Selling to Women- the statistics

There are so many statistics on reaching women consumers, since they make 85% (and influence 95%) of all purchases including healthcare, products for men and automobiles. Here are a few statistics about women consumers you will find interesting: 

• 58% of women are likely to make a purchase thanks to mobile ads
• Facebook is 58% female, and 32.5% of women say they are influenced by special offers on Facebook
• 39% of women searched online after seeing a magazine ad
• 22% of women shop online at least once a day 

Sources: girlpowermarketing; Mobile Advertising Survey, 2012; pewinternet.org; Business2Community; BIGinsight, Dec 2011, as reported in MPA Factbook; TheNextWeb “Top30 Stats Marketing to Women”; Print in the mix, 2011

It's easy to see why so many women start their own business that caters to other women consumers. Why not start your own business today?

New Video Review of My Accessory Business from Kat

Check out this cool video review sent to us by Kat thanking "My Accessory Business" for her sales kit. Thanks Kat! We love to see how much you love My Accessory Business Sales kits and jewelry. I you would like us to post your review of our products, send it to info@myaccessorybusiness.com

The new book "101 Ways To Start a Business For Less Than $1,000"

The new book 101 Ways To Start a Business For Less Than $1,000 is now on Amazon.com. Grab your copy here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ATF533K

You do NOT need a Kindle to read the book! You can still read it for free on any computer or tablet using Amazon's free software available here: http://amzn.to/Wlt9kn

In the book, you'll learn wisdom, advice and business strategies from over 100 entrepreneurs, including advice from "My Accessory Business" entrepreneur Megan Andrus. You'll learn both what to do when starting a new business without much money and what not to do.

If you live in the UK you can download it on the UK website here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00ATF533K

What you should know before commencing a retail start-up?

Looking back on the past 18 years of my life, I can confidently assert that I’ve put in some long, hard yards in the retail sector. My first couple of retail jobs were for high end fashion labels. The price tags were stratospheric, the quality questionable, and the designs unimaginative. Consequently we made approximately four sales a week. With so much time to stare listlessly out the window, I did what any reasonable person would do, and ate all day, every day, until I began to resemble Violet from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory after she turns into a super heavy human blueberry. Yet somehow, the owners of the business scraped together a passable income from these paltry takings. They would not be so fortunate these days.

The changes that have taken place since that time are truly extraordinary. The retail landscape has been indelibly marked by the advent of online shopping, and would be retailers more so than ever need a strong grasp on the fundamental requirements of a successful business. The retail sector I started in no longer exists- the one in which retailers could afford to make mistakes.

Street retailers, ideally, should be trading in a product that people do not traditionally feel comfortable purchasing online. If your product is one which people can cheaply and readily get online, it is vital that you create a unique shopping experience for them within your store. Loyalty cards are a terrific idea, as are in house launches, exclusive previews of new collections with drinks and canapes, seasonal parties - anything that helps people identify your shop as a destination.

Research the competition. When I began my second retail job, at a thriving little boutique selling quirky designs imported from Hong Kong, there was nothing else like it around. Fast forward fifteen years, and the streets are littered with imitators. Unfortunately, the business is now struggling to make ends meet- much less exceeding sales targets as a matter of course. Ask yourself this: does my business have long term viability? Is it easily replicated by would be imitators?

But if you get it right, the rewards are great. With planning and foresight, there’s no reason your retail business shouldn’t thrive. For more information, visit Jeanette Maree.

Financing your dream business

A lot of people want to start a business but the main problem is finding the financing to start the business.

- Some ask family and friends to invest in their dream.

- Some start small and use their own money to get started. Which is a great way to start before you jump in to a large investment.

- Some start campaigns like www.kickstarter.com to gain investment money from peers by giving incentives for donating.

-Some use credit cards to aquire everything they need to start up. Some credit cards offer periods of "no interest" for instance 6 months without interest so it gives you time to make up the credit card payment by selling off your investory and paying it back without having to pay the extra interest. Search online for the different credit card options available to you.

- There are online payment solutions for businesses like www.zazma.com that help you pay for your business supplies now and pay later with low interest. Zazma helps buy the items for you through the suppliers you want to buy from, you receive them and you only have to pay back Zazma for the supplies within an amount of time you choose. This is great for buying inventory at wholesale, reselling it, and then paying for the supplies after you sell them without putting money down up front.

Whichever method you use to fund your business, be sure to pay back your loan when it's due, and pay off your credit cards as soon as you can to avoid growing interest fees.

