Selling Niche Jewelry With Special Guest Acid Queen Jewelry

In this week’s episode I will be discussing how to sell niche jewelry with confidence with my special guest Alex Camacho of Acid Queen Jewelry. Alex crafts unique statement pieces and every day armor inspired by art nouveau, nature, and mysticism. Since 2011, her Idyllwild-based brand has evolved from found object designs to intricate wearable art using traditional metalsmithing and wax techniques. Each piece celebrates strength, magic, and self-expression.

Thank you to episode sponsor Dovetail. Save $10 on your order with code METALSMITHSOCIETY

Mentioned During the Podcast
Stamped app for product reviews + UGC: https://stamped.io/
Smile app for loyalty rewards programs: Smile.io

Find Alex Online
You can follow Alex on Instagram at @acidqueenjewelry
You can visit her Patreon to check it out or join at: https://www.patreon.com/AcidQueenJewelry
You can find her jewelry and merch at acidqueenjewelry.com

Supporting The Podcast
Please follow the podcast and leave a rating and review!
Join my Patreon as a supporter or with a free membership! patreon.com/metalsmithsociety
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Music attribution: Stock Music provided by RomanSenykMusic, from Pond5

Transcript

Corkie Bolton: 0:01

Welcome to Jewelry Making Tips with Metalsmith Society the ultimate podcast for anyone passionate about the art of jewelry making. I'm your host, Corkie Bolton. Metalsmith Society is a community on Instagram that has over 240,000 individuals, from professional jewelers to small business artisans, hobbyists, students and even those curious looky-loos eager to learn about jewelry making. Together, we share tips, kindness and even those curious looky-loos eager to learn about jewelry making. Together, we share tips, kindness and support. In this podcast, I will discuss tips from the Instagram page, provide deeper insights, address questions and share bonus tips that often surface in the comments section. So, whether you've been making jewelry for a while or you're just starting your jewelry making journey, this podcast is your go-to resource for all the jewelry making tips. So grab your tools, dust off your workbench and join me. In this week's episode. I will be discussing how to sell niche jewelry with confidence with my special guest, A alex Camacho of Acid Queen Jewelry. Alex is the founder of Acid Queen Jewelry. She crafts unique statement pieces and everyday armor inspired by art nouveau, nature and mysticism. Since 2011, her Idlewild, braced brand has evolved from found object designs to intricate wearable art using traditional metalsmithing and wax techniques. Each piece celebrates strength, magic and self-expression. Alex, thank you so much for joining me.

Alex Camacho: 1:31

Yes, I'm so happy to be here.

Corkie Bolton: 1:34

So I'm really interested and I know my audience is really interested in learning all about how you specialize in this niche jewelry. I think it's so important for a jeweler to have an identity and something that they do that is special to them. So could you describe for our audience what your niche is and tell us about your customers?

Alex Camacho: 2:00

Yeah, so you know this could be a really long story, but I will make it short.

Alex Camacho: 2:04

But basically, my niche is myself, and from the time that I started creating jewelry, it has always been super important to me to not only be true to myself and true to an aesthetic that is special to me and didn't already exist in the jewelry market.

Alex Camacho: 2:18

It could feel really saturated sometimes, and it is at times other times, but I think that as long as you are making sure and really like leaning into who you are, what your point of view is, you're always going to be able to stand out, and that is the number one piece of advice that I give to people when they're first starting out.

Alex Camacho: 2:46

And so my niche, like I said, is myself, but it's based on, you know, all of my different interests and how they come together, and so my customers are very much, and also it ties into like what my why is for creating jewelry, right? So that's something that I learned over time through my customers, and then I kind of melded them together, which then leads to how I like find my dream clients and things like that as I move through building my business over the years. And so my clients are people who not only have things in common with me, but their values are aligned. The way that they live their life is aligned with mine, so that I can really share with them this journey and they can be a part of it as much as I can be a part of theirs.

Corkie Bolton: 3:29

That's amazing. Did you start out making this type of jewelry? Tell us about your beginnings.

