I have just decided that I am going to go solo in my business and this Valentines is my first effort at marketing my custom cards and baskets.

I want to send out a little brochure locally but what is the best way to do this? I want the orders, however, I also don't want to be ovewhelmed by the response to where I can not produce a good product.

-- DONNA L. JAMES (namdi1316@yahoo.com), December 27, 2000

Answers

Donna,

Sending out a large mass mailing is probably not going to give you the best return on your investment. Mass mailings generally have very low response rates, and the flip side that you mentioned is the risk that you will get to many orders (or the wrong kind of orders). What I would suggest is that you go at this more personally.

Who is your target audience? How can you get yourself in front of those people?

Will you be selling through local independent shops? If so, go around to those shops with some samples of your work that you can give away for free. A couple of free cards along with an order form will help prove the saleability of your products and gain you new orders. Bring along an example basket, or include pictures of some example baskets in you brochure. Give the brochure to the store owner or manager in person. Remember, if you are taking this route, to ONLY deal with the person who can actually make purchase decisions. Don't give your full spiel and goodies to just any clerk. Make sure you get the right person. Return a second or third time, if need be.

My mother and two of her friends started Quilters Three, a quilt label company, just like this. They got their labels into local quilt shops first, then into quilting catalogs, and finally into big fabric stores.

If you are going to be selling only to individuals, think about where you will find those individuls. How can you get yourself in front of them? Are these the kinds of things that members of your local Lion's club might like to give to their friends or family? Work with them on a community project... offer to match their donations toward gift baskets and/or cards for lonely seniors or homebound people in your community... speak to the group during one of their meetings about the process of choosing the right gift for a person and how to create a lasting memory with a gift.

I remember an inspirational speaker once talk about how you should never give your wife a vacuum cleaner for Christmas. You should give her the things she needs any time, but those special occassions are for special gifts that show your love in a deeper way. That has really stayed with me, and paints my gift choosing habits to this day. Your words can have that effect on the people you touch as well as improving your own business!

DO produce that brochure. DO be ready to give it or mail it to people you meet in person, people you speak to on the phone, or by recommendation. DO read http://www.freeagent.com/resource/re_vi_template.asp?article=gear&cat=mktg .

And good luck!!!

- elizabeth s. wall

-- Elizabeth Wall (erennison@hotmail.com), December 30, 2000.