Marketing Op!

I have been wringing my brain clean of any sort of ideas trying to figure out what the most effective method of marketing is going to be to get my blankets "out there" in the public eye. I can't afford to pay for the site right now and I can't afford to print up 100's of brochures to hand out and I don't have enough samples (ok I have ZERO samples right now) to take to boutiques and such. What a dilemma. What a frustrating dilemma. Then I realize - this is going to take some time. Breathe. That is one of the most important things when starting a new venture - take your time. Things are not going to happen overnight. Evaluate what you're going to do and where you want to go and set a REALISTIC goal. Without realistic goals (and realistic is absolutely the key word here) there is no use in going forward because you will fail. There is no doubt in my mind - frustration makes everyone just want to throw in the towel... but don't do it. Keep forging ahead. (wise words of the day alert!)

So, I stopped thinking about marketing and started focusing on making blankets. How can you market if you have no product? Yeah. That's what I said to - you can't. It's impossible. What are you going to sell to people - an idea? Ideas don't get you very far when you're manufacturing something to sell. Brilliant me coming out now.... Marketing AFTER product. Check. And then I open Lucian's backpack....

On February 10th there is a silent auction happening at his school. Apparently it's like this big deal. People donate a shitload of stuff to make up these baskets for people to bid on. My Business hat IMMEDIATELY goes on and I email the organizer - HollyJo. I ask if I can put my cards attached to the blankets and donate them to the auction. She's ecstatic and tells me "YES! Of course! If you want, you can set up a little stand with samples or a booklet and a bunch of your cards!" I almost pass out. COOL! I mean, it's a small thing, but it will at least get my blankets (which totally rock) out there in the public eye... Women who know women who have babies (I don't know any of those women - You need to leave the house to know women who have babies!). So I'm rockin' and rollin' and need to make 5 blankets in 8 days. *gulp*

I started on the cutest blanket last night. I think I'm going to call it the "Patsy blanket" because Sean said "you know - some people probably would want cutesy blankets. Baby-looking ones."

To which I am staring at my minky swirl and pink zebra fur block blanket back and say "what do you mean? This is totally cute!"

His reply "yeah. It's cute. But not everyone wants their baby walking around dressing like Pat Benetar."

*rolling eyes* Then I laughed. Where does he come up with this crap? That's why I love him. FUNNY...

So the "Patsy" blankets are born. I'll post a picture of the finished sample product (that I'll donate for 95% a good cause - 5% selfishness to get my stuff out there!).

I realize that you have to start somewhere. Start small. Work your way up. I LITERALLY just started making these blankets and I'm already getting myself in deep emotionally. Which is great. But I need to understand that stepping back and taking it a little slowly is how to go. If I don't, I'm going to get burned out quickly and I don't want that. I still have my other products to make (unrelated to this venture) and it's time consuming. Focus. Re-Group. Take one step at a time. The product is the most important thing right now. One step at a time.

But that's not my style. If I do something I jump in and jump in the deep end - HARD. I immerse myself into everything that I do and I need to be the best at it. Childhood trauma I suppose. Feelings of inadequacy seeping through. But... the upside of it is that it makes me work harder and be the best I can be at everything I do. Failure is not an option. :)

Until Next Time...