Alex Camacho: 3:35

So I you mentioned 2011, I was working as a marketing and a web sales manager for an old, like punk, clothing brand called Lip Service and I had my whole I have a fashion marketing background. So every time, you know, all throughout school I had tried to like work for this company and I got a job with them and I was working with them and I saw this girl and she was making like found object jewelry. She was like buying little pieces and we were right down the street from the jewelry industry I mean, yeah, the jewelry district in Los Angeles and so I started buying like bones and crystals and like all these different things and just kind of like made a side hustle out of it and I had a little plaque that had like earrings and things that I had put together and it was just, you know, just very basic found object jewelry. But I had a rule. My rule was if I bought something, I had to change it three times in order to make a piece of jewelry that I would sell. So it couldn't just be something that somebody else could buy and make it. And then I moved across the country to Baltimore, where my husband is from, and he was opening a record store. I was making that found object jewelry.

Alex Camacho: 4:38

I started off by selling at like big heavy metal music festivals and then, you know, I had the opportunity to take metalsmithing classes at Baltimore Jewelry Center, which was part of MICA originally, which is the art school in Baltimore, and the rest is history. I just I became obsessed. I took every single class. I absolutely could. I for every holiday, like Christmas, my birthday, whatever. My family would be like what do you want? And I'm like I want gift certificates to Rio Grande, please, and and yeah, and I just I built up my studio, I built up my aesthetic.

Alex Camacho: 5:13

You know, it did take me a little bit. I had like the core of what my aesthetic was and what my brand would become, but it did take me a little bit to kind of discover what I love to do, and so the style in which I make jewelry now is very specific to me. I essentially craft pieces, I build them out of wax, like sheet wax and wax wire, and I apply traditional metalsmithing techniques to wax work. So that is why I can create like very specific style of jewelry that is actually really hard to recreate because it's made in this very specific way. And so, yeah, that's how I started and how it's grown from there.

Corkie Bolton: 5:53

It's amazing and it sounds like from the beginning you've just had, you know your aesthetic and you've gone with that and I have to tell you that is the the start of a success story. Right there is knowing what you love and not worrying about appealing to the masses.

Alex Camacho: 6:12

Right, exactly, and it's really funny. I was. I did this trunk show in Joshua tree the other day and I was talking to the business owner, who's been in the jewelry industry for a long time and is a jewelry maker herself, and she was asking me about this and I was like it's really funny, I'm going to be on this podcast talking about this. But she, yeah, and she was talking about how like she was like it's really interesting, because I can tell your jewelry from a mile away, which is like the best compliment any any jewelry designer could ever have.

Alex Camacho: 6:39

Right, and you know, sometimes I see other things that other people are doing and I get like jealous or I get comparative or I like maybe I should do that, maybe I should do this, you know, but I have this thing in me that is like no, stay true to like what you know and also what you love.

Alex Camacho: 6:57

And I think that if, whether you're an artist, you're a painter, you're a sculptor, you're a jewelry designer, as long as you are doing that and you stay with your point of view, because your point of view is unique to you, there's not another you in the world. And I think in this place where we have Instagram and all of these things, all these images that are always coming into our mind, it gets really easy to compare ourselves to other people. But when you realize and you come back to the fact that like hey, there's only one of me and I can only come up with the ideas that I come up with, it really opens up a world of creativity that maybe you wouldn't have had otherwise. When you are in that comparative place, you know.

Corkie Bolton: 7:41

Thank you so much for sharing that. If I'm honest and I think I've said this sort of before amongst my peers but it's sort of been like my biggest goal for my own jewelry Corky Bolton jewelry to have this, what you said, this recognizable aesthetic where people are like that's a Corky Bolton piece. It's not imposter syndrome. I just know I haven't landed there yet and I know that part of the reason I haven't landed there is because I worked 30 hours doing metalsmith society every week and I just don't have the time to, like you know, commit.

