#57: How Jewelers Can Sell Without Doing Shows

"How to Sell Jewelry Without Doing Shows (5 Proven Methods)"

IA huge thank you to Gesswein, today’s episode sponsor. If you’re a jeweler who geeks out on precision tools the way some people geek out on vintage vinyl, Gesswein is your candy shop. They’ve been equipping makers for over a century, and their tools are the quiet partners behind so many beautifully crafted pieces.

Check them out at gesswein.com and start upgrading the way you work, one brilliant tool at a time.

n this episode of 'The Jeweler's View', host Courtney Gray, a metalsmith educator and business strategist, shares insights from her 25 years of experience in the jewelry industry. She introduces five alternative methods for selling jewelry without relying on shows, including intentional word-of-mouth, collector preview emails, DM selling, small virtual events, and collaborations with other local businesses. Courtney emphasizes building genuine relationships, providing actionable insights, and encourages listeners to try just one of the methods. The episode promotes deeper connections rather than aggressive sales tactics. Sponsored by Gesswein, it underscores the importance of partnerships and offers support for struggling jewelers.

Transcript

57: How Jewelers Can Sell Without Doing Shows

​[00:00:00]

Welcome to The Jeweler's View. I'm Courtney Gray, metalsmith educator and creative business strategist. After 25 years in the jewelry industry, running one of the country's top metalsmithing schools, coaching artists, advising companies and organizations, and hosting interviews with some of the best in the craft.

I finally created the kind of support I wish I'd had from the start. This podcast is a part of that. Each week I share the lessons I had to learn the hard way so you can build a rhythm that supports your creative work, your values, and the life and business you actually want. Find tools, coaching and my transform course@courtneygrayarts.com and let's get to work.

This episode is supported by Gesswein, a fourth generation company built [00:01:00] by people who understand what it means to make things by hand. Whether you're polishing a one of a kind ring or running a full shop, their tools, training and support help you work smarter without losing the soul of your craft.

You can learn more@guesswine.com.

Courtney Gray: Hey friend, it's Courtney. Welcome back to the Jewelers View, where we talk about this wild winding, sometimes glorious sometimes. Why the hell am I doing this again? Path of being a maker. Years ago, I had a student, I adore her, she walked into the studio one morning looking like she'd been through a war.

She dropped her bags on the floor and said, Courtney, my tent blew over in a rainstorm yesterday at this event I was doing, I spent two hours in the mud trying to save my displays while people just walked past. I swear if I have to do [00:02:00] one more show, I'm done with this

honestly, I believed her because if you've ever done shows or you do shows, now you know the look that I'm dehydrated overhand and spiritually exhausted. Look, and what she asked me next is exactly what I wanna talk to you about today. Is there any other way to sell my work because I cannot keep doing this?

And the answer is yes. Absolutely yes. You do not have to build your entire business on shows. You do not have to drag your tent across a gravel parking lot at dawn,

and you do not have to talk to that one guy who always says, I could make that ever again. So today I wanna walk you through what's actually working for jewelers who are selling consistently without doing shows at all.

And if as we talk through this you start [00:03:00] feeling that I'm overwhelmed already feeling rise up again. I want you to go back to episode 25, the back burner it technique. You don't have to make these shifts now back burner It. This is a lifesaver when you're juggling 10 ideas or thinking I should go in this direction or that, and you're trying to just pick one.

All right, let's dig in. So let's start with the first one. Word of mouth, but not the vague. Tell your friends thing. I mean, intentional, deliberate, word of mouth. Here's what works. Give people the words that they can use. They want to support you. Trust me, you have a lot of people in your orbit who are ready to support you.

They just don't know what to say or maybe how to do it. Try this. Hey, if you ever think of someone who'd love handmade or CustomMade jewelry, feel free to send them my way. No pressure, no [00:04:00] weirdness. Just open the door. The truth is your customers love feeling like insiders. Let them be a part of your creative world.

This can be done with Grace it could be a great connection tool for those that are in your world and wanna support you. Number two is gold, and it's the number one way my clients make consistent sales without shows. Collector preview emails. You can

also do this on social media. If you have a good following there, it looks like this. Hey, I just finished something and thought you might like a look before I share it anywhere else. That's it. You're not asking them to buy. You're giving them a moment of feeling special, exclusive, connected to you. A few reminders.

