Un-Brand Yourself In John Naisbitt's 1984 revolutionary book Megatrends, he predicted "Computer buying will never replace the serendipity and high touch of shopping for what we want to be surprised about."     He goes on to state that the more high tech a society becomes the more "high touch" experiences that society requires to maintain its humanity.     This is the essence of un-branding. You will most likely still need your highly commercial mega-brands, but to offer your customers this high touch experience, consider introducing the work of independent jewelry artists/designers into your store's mix as well.    This painstakingly crafted jewelry has its own special story - about the designer, artistic influences and inspirations, metalsmithing techniques, unique materials and personal history.       Handcrafted Advantages    No one else in your neighborhood will be carrying the same work, thus making price-shopping virtually impossible. It separates you from the herd.    You get to deal directly and personally with the designer.    The work is a piece of art.     You don't need an enormous buy-in to carry these designers.    You get to relate how you discovered the work, making yourself part of the story.    Where do you find this work?    Look in your own backyard. Visit local craft fairs/shows to search out undiscovered talent.    Attend the Philadelphia Buyer's Market of American Craft or the Baltimore American Craft Council shows to find some of the most cutting-edge U.S. designers.     See what is happening in the jewelry/metal departments at your city's colleges. Ask if your local or state craft or jewelry organizations have a listing for designers.    Visit the design sections at the national fine jewelry shows.        Marketing Designer Work    In my gallery, I printed out the artists' names, their hometowns and two to three paragraphs about their work, their inspirations, where they studied and put this next to each individual collection so consumers could read as they strolled the gallery. Then I ran off extras (with my gallery name at the bottom) to include with each purchase so the buyer would have the artist's information after they left the gallery.    Make sure your staff is familiar with the artists and all aspects of their work.    Have events - not just personal appearances. I chose a theme and asked my designers to participate. A branded line will usually send only collection pieces, whereas independent designers will often create work specially for your show.    I commissioned artists working in various two-dimensional media to design postcards and posters for my events. These often became collectibles in themselves.    I did numerous events in conjunction with a developmentally disabled adult artist co-op showcasing their remarkable "outsider" art, thus reaffirming my commitment to the local art community and generating great free press.     Promote that you buy local or "Made in the USA."    Participate in neighborhood art walks. If your area doesn't have one, then organize it! They are a powerful venue.    Place ads in non-mainstream newspapers.        Potential Pitfalls    Make sure your artists are experienced enough to provide consistent work, especially for reorders.    Sometimes the artists aren't savvy businesspeople and require gentle guidance and wisdom. Here is an opportunity to give back to your community in a direct personal way.    Pricing frequently is a problem. Either the designer gives their work away for little more than materials or they think they are Picasso and deserve to be compensated as such. Don't hesitate to question their prices. You need to share your expertise about what is realistic and what isn't, so the pieces will sell.    When you make a step to un-brand, remember you are entering into the world of "high touch." Follow your heart, listen to your instincts, rediscover your individual taste, artistic vision and passion. Marlene Richey has managed a wholesale design firm, run a retail gallery and mentored emerging designers. She is the author of Profiting by Design. E-mail her at marlene.richey@comcast.net Back

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