Corkie Bolton: 8:13

But what I've done is and this is advice if anyone is having trouble finding their niche is I've chased techniques to hone my skills, you know. So even recently I've been on this like setting princess cuts mission and just doing them and doing them, and doing them and doing them until I get good at them, and and star settings with engraving and that type of thing. But yeah, what would be maybe your advice to someone that's like oh my gosh, I don't know what's my aesthetic?

Alex Camacho: 8:43

You know, it really comes back to literally what you just said. So I talked about how I so, the first class I ever ever took I didn't even know how to solder, okay, I was afraid of the torch I learned waxworking and casting. That was the first class I ever took with Shana Croix I still she's amazing, amazing jewelry artist out of Baltimore and so, anyway, so I learned waxworking and I remember carving and all this stuff and I was like, oh my, like my brain does not like work with this, like 3d, like I can't, you know, like it, just it didn't click for me. And then we started doing stuff with sheet wax and I was like, oh, this is my jam.

Alex Camacho: 9:20

And like I love building, you know, and I and I have, I love like creating the pieces and like adding these little things and like and you know, it makes sense, my husband is his background as a carpenter, my dad is a contractor. Like I've been around people building houses my whole life and so it is really it makes sense that, like I love building and creating in that way, and so my aesthetic is born out of my ability and what I love to do Right, like I don't love soldering, like it is not like I have actually taught my husband how to solder and he helps me and does most of that because I just don't like, like, it's just too messy for me.

Alex Camacho: 9:57

I don't know, I just don't really love it that much.

Alex Camacho: 9:59

And so what I do is like I lean into what I like to do and when you are able to do that, just like you doing like the different techniques, and like you're focusing on it in a specific way, but you're working with the way that your brain works and what you love to do, right, and the moment that you can kind of like crack that open, like the minute that anybody can crack that open, then they've gotten to the key of like what will separate them, because they're leaning into like their own magic and like what they are good at. And so I think that's, like you know, cause I am, I'm limited in certain ways, like I said, like there's certain times where I want to do other things, but if I stay in my lane and I lean into what I'm really good at, then I'm continuing on with that aesthetic which makes it it's continuous, it's consistent, and then it starts to build that reputation Love that Attention jewelers say goodbye to uncomfortable workwear and hello to dovetail, where style meets functionality in the workshop.

Corkie Bolton: 11:01

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Alex Camacho: 12:03

Yeah, I mean. So I started my Instagram when I started well, not essentially when I started my jewelry, but around that time like 2012. So I've had my Instagram account for a long time. So you know, given that I've had it for so long, you know there's some people that I've gotten higher. There's some people. You know it all depends on what you lean into as far as Instagram goes and how much time you're going to put into it. But you know, for me it's just always been about consistency, it's been about showing up. You know, like I am, admittedly, a late adopter to reels, I was just like I'm not a video editor, I do not want to do this.

Alex Camacho: 12:34

And then eventually I had to because it was what was going to move the needle for me.

Alex Camacho: 12:41

So, you know, it's just about like continuously working on things, continuously trying new things.

Alex Camacho: 12:44

You know, like I don't just like shut my Instagram down for months at a time because I don't want to deal with it.

Alex Camacho: 12:50

Like I have to be the one who does these things because I am the person who runs the company, but I also diversify myself a lot through marketing, and branding is another huge aspect of my business. So making sure that, like my branding is consistent, my website looks like my Instagram, my Instagram looks like my emails, like it's all tied together and along the way and throughout the entire thing whether it's with Instagram or my emails or any aspect of marketing in general is you have to really listen to your customers and you have to be able to be providing value, and so that is my main thing that I try to do and I try to. I have really good customer service skills. I'm always open. I give them ways to contact me. You know, like the lines of communication are always open, and so I think, by making you know, not just focusing on one aspect of like for marketing on my business business, but making sure that across the board, that everything is cohesive and creating an experience is what has made my marketing successful for my business.