Send one to three pieces max. Don't overload them with, here's 50 pieces to choose from. Mention why you [00:05:00] thought of them. Make it personal. Find that connection, and don't push. You don't have to pitch. Just share. People love behind the curtain moments. It builds trust faster than any Instagram post ever.

Will. Inside Transform. We build systems for this. But today, just start with one person you genuinely thought of. Number three, DM selling, but not the weird or creepy kind. Dms are where human connection happens, not the cold pitch version. We don't really do that. The real version looks like responding to their comment on a post that you made.

Sharing a small update, offering info when they ask, of course. And keeping it very human, authentic, and real.

If someone comments, oh my God, I love this stone. You might say thank you. If you ever wanna see it up close, I can send you a quick video. [00:06:00] That's it. You're not cornering them, you're not forcing a sale, you're just being a person. Number four is my favorite for introverts. I think I'm an introvert extrovert, but, well, that's for another show. Small virtual events. So this way you, you're literally not even leaving the house. You don't have to plan a full presentation. This can literally be you, your work. A glass of wine, if that's your jam, and six to seven people on Zoom. Done.

Keep it tight, like 20 to 30 minutes, five to seven pieces that you wanna show and tell One or two stories maybe about the making or I made this one after a walk. When the light hit the hillside just right. Make it an experience for them. People love that it connects them to your work and to you.

They're not buying your jewelry alone. They're buying the meaning behind it. The emotion [00:07:00] people buy because of emotion. They're buying the meaning behind it. Buying is an emotional process. Number five is the sleeper hit.

Collaborations. You know who already has your people. Local boutiques, yoga studios, maybe wine shops, hairstylists home, good stores, a painter friend or a photographer. Friend. Collaborations bring in cross pollination and it works beautifully for jewelers. Here's an example,

perhaps you could partner up with a local cafe for a coffee and jewelry morning. Nothing fancy, just community connection and your work displayed out in the wild. People can actually come by, touch it, try it on. Or do a color story with a painter.

Your blues, with their blues, you get their audience and they get yours. Everybody wins. [00:08:00] So you might look at local artists outside the jewelry world who also are looking to sell their work without doing tent pop-up shows. Here's why this works, because it's not about selling harder, it's about connecting deeper.

The jewelers who are thriving right now are the ones who build real relationships. They follow up, they stay top of mind. They talk like humans, not like salesmen, and they plant small seeds every single week. This is the long game. I'm not saying you're gonna sell 20 pieces like you might at a show, but the irony is you often see results much faster than you think.

This is exactly the deeper work that we do in Transform and I work on with my coaching clients, helping you build systems that match your energy and your lifestyle. No, forcing yourself into some hustle until you collapse. [00:09:00] Model. That's not the vibe here. If you're heading into the new year thinking.

I want a different approach to sales. One that actually fits my life. My one-on-one coaching spots are open. We map out what works for you, not some generic formula. If that sounds right. Reach out, ask questions. Schedule a one-on-one 30 minute consult and see how I can help with all of this.

There's a lot to juggle here, my friends. I'm in your corner. So here's your action step this week. Choose one of these five selling methods. Just one. Try it one time. That's it. You don't need a giant strategy. You don't need a whole new brand deck. You don't need to rewrite your entire business. You only need to start.

Start shifting gears a little bit here and there. Selling without shows is not only possible. It's often better, more [00:10:00] personal, more profitable, more time in the studio, less time juggling and planning shows, and it could be more in alignment with the kind of life that you wanna build. Next week we're going into something.

I know you're going to love how to build a cohesive three to five piece collection that actually looks like it came from the same artist. This is where it all starts to click. Thanks for being here,. Keep going. Keep planting seeds. Keep trusting that the small moves are going to add up because they are.

I've got you. I'll see you next week. Onward and upward. 

 I've always said this industry runs on connection and good partnerships. That's why I'm proud to partner with Guest Wine because they show up for Makers, stores and manufacturers every single day.

They don't just sell tools. They help you use them better. Visit guest wine.com to see what's possible. [00:11:00] Thanks for listening to The Jeweler's View. If today's episode gave you something to think about, consider sending it to a friend or share it on social and tag me at Courtney Gray Arts. You'll find tools, coaching resources, and the transform course@courtneygrayarts.com. And if no one's told you this lately, remember you're not behind.

You're becoming exactly the kind of maker your business needs and that kind of depth. It takes time. I'll be back next week, same time, same tough love, onward and upward. I. [00:12:00]