Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Let's get down to business




The problem with being in business is well – the business!  I’m hopeless at  the business side of things. In fact, all three of the sister outlaws joke about inserting shoulder pads and power dressing whenever we need to be business minded.
*Hint this is not really us!
This week, I have had to think about marketing. So I’m imagining the sister outlaws are three sharp business minds and look like this. (Okay- so any excuse for me to pretend I'm Dolly!)

After 3 years (?) of being a business I have finally organised some business cards to be printed. Hilarious huh?

 
Marketing is hard. Culturally, in Australia, we are not brought up to big note ourselves – and marketing does seem like like bragging, doesn’t it? 

But I can honestly say that I think our re-sew-cool kits are quite good. I mean pretty good. I mean really good. (I am trying!) The re-sew-cool kits are excellent. They even come with a needle! All you really need are normal cotton thread, fine needle and scissors and you can make each bag-tag, brooch or ornament. Because don't you  hate buying “kits”, opening them to get started and find I have to go out shopping first? 

And the re-sew-cool kits really are sustainable – second hand buttons, recycled jumper felt, vintage trims (often still in the packet!). Even the header is printed by sustainable printers Print Together with vegetable ink on recycled paper. And we have solar panels on the roof! And cellophane is biodegradable! It is only the findings that are bought new!
I’ve also designed these flyers because we have a presence at some events this weekend. Our lovely stockist Sandy, from Winterwood Toys, is taking our kits to the Wood and Timber Show  which is at the Showgrounds in Melbourne this weekend. Apparently the wood show attracts mostly men but some of them bring their partners and they are encouraging a craft section.(For the record, we do sell our kits to boys  - they tend to love the owl bag-tag because of Harry Potter)

Another of our lovely stockists, Liz from Gleaners Inc is also representing both re-sew-cool and sweet by and by at the Finders Keepers market this weekend. I’ll be there Saturday afternoon helping Liz out on the stall.Come and say hi!
* Hint – don’t be too disappointed that I don’t look like the picture above! 

So! It's been nice doing business with you! No shoulder pads required! In fact, today I have been doing all this business stuff while wearing a full rabbit suit (because the kids asked me to). It's surprisingly comfortable.

7 comments:

  1. Don't forget to mention the glue! For the non-sewers! We don't expect it to be included, but that would definitely encourage people like me to buy the kits. You are so right about Australia being a culture where it's not okay for people to market themselves - I hate that! That is why I love America (well, I only really know New York City) but I found people there marketed themselves in a great way. They were confident and straightforward and clear in a way that I really liked. Just because they were marketing themselves, it didn't preclude you from having an interesting conversation or connceting in other ways. I love that you are marketing sister outlaws products. I think that bunny suit coupled with a sandwich board... just kidding! I LOVE the bunny suit. Can you sell those too?

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    1. Now that is one job I haven't had - dressing up in a funny suit and standing by the road. There's a funny story behind the suit. Remind me to tell you one day!

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  2. Julianne, you are SO sunny. I actually thought about making my hair pink after seeing yours and to have something to talk about on one of my Blogtoberfest posts. BUT, that rabbit costume, I have decided, although you look adorable, I won't even consider it.

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    1. Well you know things are getting desperate when I start resorting to silly costumes!! Doesn't blogtoberfest drive us all a bit crazy?! Love how your sister is "the blogtoberfest police" and makes sure you do a post everyday.

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  3. I wasn't finished writing when that last comment "took off." I also wanted to say that from what I've seen of your kits (I won two in last year's Blogtoberfest), they are pretty and all you say they are. Yes, you have to tell people how great your are sometimes so go for it!

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    1. Thanks Irene. I should put an endorsement on that says: “Irene from El Paso Texas says…”

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  4. Nice bunny suit ;)
    All the best with the markets! I find it hard to sell myself too, but rest assured your stuff really is awesome.

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