Corkie Bolton: 13:58

Absolutely, and it does go along with your niche, which you know. I'm just saying it because that's the topic of our podcast, but it's it's, you know it's and it's such a good point that you do want things to be cohesive and also when you're sharing yourself, because you are living your brand and your jewelry and you wear your jewelry Like people should be making jewelry that they themselves wear.

Alex Camacho: 14:23

That's just bottom line oh my gosh. You know, what's so funny is like people all the time are like, oh my God, you must have like the craziest jewelry collection and like, yeah, I have a lot of jewelry and I have collected a lot of jewelry, but I wear the same pieces all the time.

Alex Camacho: 14:37

And they're some of my best sellers because they're some of the pieces I've been selling for the longest time. But, you know, I feel like everybody has their own connection to jewelry and adornment and the art of adornment itself, and so, yeah, I think that it's. It's just like we talked about the beginning of this with the niches, like the niche is just as much about me as it is about the art that I'm creating about me, as it is about the art that I'm creating, absolutely.

Corkie Bolton: 15:04

You have done a lot of other interesting marketing and customer service type things, and I'll name a few examples. You provide a loyalty program, you have a lot of customer reviews of your jewelry, and I know that you have an offering for people to sign up for your email list, which also is connected to your branding and niche, and it's a Zodiac Stone Guide. So that's a bunch of different things, but let's start briefly with the loyalty program. If you could just explain how that's helped support your business.

Alex Camacho: 15:39

Yeah, so, like I said, I have a marketing degree and a background. So one of the things that I'm very passionate about, besides making jewelry and being an artist, is that I love marketing, and so I spend a lot of time listening to podcasts and and entrepreneurs and their stories, and I'm just gathering ideas all the time and I think that the magic with that is being able to then apply it and edit it for the business that you're running or the type of business that you want to run. And so I learned about loyalty programs through a podcast or another jewelry designer and I was like, oh, that's really cool and it's actually tied in with my reward or my reviews as well, because they can get, and it's also tied into my social media and marketing, like everything. Like I said, cohesive, consistent, it's all. It all ties together like an ecosystem.

Alex Camacho: 16:28

And so the rewards program like they get points for signing up to the program, they get points for signing up to our email list, they get points for it being their birthday, they get points for reposting on socials, they get points for leaving a review, so, and it's also works as a customer retention tool.

Alex Camacho: 16:49

So, you know, they people build up points and then they want to keep on spending them because they're loyal customer of yours, but then they also it kind of gamifies the whole, you know, process of buying jewelry and being a customer of ours, because then they get to participate and I think that it really helps. It's really exciting for people and it allows them a way to like connect to the brand and experience the brand in a different way than maybe another brand you know would would do that. So I think people have really responded to a while I've been running it for the last few years. There's definitely been some like trial and error, depending on what your price point is, will depend on what type of offerings you're going to have. But I think that, especially if you're focused on customer retention which everyone should be that this is something that would be really helpful to implement in their business.

Corkie Bolton: 17:39

I'm like excited just hearing you talking about this.

Alex Camacho: 17:42

I also love marketing, but I genuinely get excited.

Corkie Bolton: 17:46

I'm like this is an awesome idea, If you don't mind sharing do you have a particular app that connects to? I'm going to just assume that you're on Shopify, but maybe you're not.

Alex Camacho: 17:57

Yes, I am on Shopify and if anybody is listening out here out there who is not on Shopify, I would highly suggest migrating over and get on Shopify.

Alex Camacho: 18:08

Yeah, I mean there's just so many. There's so many reasons why, but then one of the number one reasons why is because they're the most supportive e-comm platform that you can use out there, especially for jewelry designers, because of, like, all the different things that we do, and there's so many apps that help to support e-comm that you wouldn't have otherwise. And I did start out on Wix, and I don't think Wix is. I don't think any of the other platforms are bad, but I think, specifically, if you want to sell your art online, shopify is the way to go 100%, but the app that I use, I can't remember there's. There's stamped, and then there's smileio, and one of those is my rewards program and one of them is my my reviews, but they work together. So there's smileio I think that's the loyalty rewards program and then stamped is the reviews.

