Branding. The buzzword of the 21st century.
The time to start thinking about your brand is the moment you start planning your production line. Brand decisions affect everything–from the type of jewelry you make to the materials and techniques you use, to your Facebook page, to the clothes you wear to show off or complement your jewelry. Having your brand clearly in mind can save you going down unprofitable, confusing, or time-consuming side paths.
Branding is all about recognition. It not only lets customers immediate identify your product but associate it with the tangible and intangible characteristics of that product: quality of materials and workmanship, design idea, price point, audience, cachet, dependability, and even the personality of the manufacturer. Brands live or die on their ability to deliver on those expectations consistently.
Branding starts with a product. It may be difficult to think of your jewelry as “a product” if, up to this point, you’ve made it primarily for your own enjoyment. It’s a mental shift you must make, however, if you want to have a successful business.
You can make the shift in one of two ways. You can decide what audience or market niche you see beckoning, and gear your jewelry to that market. Or, like many other art/craft/studio jewelers, you might focus on your particular interest in certain materials and techniques, or the desire to “say something” with your work. Following your heart is a legitimate way to determine your product. However, you still have to know what makes your brand yours.
One thing that will set your brand apart is your story: Why do you choose the themes you do, use the materials and techniques you do, or make jewelry at all rather than garden art? Your story is what connects you—and your product—to the customer’s desires.
You must be able to share that story with your customers. Whether it’s by writing up an artist statement for your website, devising a short tagline for your business cards and/or hang tags, or creating a short statement you can give to customers face-to-face, your story should tell customers what they need to know to make a connection.
Lastly, remember that, if you work under your own name, you are your brand. Unless you develop a staff–even if you do develop a staff–you need to be aware of your appearance, your manners, how you interact with people, from gallery owners to potential customers to the people who stop you on the street to admire your jewelry.
And be careful of what you post online. Those snarky comments and dumb videos may come back to haunt you.