DIY Market Research

Hi there! Hope the summer is going well for everyone:) I do wish business at comfycozy.com was as hot as the temps here in eastern PA!

Below is the link to an article from Country Business Magazine. Great tips on do it yourself marketing. I've already gone to surveymonkey.com and hope to generate some well needed feedback from my customer base.

http://country-business.com/growyourbiz/marketing_promotions/article.aspx?id=10200

Good Luck!!

Work Smarter - Closing the Sale.

My sister, Caryn Gresham, forwarded a e-newsletter to me yesterday. It included the following article on closing the sale. Something that even after years of being in business, we tend to forget the basics of "being in business".

For more info on the newsletter, check out the link below the article. Happy Selling!

Work Smarter...

By learning the 4 D’s of closing the sale. Whether you’re a salon owner, general contractor, herbalist or attorney, as entrepreneurs, we are all in sales. This may be new (and scary) territory for those who have spent years in a chosen profession, mastering that particular skill. But now as a business owner, not only do you have to be a wiz at accounting or an expert dog groomer, you also need to know how to market and sell yourself as well. Fortunately, mastering the sales process isn’t really that hard once you break it down into these four simple stages from Inc.com. Discovery. The first thing you need to do is to make sure the potential client is likely to benefit from your product or services. That means you really need to know who your target audience is and what it is they want. Diagnosis. Then you need to be able to help the client see the problems (or pain points) inherent in their current situation. People are pleasure-seeking creatures. If they recognize a situation is uncomfortable, it’s natural for them to want to fix it or make it better. Design. Once someone is interested in making an improvement, your job is to show them how your product or service is designed to help. Get the potential client to envision how much better off they’ll be once they’ve dealt with this issue (with your help, of course!). Delivery. By now, the potential client is on the verge of committing, and the last action you need to “seal the deal” is to show her exactly how what you have to offer will be THE answer. There are many ways to do demonstrate your abilities, such as a formal presentation, before and after photos or a free trial. Be creative, and be confident!

"Would you like to learn how to combine the passion, strengths and experience you already possess to create the successful business of your dreams? Would you like to move away from “dollars-for-hours” work in order to cultivate more wealth, more time and more happiness? If so, grab your FR.EE copy of the Richer. Smarter. Happier. Success Starter Kit at http://www.richersmarterhappier.com.”

Dreamers into Doers

Last summer I joined a group on the Martha Stewart web site called Dreamers into Doers.

It's a terrific group of women, just like me that have started their own businesses, are following their dreams and doing something they are passionate about. Recently, we've started a "headlines" area where we post all the events, pr, product releases, etc that happen to us. It's incredible to see some of the amazing things these women are up to.

I'm delighted to be part of the group. Comfy Cozy will be donating inspiring pillowcases to one of our members organization, Enchanted Makeovers. The organization is like the "extreme makeover" for women's shelters.

Below is the list of our latest events and accomplishments:

Across the pond, you'll find Editor Queen Lena, and staff do a remarkable job offering up all things vintage, from Home Furnishings and Decor to Gossip, Fashion and the latest News. WATCH This Magazine soar!

http://www.queensofvintage.com/vintage-queen-jolene/3

Peggy Gaffney... your blog was tremendous! http://kanineknits.blogspot.com.
Peggy Shaffer Vincent...your pillow cases! Amazinghttp://www.comfycozy.com
Terry Grahl...Great Article about The Recipe of Hope on the following Blog!http://blog.thevintageworkshop.com/