Corkie Bolton: 19:00

I'll link it in the show notes yeah, definitely. And then would you mind just telling us a little bit about your Zodiac Stone Guide?

Alex Camacho: 19:11

Yeah, so I actually developed this. I was listening to another podcast and I signed up for this. In the beginning of the year is when it's like my most quiet time and I get really revved up about marketing and marketing initiatives and I start just like joining all these free programs and free lives and I just watch everything and I take notes and I just kind of like overload myself with information, but then I kind of pick and choose what is best for me and so I did this like jumpstart your emails from Amy Porterfield. She's a entrepreneur and coach online, and so I did this program and she was talking about lead magnets and for the longest time I'd wanted to create a lead magnet and a lead magnet is essentially a value-based marketing tool that you use to get people into your funnel, your sales funnel.

Corkie Bolton: 20:04

And so yeah, no, I mean everyone should have one.

Alex Camacho: 20:07

Well, I think you know a lot of coaching people and stuff like that and online coaches and stuff like that. That's what they're trained to do. I think that in the retail space, it kind of misses the mark sometimes for some people, depending on how you come into it. And so I was like well, and now, because I'm so focused and I really am focused on trying to provide the most value possible, because I want people even if they can't be a customer, if they just love my jewelry and they can't afford it or whatever, I still want them to be able to experience the brand right, and so I create, I wanted to.

Alex Camacho: 20:42

I did a bunch of polls and this is something that I do too. I said that I listen to my customers, I ask people all the time. I use my broadcast channel, I ask questions through polls, I put polls in my stories, I put polls in my emails, surveys, whatever I just I want to know what people are thinking out there, because my business is primarily online, so I don't get feedback unless I ask for it. And I asked people if they would want like a free ring sizer if they want. You know X, y and Z, and a lot of people had said that the Zodiac Stone Guide would be something that would really resonate with them. So I work with a VA team that helps me to do a lot of the back end work that I don't have time for, and they helped me develop this Zodiac stone guide based on a bunch of blogs that I had already posted. So we're reusing content, work smarter, not harder, and and yeah and. So we created that as a free giveaway for people and it gets them on our email list, so then they get into our quote unquote funnel, but they're also getting something from us for free that they don't have to pay for, and it allows them to be a part of our brand and experience what we're trying to put out there.

Corkie Bolton: 21:51

Absolutely. I'm, I'm really impressed, alex, for sure, like I'm going to link your website, of course, acidqueenjewelrycom. It's like not only do you have jewelry, you also have jewelry storage shirts, bags and other merch jewelry. Care aromatherapy did I say that already? I might have started with that, but yeah.

Corkie Bolton: 22:10

I mean like I'm like amazing and it all has to do with your niche, with your branding. So you know I'm loving it, I'm super impressed, I I really appreciate you chatting with me today about all of this. There has been so much in this conversation that you know people can think on and you know borrow from absolutely, and I think also.

Alex Camacho: 22:34

Another thing I want to put out there is I do have a patreon. My patreon I try to work on. It's part for customers, but part for people who want to learn and discuss running a small jewelry business. People can always reach out to me. I'm very open and I think that the more that we can all uplift each other and support each other. You know rising tides and so if you have any questions or anybody wants to reach out, please feel free at any time via Instagram or email.

Corkie Bolton: 23:01

That is amazing. Actually, episode 18 of this podcast, I interviewed Emily Marquis about how she utilizes Patreon as a jeweler, so I can't wait to check yours out. I definitely want folks to find you on Patreon, give you a follow on Instagram over at Acid Queen Jewelry. And yeah, thank you so much, absolutely.

Alex Camacho: 23:22

Thank you for having me.

Corkie Bolton: 23:26

Thanks for tuning in to today's episode. I had a great time chatting with Alex. I'd like to give a big shout out to my sponsor, dovetail, for their support. If you enjoyed the show and want to help me keep it going, you can support me on Patreon. Every little bit helps and I truly appreciate it. Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review and share the podcast with your jewelry making friends. Catch you next time.