Having a successful jewellery-making business is like hitting the jackpot – you can be your own boss, have complete creative liberties, take charge of the direction of the business, and most importantly, have an opportunity to make money while doing a relaxing activity after a long day. 

From wholesale gemstone jewellery and custom jewellery design to vintage and antique jewellery, the industry can vary greatly depending on the types of products produced. Of course, the crux of these businesses is that their success is precisely based on having a solid business plan, quality materials, effective marketing strategies and anything else that makes a business successful. 

As a mum, we all know starting a business might just be that initial lightbulb moment, and jewellery making might just be that. But you might also be asking yourself: what if my creations start getting attention from friends and strangers? Could my hobby become a business? Let’s get into some of the strategies you can take to turn what you love doing into cash. 

Find Your Jewellery Niche

The jewellery industry contains different niches and subcategories, with products ranging from cheap necklaces made out of synthetic stones to handmade fine art or designer rings crafted from precious metals and gems. You need to define what you’re selling, find who you’re selling to, and express why you’re different from competitors.

 Here are some of the biggest jewellery markets you need to consider:

• Fine jewellery – majority sold at the top end of the market; made with precious metals and gems, expensive; made through master craftsmanship, rarely mass-produced, and usually suited for luxury, weddings and other special occasions.  

• Fashion/costume jewellery – usually sold by franchise boutiques and online stores; generally made of synthetic gems, plated metal, wire plastic, etc., often mass-produced, based on current fashion trends and overall cheaper. 

• Artist-designed jewellery – any jewellery in-between; largely handmade, contains a mixture of inexpensive and precious metals and gems, has unique designs and is of mid-range price.  

Having a niche gives a clear definition of what you’re going to sell and who you’re selling to; it’s about giving you a focal point as you start your business. Besides who and what, you should also understand the market and find a unique selling proposition (USP).  

Choose a Creative (and Available) Name

Names help set the tone for your brand and play a role in how people perceive your business – first impressions matter! Having a creative name immediately grabs attention and establishes the brand’s story and overall aesthetic. Irrespective of whether you’re aiming for classy, minimalist, modern, bohemian, sustainability or vintage, choosing the right name can give your customers a glimpse of what your jewellery is about and the story behind it.

With countless brands vying for attention, creating a distinctive name is crucial to carve out your niche and differentiate your business from others. At the same time, it must be relevant to the industry it is in, which in this case is jewellery. 

Source Jewellery Suppliers

There are a variety of different ways you can source jewellery suppliers, and it involves identifying and selecting raw materials, components and the supplies needed to create your designs. 

This is a crucial process to ensuring your jewellery is of high quality, profitable and consistent with the overall brand. In fact, it’s a fundamental part of the success of your jewellery business. According to a study by Nielsen, 66% of Australian customers would be willing to pay more if products are willing to pay more for sustainable brands or brands that have sustainable sourcing, so it’s important to place your target audience into the frame when thinking about who to source from and what sort of practices they engage in. 

Some great ways to find jewellery suppliers can be through trade shows (the International Jewellery Fair is held annually at Darling Harbour, Sydney), directories (such as the Australian Jewellery Trade Directory (AJT)) or any local suppliers near you. You should also look for reputation, quality, minimum order requirements, production capabilities, customisation capacities and certifications in your suppliers, as they’re key to making sure your jewellery products remain successful and profitable. 

Design a Product Line

This is probably the most exciting part of your jewellery business, and of course, if you’re getting into jewellery because it’s your passion or hobby, then it may also be the easiest part! 

At this stage you’ll need to have your brand identity set and as to what appeals to your target market. You’ll need to decide what types of jewellery you’ll focus on, such as necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings or even watches – ask yourself, will your product line include just one category or an array of jewellery types?

If you’re experiencing artist’s block (or in this case, jeweller’s block), you can always go out and search for inspiration, like your favourite jewellery designers, latest trends, insights from market research and many more. 

Create a Website

Creating a website is the most effective way to platform your business and a great opportunity to showcase your products and attract customers. An e-commerce platform is the most conventional pathway towards selling your jewellery. Some platforms include: Amazon, Shopify, Wix, Squarespace, BigCommerce, eBay, etc.  

Your domain name for your website should be memorable and a reflection of your brand name. Furthermore, make sure your homepage design has the following elements: 

• Homepage:

  • A call to action (e.g. ‘Discover Our Collection’, ‘Shop Now’ or ‘Discover More’).

  • Featured collections.

  • A hero section (i.e., the first thing customers see on your website, for example, Swarovski which uses the slogan ‘Masters of Light Since 1895’). 

• Navigation: 

  • A menu (e.g. categories such as ‘Rings’, ‘Necklaces’, ‘Earrings’ or whatever types of jewellery you are focusing on; if you are doing custom jewellery, make sure to add a customisation section).

  • A search bar.

• Product pages: 

  • Product images (make sure they are high-quality and have multiple angles).

  • Descriptions. 

  • Price (add any price variations if applicable). 

• Payment options:

  • Payment gateways (e.g. PayPal, AfterPay etc.).

  • Shopping (make sure to make shipping options and rates for domestic servicing, and international if you are planning to set up globally).

• Additional pages:

  • Contact us.

  • FAQ.

  • Return and exchange policies.

  • Terms and Conditions. 

When you’ve set up and launched your website, test it out and check all links and checkout processes are working and error-free. Also, try it on multiple platforms such as on mobile devices to ensure it is cross-platform compatible.

Develop a Marketing Strategy

Finally, a clear and concise market strategy should be the foundation for promoting your jewellery to customers. Having a successful marketing strategy requires a comprehensive understanding of your target audience and a long-term vision of your goals. Some ways you can do this are by: 

• Identifying demographics – age range (are you targeting the 18-35 range, or maybe the 55+ range?), sex (are you targeting men or women, or both?), location (will your business be local, national or international?) and income levels (are your products luxury items or affordable for the everyday use?). 

• Identifying psychographics – lifestyles, interests, buying behaviour, attitudes or beliefs, activities and hobbies, etc.

• Competition analysis – researching competitors and identifying the type of audience they are targeting, as well as underserved markets you can potentially tap into. 

As you focus on building your customer base, make sure to incorporate as many channels to your business, including social media, email marketing, SMS marketing, affiliate/influencer marketing and search engine optimisation (SEO) strategies. If you’re finding it difficult to form a whole strategy, you can always look for marketing frameworks and models to jumpstart your journey.