Blogging the Unbloggable

[What follows is one of the interviews I did for Chapter 7, Building your Company Blog, for my book, Clear Blogging: How People Blogging Are Changing the World and How You Can Join Them.]

One thing you hear time and again from people who don't spend most of their days on the Internet is that there are some things you just can't sell, like jewelry or wine. Let's take a closer look at that assumption as it applies to a custom jeweler—a small business, but a business to be sure.

Sharla Oliveri is the owner, founder, and sole employee of Sharma Designs, a San Jose, California online jewelry shop. Her blog is at www.sharmadesigns.typepad.com, shown at the end of this post.

Here's how Sharla answered my questions about her blog:

Q. Has your blog helped or hurt your business?

A. It has definitely helped. I think that people feel a little more comfortable buying online if they feel like they know the person. In my blog, my customers can get to know me a little better. They can also learn more about the time that's put into the jewelry and the design process.

Q. Has your blogging in increased sales?

A. Yes, I have had a few sales from people who Googled something and they landed on my blog. I also announce on my blog when new jewelry is on the site, so that gets the customers to come check things out when they may not have thought to do so otherwise.

Q. Are you enjoying blogging?

A. Oh yes, I love it. Sometimes it's challenging coming up with enough topics to post about, and some weeks are just too busy to post as many times as I would like, but I love that my customers get to know me better. I have made some great friends.

Q. Have you gotten any ideas for designs from people who have commented on your blog or e-mail it to you because of your blog?

A. Yes. A few months ago, I put up a poll about what color people would like to see more of (purple). So I made more purple pieces. If customers really like a certain style of necklace that I posted, I try to make more necklaces like that. It's great feedback. I also have had people tell me that they wish they could see the necklaces on a real person, so I added that to the site as well. I get a lot of website feedback. That's great, because I don't shop at my own site, so it helps to know if others find it easy to use.

Q. Should other people who create and sell jewelry blog?

A. I think so. Again, the more the customer feels like they know you, the better. Plus, with jewelry, you can talk about your design process, materials, and inspirations with the pieces. People love jewelry with a story. Handmade jewelry tends to be more expensive than pieces you would buy in your local mall. I did a whole post explaining the time that goes into creating a piece of jewelry, and a lot of my customers responded very well to it! I also add tips about how to wear jewelry and how to flatter your face shape. You don't want your website to be too cluttered with information, and with a blog, you can still get the information to the customer.

Q. Any surprises along the way as you've been blogging?

A. How much time I put into it! I never realized when I began blogging how much of my time it would take! Another surprise is that people are so shy about commenting. People will often e-mail me instead of commenting.

Lastly, there are some people who still don't know what a blog is! I have had people ask me what a "blob" is.