By the Maya Jewelry team

Gone are the days of horn spirals being our only alternative jewelry option! As our industry continues to embrace an educated stance on high-quality jewelry, owners—and their employees—are raising the bar not only for the overall aesthetic of their studios, but the industry as a whole.

But there are many aspects at play when embarking on the marketing and sales of these products, and it all starts with your display cases—and your marketing strategies. Every year Maya Jewelry puts thought and intention into how it’s collection will be presented at the annual Association of Professional Piercers Conference. Although it may take many months of planning and preparation, it only takes one day to set up. From planning to execution it is a well thought out portrait of how we want Maya portrayed.

This planning and execution should include rotating your displays often. This keeps them fresh, keeps your clients interested, and offers them the opportunity to see a piece that they may have missed on their last visit. (If you don’t do this already, consider refreshing cases seasonally; it is a great way to allow separate pieces to shine.)

While Kristin of Metamorphosis (Indianapolis, IN) separates her cases by jewelry company, Nick of Dorje Adornments (Rochester, NY) organizes his cases by the cohesiveness of the collection. Being able to determine how your particular clientele prefers to shop will make all the difference in your sales. Try new placements to determine what works and what doesn’t. Get creative with materials and stands, using them to not only build and tie into your studios brand but also to accentuate the product without it being overbearing. Keep everything above waist level, polished, and well-lit. The more pieces you can hang to create different levels within your display and showcase the various dimensions within the actual design, the more distinctively each piece will be represented. Keep it creative but comfortable.

Another important element of product placement, one which lands on you as the representative, the face, and the spokesperson for what you carry. Wearing jewelry you sell displays it in a natural yet subtle way. It showcases the piece as  it is intended and shows how it looks and translates on an actual person. It also allows you and your client to build a connected sense of trust; if you don’t wear it, why would they want to? Mike of Iron Clad Tattoo (Troy, MI) even offers preferred rates to high profile clients, such as those who work within the service industry of his area. Bartenders, hair stylists, and many other customer-facing clients are one of the best forms of representation, as they will be asked about their jewelry often.

Kristin and Nick both offer various jewelry incentives to their staff, which is something more of us could join in on. Noah of Evolution Body Piercing (Albuquerque, NM) uses reward systems to encourage staff to really get involved with their sales. Have your employees exceeded sales goals for the month? That pair they have been coveting makes for the perfect token of appreciation.

You should also be sure to take time to educate your staff on the products they sell. Set up a meeting that focuses on product knowledge and sales. Kristin makes sure her staff studies catalogs and any available information through manufacturer websites. Mike likes to educate his staff and clients on where the products are coming from, and the care that is put into each piece’s creation. It is also imperative to understand the differences between the materials you offer, and how to properly care for them in order to ensure the life-long integrity of the pieces that walk out your door. This applies to all jewelry, be it a steel nostril screw or a pair of Maya Jewelry’s Kavadi’s.

A powerful and effective way of approaching a sale is being able to read and understand your client in a short amount of time. Having a relatable demeanor is everything and within minutes you can easily have a lifelong client or an extremely bad review, so knowing how to shop with them is key. Lysa of Industrial Tattoo (Berkeley, CA) loves jewelry sales because she loves what she is selling and loves pleasing people even more so. Lysa and Nick both recognize just how important personal shopping can be, and how vital it is to get involved. Ask questions to decipher what they are looking for: a gift for someone else, that particular piece a special occasion, something to help make a bad day a little better, or just something, just because. Mike and Noah both also noted how important it is to educate your client of the designer—and their products high-quality, hand-crafted nature. Nick does it right by taking on the roll of a stylist, offering his honest opinion in an appropriate manner if something looks great on them or not and being able to pull other styles that they may not have even considered. You want to see your client confident and excited by the end of your interaction and knowing what role to take on in order to do so will be your most potent tool.

It is no secret that social media plays a crucial role in the direction of advertising now. It is necessary for every company and studio owner to jump on this bandwagon if you do not wish to be left behind. You can use these platforms to your advantage to build your studio’s brand and your clientele and besides, who doesn’t love free advertising?

Much like your displaying techniques, it is best to keep your pages current and inviting. Using high-quality, cohesive photos to enable your viewer a poignant impression of exactly what you are offering. If you post a photo of beautiful jewelry sitting next to a large inanimate object, your point is lost. At Maya, we offer usage of all of our product and editorial photography to our clients which enables them to remain consistent in their branding of our collection. Keep the content of your specific post in context as you only get one shot. Posting often, using appropriate hashtags, and following through with comment response will allow your posts to be more interactive and encourages your followers to get involved and feel like they are a part your studio and our community.

Marketing and sales are a fraction (albeit an important fraction) of the display tactics which make up your company. Just remember to decipher your target market then come up with an approach to grow it using the 3 C’s: creative, comfortable, comprehensive. Your impression can last a lifetime.