Dawyna Claryn-Your Music Rocks http://www.EarthDaySong.com/
Brenda Foehrkolb - Brenda Star Studios and the fantastic Art Show was a must see!
Meilie Moy-Hodnet-A fantastic Product http://www.bigstickcanes.com
Bea Kuntz-Spring is in Bloom at http://www.sagehillfarmsandvintagestore.com
Eileen Smith Dallabrida-Keep up the reporting Genius!
Lisa Oliver?-What a Dream Project http://www.lostmylovey.com/
Keren Brown-Keep the Passion Alive http://www.foodportunity.com/ andhttp://www.franticfoodie.com/
Rachel Gaffney-Selling Fine Irish Linen and Keeping The Passion of Great Food and Ireland Stronghttp://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2010/mar/13/irish-food/
Kim McCool-Porcelain portraits and limoges of the finest caliberwww.kimmccool.com/
Kathy Hammer-Tasteful and Tasty Fine WV Salsa!http://www.msmollyssalsa.com/
Taryn Sisco goes Green For Spring - http://poppychic.blogspot.com/ (Don't miss it!)
Check out this Site! Endearingly Wonderful Mary Richey!http://www.wallberries.com/
Jean Roth-Keep the Images and Stories Rollinghttp://www.rotemdesignstudio.com -- and -- http://www.rotemgear.com
Jennifer-"Oh Fancy Girl"-Be Fancy!http://www.businessownersideacafe.com/business_people/show_profile.php?profile_id=4668
Debbie Maddy-HOW PROUD ARE WE fellow DID?http://www.hgtv.com/videos/innovative-shining-star-quilt/6652.html
Annette Fry-This is well worth a second READ!
http://www.nypost.com/p/lifestyle/pets/treat_tricks_DPcETCmbr2mREQqbgHFd8L
Bridget Mack-Go Ministries is on the GO...
Victoria Silva- http://feminineliving.com (What's not to like here ;) )! Bring it on!
Carolina Martin- (new Grandson and All) http://www.artonwheels.us
Lisa Umansky-Perfect Pound Cakes! http://polkadotpoundcake.com
Karen Eyler-Keep Caligraphy Strong
Beth Shotwell Baker-With an eye to the Dreamers and Mentoring Strong-http://www.deservingdecor.org
Tina Czarnota-Ms. Author? Founder of International Bed and Breakfast Day? Keep the mystery and intrigue headed our WAY!
http://www.tinaczarnota.com

Email Marketing - Text vs. Images

I receive Email Insider, an e-newsletter on email marketing. I found this article interesting and useful. Some of the articles aren't applicable to small and wahm businesses. But this one discusses the use of text vs images in newsletters. The other interesting point is including in the Subject Line the "bottom line" or discount code so potential customers don't even have to read the newsletter to get the point.

With the amount of email folks will be getting the competition for sales this holiday, I plan on using this advice in promos for Comfy Cozy Glow in the Dark pillowcases.

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=115770&lfe=1

Chad White is the Research Director at Smith-Harmon, an agency focused exclusively on providing email marketing strategy and creative services. Visit his blog at http://www.retailemailblog.com/

National Garden Month!

April is National Garden Month! I love gardening. To me, it truly keeps me sane, calms when I'm stressed and I can never get enough of it. I'm not a great gardener - pretty good, but not and expert by any stretch. I learned my gardening skills from my mother:) It all started when I was younger, but trust me, it wasn't my choice to spend all that time pulling weeds. It was punishment for fighting with my brother or her solution to my saying "I'm bored" one too many times!

But from that, I'm happy to say that I learned a lot. I learned that weeds always come back, so unless I wanted to keep pulling them, my brother and I tried to fight less and we better not ever say we had nothing to do in the summer. My mother taught me that gardening should be a joy, not a chore - and not to take yourself too seriously. She taught me that a garden was more than flowers, it was an ever changing work in progress. If you planted something here and it came up over there, you could either accept it or move it, but don't expect it to stay there forever...maybe it was smarter than you and would grow better where it was!

My favorite advice was her theory on planting. When we moved into our home, I had a clean slate, a huge empty yard to plant in. Where would I put this, where would I plant that? Mom stood in front of my home and said, just put them in and let them grow. I can hear her say "just dig a hole and put it in the dirt". Easy enough. Then there is always the "dig it up and throw it over there" method. Trust me, it works!

It's just getting warm enough here in the northeast for my gardens to start coming alive. This year, that will take on a whole new meaning for me, as my mom passed away in March. She was my gardening inspiration. Most of the perennials in my gardens came all the way from her gardens in WV. The biggest emotional hurdle for me will be when my wysteria blooms. It was started from a seed from the wysteria at my parents home! It bloomed in 3 years when "statistically" wysteria takes at least 7 years to bloom.

We always talked about what was blooming, her plants always before mine. We'd share pictures of flowers and of course, our wysteria's. I'll miss those conversations dearly.

I guess it's fitting that April is Gardening Month - my mother's birthday is April 8th. The beginning of a month that takes us from the cold of winter to the beauty of spring.

