A “giveaway” chain that you’re using for a promotional gift or contest prize, and the chains for your low-priced items should be gold- or silver-plated. A higherpriced chain should be gold-filled. If you want to handle 14k gold chains, make sure that you can purchase them at a very reasonable price or you won’t be able to make a decent profit on them.———–NOTE GOLD IS HIGH AND 14 KT GOLD CHAINS ARE A VERY BIG TARGET FOR SHOP LIFTERS – I DON’T USE THEM WHEN DOING WIRE NAMES I STICK WITH GOLD PLATED AND THEY LOVE IT.

Remember this is not high end jewelry its emotional inexpensive jewelry.

When you wear your jewelry, remember to be creative in how you wear it. Don’t just wear it in the traditional way. Maybe a piece normally worn to dinner can be worn very tastefully with a business casual outfit to work. Dress up your jeans and jacket outfits with one of your long necklaces and matching earrings. Wear a simple choker to a more casual event with a beautiful pair of stud earrings. This will give potential customers ideas as to how they can wear your own jewelry. And don’t forget always to carry your business cards!

Set up your own business hours. Each day set up what hours you’re going to work and, yes, they may change but if you have committed yourself to working 4 days a week from 3 pm to 10 pm, then stick in there and do it. Make some jewelry, try some new designs, do some research on some gemstones, whatever, but commit yourself to making your home business a success by setting your own business hours.

You should have a check-off sheet to work any type of a show big or small. For the first year of doing shows we forgot so many things that it cost us lots of dough. And in some instances it can ruin a show. Let me give you an example of some of the things I forgot to bring and the results:

* Ring sizer – try to guess your customer’s ring size. No special orders here. Ring mandrel leave this behind and you are out of the ring business.
* Wire cutters – very tough to cut wire with your teeth.
* Jewelry – I know you don’t believe it, heck, I don’t even believe it, but, yes, we did. We forgot the jewelry! Luckily, I was only about 50 miles away and went back for it.