Birthday party activities are a very hot market niche, I've discovered, and I recommend trying it out if it sounds at all interesting to you. For successful birthday bracelet beading parties, the keys are to:

• enjoy kids,

• have a sense of fun,

• bring a lot of pink and purple beads (along with other colors), and

• wear comfortable clothes because you'll be sitting on the floor.

While I'm helping the girls make their bracelets at the party, they always want to know how I got into making jewelry. So I tell them about how doing something I love turned me into an entrepreneur, that I build my own websites, and that I invent my own job for myself every day by following opportunities that come up and thinking creatively about things. I can tell they're inspired by that, and I'm glad to plant seeds for future entrepreneurs!

To reach the bracelet beading party niche, I recommend making a nice flyer with a few enticing bracelet photos, a photo of a selection of beads, a brief party description, and your contact info.

Include a flyer for each birthday party guest to take home (most of the girls who are guests at one of my birthday beading parties want to have their own parties). Also inquire at your local elementary schools about including one of your flyers in students' weekly take-home folders. Many schools are happy to do this if you provide the flyer copies.

Other likely places to distribute birthday bracelet beading party flyers (with permission) include ballet / dance / gymnastics studios where girls take lessons; soccer / softball games; craft stores; and pottery painting stores.

Rena Klingenberg is a jewelry artist and the publisher of http://www.home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com, a collection of thousands of tips on marketing handcrafted jewelry. She also publishes http://www.trade-show-booth-display.com, tips for trade show success on a small budget.

rena@home-jewelry-business-success-tips.com