobby with all the energy you can muster. You’ll find it not only fun but also a great way to learn different avenues of self expression.

Next let’s make some beaded earrings. First here are the supplies you will need: 2 head pins ( or eye pins as they are sometimes called), 4 spacers, 4 beads, and 2 fishhook ear wires. Next you will begin by putting the beads on in a simple pattern: bead, spacer, bead, spacer, like that. Ok, now follow closely, make a loop right above the top bead: using needle nose pliers, bend the pin at a 90 degree angle. Then using round nose pliers, form a loop. Wrap the wire on the other side of the loop, back around the wire (in between the loop and the bead). Now cut with wire cutters. Next, take the fish hook ear wire, and open the loop. Attach your drop and close the loop. Repeat for the second earring.

Limitless adventures — that is what you’ll have now that you have mastered the first step in creativity. You’ll amaze yourself the more you allow yourself to develop and play. Don’t put restraints on your designs, instead just let them flow freely. Even if something seems like a long shot take a chance — what have you got to lose? Never again will you be afraid to walk into a new adventure. Fun and excitement is what you carry inside of you now. Watch it explode and mature as you allow yourself to develop your own style and grace. Remember today is the first day of the rest of your creative life.

Owen Walcher is a freelance writer, writing helpful articles about topics such as Jewelry. You can find an alternate version of this Making Beaded Jewelry article here. jewelry.helpfularticle.info

Share This