INVENTORY! Inventory! Inventory!!!!!

I've had a few people ask me how to sell more, book more parties and enroll more people.  I say, "Display a lot of jewelry at EVERY party and event you do and have more in boxes."  

Some people have asked how much should I take and show at each party?   My answer, "A LOT!!!!"  I recommend at least 200-300 pieces.

One person asked what a 400-500 piece display looks like.  
I finally remembered to take a picture of what I have been taking to parties for the months of October, November and December.   

Some parties, I don't need this much and other parties, I have been VERY grateful for a large display that can handle 15 women looking at it at the same time.   Because of my inventory and displays, I have had many $500+ parties and one $700+ party.

(This last picture isn't the best, but it is good enough for now.   It is 3 pegboards with one to two rows of necklaces.  There are about 15 columns on each.  (So a total of about 25-30 each pegboard - group by color!!!)  

So what do I have displayed?

I try to have between
90-100 necklaces on display
60-80 pairs of earrings
40-60 bracelets
40-60 rings
30-50 heabands
50-75 clips

That is a lot, but the more variety and quantity I have, the more people can find what they want.   They will buy more when there is more to buy!!!   They will buy more when they can find that perfect piece or maybe 10 perfect pieces.

If you notice in my pictures, I have boxes below the tables and displays.  My duplicates and blockbuster extras, I keep in boxes.   I tell people they can look in the boxes if they want to find something different.   There is one box where I put all the blockbusters.  There is another box where I put all the necklaces ordered in sets.  They are bagged by color.  So if the display is missing one or two purple necklaces, I can just grab the purple necklace bag and pull two out.   If someone is looking for a certain color of necklace, I hand them the bag with the color they want and tell them they can look through it.  It works great for me.  I also have a box for clips and headbands, one for rings and starlet shimmers, and one for bracelets and earrings.  I usually have most of the earrings and bracelets displayed, but after a big order, I will have a few I don't put out until some are bought.

How long did it take me to acquire this much inventory?   Well, I bought the $1400 starter package.  I had to put it on a credit card, but I knew that it would sell.  My hope was that from my very first party, I would have a hearty selection and satisfied customers who would want to buy from me and book parties with me.   My first party was over $500!   I never could have had  a party like that with a 100 or probably even a 150-200 piece inventory!   From my first 6 or 7 parties and events, I reinvested all the money I made back into building inventory, making displays and building my business and paying off my initial debt.  REINVEST.  This is not just a job!  It is a business.  If you treat it like a business, you will have success.  If you sell and put money in your pocket starting with your first show, you will be less likely to make more money in the end.

After I built my inventory to where I was comfortable, I started paying myself.  Now, I make very good money.  I have had usually 4-6 parties a week since the beginning of October.   I have given parties away to people when I am too busy or can't do it on a day that someone wants one.   I would not have the business and customer base I have with a small inventory and selection.

One week, I had 6 parties booked and 3 basket parties.  I was happy to have enough jewelry to do shows and have 3 baskets out at the same time.  That week, I sold over $2200!!!   That was a sweet week!

A few times when people walk into a party, I will hear them say something like, "This isn't a jewelry party.  This is a jewelry store!!!  Sweet."   "Yes.  I can do my Christmas shopping with a selection like this."   "This is a jewelry party on steriods."   "The last Paparazzi party I went to was nothing like this.  She only had one display."   EtC!

NOW, do NOT think that you only can do parties if you have as much as I have.   You can do parties with as much as you have.   You can make money with smaller inventories.   Businesses take time to grow.   You may have to grow yours more slowly.  That is ok!  You do what is best for you. 

I want to offer some ways to make your inventory look bigger than what is it.  
1. If you know of other Paparazzi consultants in your area, mark you jewelry (with a sticker or nail polish or something on the back of the tag) and combine your inventories until you get enough to do parties with your own inventory.  This does require cooperation, good record keeping and maturity.  You can even use each other displays.   Pay $3.10 (or the cost of the jewelry after taxes) for each item sold.  You keep the profit to apply to your next order.
2.  If you enroll someone and they live near you, offer to help them with their first/second/third party.  Add some of your inventory to theirs.  When they have a bigger inventory from the beginning, they will book more, sell more and have more success and less frustration.   Give them some extra confidence.   Let them keep the profit from any jewelry they sell of yours to put towards more inventory.
3.  Lay everything you have out for customers to see.   If you don't have a huge inventory and/or don't have lots of room for displaying what you do have, you can just lay necklaces on a table.   It doesn't have to be on a pegboard. 

If you would like to talk with me about increasing the size of your parties and booking more parties, please feel free to email me (jewelryforfive@gmail.com or call me at (435)610-1609.