Gardening is a 12 months a year hobby though! I created a set of calendars to help both novice and experienced gardeners stay on top of their gardening. Click here to see my entire "gardening" collection.

So, take some time to plant something; vegies, flowers, trees. Teach your kids the joy of gardening - and make them pull weeds every now and then, it builds character! Click here for Gardening with Kids tips.

If you just can't wait til your flowers bloom or want a garden of flowers all year long, order the Comfy Cozy "Magic Garden" glow in the dark Pillowcase. Order one for your mom or granma...trust me, she'll love it!

Happy National Garden Month!

Click on this link (http://www.quamada.com/months.html) to check out the complete list of "months".

CPSIA - One year stay

I never would have thought of myself as an "activist"! The term conjures up images of crowds of people picketing and carrying signs, screaming across the street and other misc. activities. I guess you could say "that was then, this is now". The word now means paying attention, being informed and making your opinions known to those that can do something about it...in a way that is productive and constructive.

It seems that all of "us" small business owners, artists, crafters and WAHM's across the USA came together - albeit thru several groups - and stood up for our rights and effectively got Washington to pay attention to what we were saying. Good for us!

On January 30th, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission voted to issue a one-year stay of enforcement for certain testing and certification requirements for manufacturers and importers of regulated products. Now, that doesn't mean we're free and clear, but it does mean that we don't have to throw out our inventory and/or shut our doors.

We must continue to be diligent on this issue and stay on top of changes. For now though, I can focus on my glow in the dark pillowcases, creating new designs and forging ahead w/ growing my business. We'll keep posting new developments.

Click here to read the CPSC news release.

CPSIA - Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act

Small businesses have had a tough time lately.  2008 wasn't so terrific for a lot of small companies and the last thing small business owners need, namely those of us that are work at home moms that are designing and making products for children, is the long arm of the government breathing down our necks.  I'm talking about the CPSIA - the new Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act that was signed into law in August 2008. 

While the act was created to address the unacceptable and dangerous levels of lead that was showing up in children's products (mainly imports), no one in our government seemed to realize how it would affect small businesses, designers and crafters.  It's one thing to demand testing and certification by large multi-million dollar manufacturers of products that use materials that could contain lead.  It is a completely different one to demand small, very small businesses such as many WAHM companies, like mine, Comfy Cozy,inc., to spend thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of dollars we don't have, to have our products tested and certified or we can't sell them.  Many of thesse products don't even use materials that could possibly include lead, but that doesn't matter. 

For my pillowcases, I know there isn't lead in the inks we use.  If the manufacturer of the ink has already had the ink tested, why do I have to do it again?  It's not like the screen printing process will magically (or chemically) create lead in the designs.  One thing that gets me is that waaay back in 1994 when I came up with this crazy idea to create glow in the dark pillowcases, I wanted to be able to assure my customers that they were safe for kids.  So, I had them tested for flammability and durability.  Mind you that the company I had do the testing told me that I didn't HAVE to do this testing.  It wasn't required by law and that it was expensive.  None of that mattered, I wanted my customers to know that their kids safety mattered to Comfy Cozy,inc. 

Under the new Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act, ANY company that produces products that are made for children under the edge of 12 must comply.   The first deadline is February 10 - yikes!  This will effect hundreds of WAHMS and small business owners.  Many of the cute, adorable, original products that consumers like may be ripped off shelves, web sites will shut down and we'll be forced to sit around all day watching General Hospital and eating bon bons!  OK, we all needed a little levity here!  

During a time when products MADE IN USA should be shouted from the roof tops, when those of us that are using domestic materials and domestic labor should be heralded for even trying to compete with imports, we are staring down the barrel of a gun being aimed at us by our own government.  Don't get me wrong, I'm the mom of 2 young boys, I have 16 nieces and nephews and countless friends with children - I'm all for safety, rules and regulations.  But forcing small American companies to pay for the sins of large foreign companies that really don't care about the well being of my children or yours, doesn't seem like the best solution.

So, please forward this post to your friends, family and all the WAHMS you know.  If you love the cool items you can find on Etsy, contact your senators and congressmen.  Ask them if they read the legislation and understand what it's effects will be.  Maybe they'll earmark some of that trillion bucks for us to pay for the testing and certification!  For details on the CPSIA, please click here.  

I know this was a long post and I thank you for reading it:)