Your earring cards can help you sell more of your handmade jewelry. They should complement the style of your jewelry, showcase your work nicely, and answer your customer's questions about the earrings that caught their fancy.

Although you can buy ready-made earring cards from most jewelry suppliers, I think it's much more professional to make your own. Your unique custom earring packaging adds a high-quality, handmade touch to your jewelry line, especially if it coordinates nicely with your other jewelry packaging.

Earring cards are easy to design and make - or to have made for you. And you can make them for just a few cents each - a good investment when you consider the impression they make.

What Information Should Your Earring Cards Have?

• Your Jewelry Business Info -

Somewhere on the card be sure to include the name of your jewelry business, plus all of your contact info - your website URL, e-mail address, and phone number.

Also, if you're active on any of the major online social networks, you may want to add your profile(s) to your jewelry packaging, since many of your customers are probably active there too and may prefer to contact you that way.

You may need to put your contact info on the back of the card to prevent the front text from distracting customers' eyes away from the earrings.

Your contact info helps customers feel that you're a legitimate business that will be around for a while. It implies that you stand behind your jewelry, and that you can be contacted if the customer has any problem with your products.

Also, customers often keep custom earring cards and jewelry tags, typically stashing them somewhere in their jewelry box. And when a client has your contact info handy, there's a good chance they'll get in touch with you, or shop on your website when they want to buy more jewelry or have custom pieces made.

Even when customers misplace your business card, they tend to keep the unique, custom earring display cards that came with their handmade jewelry!

• The Jewelry Components You Used in the Earrings -

Your earring cards should also list the materials (all beads, stones, clay, metals, paper, etc.) used in creating the pair of earrings hanging on that card.

This information is especially important to people who have metal sensitivities and need to be sure of the metal they'll be wearing on their earlobes.

• Your Logo (Optional) -

If you have a logo design for your jewelry business, I recommend including it somewhere on all of your jewelry packaging. It helps build customer awareness and recognition of your jewelry line.

What Size Earring Cards Do You Need?

Before designing your earring cards, carefully measure your earring displays, as well as the pouches or boxes you'll put your earrings in when they sell.

I discovered the hard way that a little measuring up front can save you a lot of frustration after you make your earring cards!

More Tips for Creating Your Own Earring Cards

Be sure to use the heaviest cardstock that will work in your printer or copy machine. Heavier paperstock will help your cards survive the handling they'll get at jewelry shows and home parties.

Use only acid-free paper or cardstock for all of your earring cards and jewelry tags. Anything else will make your jewelry metals tarnish more quickly.