Great tips for starting your own jewelry business

It's good to do a little research on good tips before starting your own business. I've compiled a list of some tips I've gotten from several sources that are useful for those who want to start their own jewelry business. Some of these can be for any business in general and some are more specifically for jewelry businesses:

- Make a Jewelry Business Plan

The Home Jewelry Business Success Tips website states that "a jewelry business plan can boost your success by helping you organize and analyze your goals and define how you'll achieve them. It also encourages you to consider your plan of action for turning your jewelry business dream into reality." Since there are many people hoping to sell jewelry through a home-based jewelry business, having a written plan ensures being set apart from the rest. Include goals in time-frame specific entities such as how much inventory to build up in a specific time frame and projected sales numbers and how you will reach that goal. 

- Buying Jewelry to Sell

Purchase jewelry from wholesale jewelry companies. Create a diverse inventory to suit a variety of customers. Jewelry items may include earrings, necklaces, bracelets or jewelry sets with matching earrings and necklaces. My Accessory Business offers wholesale priced jewelry in sales kits that include a variety of jewelry to perfect to re-sell. www.MyAccessoryBusiness.com

- Pricing Inventory

Pricing of the inventory in a jewelry business is directly tied to the business's success. Price pieces according to the price your paid for the piece. Avoid pricing jewelry too high--a common mistake in home-based jewelry businesses. Price the piece competitively, but allow enough room for profit. On the other hand, jewelry that is priced too low may give off the wrong impression to consumers. Consider the "projected value" a piece of jewelry has on a customer to further determine pricing.

- Get the word out!

Create fliers, brochures and business cards to give out to those who might be interested in purchasing from your in-home jewelry business. Include pictures of your samples in on your fliers and brochures. Ask your friends and family members to tell others about your business. Many of their friends and coworkers may be interested in unique gifts.

- Online sales vs. store sales

There are many ways in which to sell jewelry. The Internet is a growing force in the jewelry business world, but home "parties" where the seller presents jewelry to families and friends are also common. Flea markets and craft fairs are another venue for jewelry sales, as are local consignment shops. Pick a venue that suits your business plan and model, and take into consideration the amount of profit to be made from each. Flea markets and fairs often charge a fee for the space rental, and consignment shops often take royalties off each product sold. 

In order to stand out and make a dent in the jewelry business, it is wise to set up some kind of online storefront where people can submit orders. This increases the number of customers able to be reached, but it also creates the need for a bigger inventory. Unless you have a sizable amount of jewelry for sale or have an abundance of labor to create it for you, do not open an individual website, as this can lead to customers being disappointed. Online consignment shops may be the best option for those with little inventory. The cost of creating a website ranges from free (if you do it yourself) to hundreds of dollars. If you open a web storefront, be sure to use a quality professional camera to take photos of your creations. Consider having a model wear the pieces rather than just placing them on a blank white background. Experiment with different photo techniques for dramatic effects that can greatly increase web jewelry sales.

New Fall 2012 Catalogs- pre-sell jewelry and make sales!

Check out our new Fall 2012 catalogs with a brand new selection of hot celebrity inspired jewelry. Visit our catalog page for more information: http://www.myaccessorybusiness.com/catalog/
Click here to download a PDF copy of the catalog to print at home now:
www.myaccessorybusiness.com/content/MAB_fall2012.pdf

No printer? Just fill out the form and we'll mail you a copy of the catalog.

How to use the catalog: 

 

1. Print out the most current catalog from: www.myaccessorybusiness.com/content/MAB_fall2012.pdf on your home computer. This includes an order form. Check back to the website for the most current catalog available.

2. Write in your own prices in the spaces provided next to the jewelry. It is a good idea to sell each piece for about 3x the amount. If a piece is $2.99, you should charge between $9 - $15. Add on a shipping cost if you will have to mail the piece to your customer when it arrives to you.* 

4. Show the catalog to family and friends and take orders for jewelry on the 3rd page of the catalog. You can collect the money when taking the orders or wait until the order has arrived to take the payment. Be sure to get information on how to contact them at a later date.

5. Purchase the items that have been ordered from this website www.MyAccessoryBusiness.com 

6. When the items arrive, distribute them to your customers and collect payment if the payment has not been made. Keep ALL of your profits!

 

 

Please note that there is a limited number of each item available, once an item is sold out it may not be available again. We are not responsible for items that are sold out online. In order to avoid this, we suggest pre-purchasing the items instead.

Check out this article: "What is The Best Thing About Being An Entrepreneur?"

Check out this article: "What is The Best Thing About Being An Entrepreneur?" by Hearpreneuer.com

Read the responses about what people like about being an entrepreneuer and send your replies and "likes"

Submit your book about starting an accessory or jewelry business for FREE promotion to our network!

Submit your book or ebook about starting up an accessory or jewelry business here and get promoted FREE to our online network. Reply with your business name, writer name, and link to your website or ebook download link.