Become an Independent Designer

Posted by ricky26 on February 10th, 2014

Making the decision to strike out on your own is intense. It could also be scary, nerve wracking, and completely exhilarating. If you craft jewelry and you have made the decision to begin designing your own, you probably have a lot of questions. As they race through your mind, the lack of answers can be the cause of a lot of anxiety. Slow down for a moment and take a few minutes to read the guide below for some help in organizing your plan to become an independent Majestical Jewelry designer.

Research You may already have Information about Majestical Jewelry. Maybe you have some of your own sketches or even a portfolio with the few designs you've thought up so far. Presentation is everything. Your designs could be the most amazing pieces that your customers ever see but they won't want to buy them if they're photographed badly or the way they're laid out doesn't truly show them off.

1. Surf the Internet. Look at the websites of prominent designers (majestical.com) as well as independent shops on Etsy.com or Ebay.com to see the ways that they show off their items for sale.
   
   
2. Flip through magazines. There are many ads for jewelry in fashion magazines as well as the gossip books and news magazines. The tangible pictures on paper may be easier for you to scrutinize than a picture on a screen.
   
   
3. Television commercials. Pay attention to commercials that you come across during your favorite shows for jewelry. Look at the way it's moved, the light it's portrayed in, even the music behind it. All of these things are tools that you can use to show your own designs.
   
   

Brainstorming What kind of jewelry will you design? This is the big question. You might be skilled in many kinds of jewelry crafting, but it's a good idea to stick to one or two types of designs.

• Your target audience is a big part of this decision. Who are you designing jewelry for?
  
  
• The materials that you use may dictate the jewelry you design. What do you have access to?
  
  
• Stick to what you know. What skill are you best at when it comes to crafting jewelry?
  
  

Down to Business Designing jewelry is an art, but if you plan on selling your designs then it is also a business. Try to educate yourself with books or classes or by speaking to successful professionals. There are a few things that you can do to get started:

1. Make a plan. You don't have to know how to write a formal business plan to make a plan for your business. Write down your goals, where you want your business to go, how long you believe you need to get started, an estimation of the amount of capital you might need, if you want a purely online business or a brick and mortar shop, and any other expectations that you have of your new business venture.
   
   
2. Find assistance. When you have a plan, even if it's a loose one, you can discern whether or not you'll need help implementing it. You can have your plan, your shop, and everything else but if you end up unable to run it all on your own, you'll be held back.
   
   
3. Investments. Do you want to sell your own Majestical designs or find a buyer to do that for you? Do you have the means to build your own inventory before you try to sell? With an internet shop, it's possible to make items to order but with a shop that customers walk into every day needs a large amount of inventory on display.
   
   

This is only the beginning. Continue to educate yourself as you embark on your new venture. The most important factor: believe that you can do it!