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do you want my recommendation?

Happy Wednesday!

I have always been a huge proponent of building a community for yourself. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people, fans, fellow entrepreneurs, and knowledgeable members of your professional community can do wonders for yourself and your business. With limited resources and time, it is smarter to arm yourself with an arsenal of comprehensive tools to support you than to go at it blindly. From apps, to websites, to software there is so much out there to help save your time and money.

Much like the possible difficulties associated with finding the right people to surround yourself with, it can also be hard to find the right tools. Here’s where bestvendor.com comes in. I had the opportunity to chat with the founder Jeff  Giesea of BestVendor at a tech summit last month, and his team has figured out a way to make this oh so easy for us. Instead of spending hours, or even days, searching for software for everything from finance to sales to design only to hope you purchased the right one for your needs, take a few minutes to browse through bestvendor’s recommendations. You can search by popularity, by certain tags or by similarity to yourself. It’s worth taking the time to sign up to get customized recommendations, you can even sign up through facebook, twitter, or linkedin and find out what tools your community members use, bringing this philosophy full circle!  

Sounds cool right? Do you want to know what I use to run my retail business? Click here.

Want to create your own list? Check it out and let me know what you find! :)

 
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Go local and let’s connect! :)

Happy Thursday,

I feel very lucky to work together with many local, hand-made designers. However, I have come to realize that the real challenge has been translating the quality of the product into sales with customers.

Since local designers produce work on a much smaller scale than larger companies it makes sense that their prices would stay higher in order for everyone involved to make a profit. Communicating this to customers in a constructive way can be tricky. In this age of Walmart and mass-production customers are used to searching out the lowest price and expect everyone to match these prices. In an effort to defend our designers’ prices we have endeavored to promote the “quality over quantity” philosophy and explain what it is about this product that makes them worth the higher price tag. Whether it’s the expert craftsmanship, the much higher quality materials, or the mere fact that they’re supporting their local economy, the bottom line is that they’re investing in a product that will last much longer than many less expensive options.

In my other business, Pink Olive, we have also utilized frequent-buyer loyalty programs to reward customers for shopping with us. We also run promotions and found great success with 2-for deals that promote buying in bulk. At the end of the day, not everyone is going to understand the value of quality and craftsmanship, but your ideal customers will understand and come back.

Are you a hand-made designer? How do YOU translate the quality of your product with your customers? I would love to hear your thoughts below.

image via design is mine blog and yvestown shop

 Are you a crafty gal? Do you want to meet other creatives in NYC? You are in for a real treat! Come and mix with other creatives tonight, snack on whoopie pies and get ready to be inspired!

Erin Ozer from Knot & Bow is a great example of someone who started her paper & craft business out of her home and now sells to many retailers around the country, including Pink Olive and Terrain. You will hear her story and learn how to DIY for both your personal and business needs.

We still have a few spots left so be sure to RSVP here or email us at concierge@pinkolive.com if you want to attend. I look forward to meeting you! :)

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my next chapter for retail recipes… plus, my gift to you! :)

Hey there!

Today is a very special day for me. I am trilled to announce the launch of my newest Retail Recipes venture, one that I hope will be able to reach far more people than ever before! I’ve put together all of my best retail advice into…drum-roll please….my Retail Recipes book + DIY Kit!!

This book will provide indie-designers and artists from around the country with access to my advice on how to sell their products to retail stores and create a desirable brand. It will also cover my most popular business tips on starting, maintaining, and growing a product-based business.  In order to sell to retail stores “with ease” you need to make your product desirable to a retail buyer. Whether you’re just getting started or have are already on your way and just need an extra boost, we’ll formulate a simple retail recipe formula to help meet your unique goals and needs.

You will learn my retail recipes formula for getting more orders from your ideal stores, discover hidden opportunities to make you more money and create a buzz that will get buyers to call YOU! 

Whether you design baby onesies, paper goods, clothing, accessories, or home décor items, this interactive book will cover the basics of starting and maintaining a product-based business and garner the attention of your dream retail buyer, at a much lower cost than other coaching services.

So how much does this cost?

My private one-on-one clients pay thousands of dollars to work together with me. So now, for a fraction of what my clients pay, you can have me teach you these same strategies for just $147. This is your opportunity to get inside the mindset of a retail buyer and learn everything there is to know about making your product retail ready!

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the content that will be covered in the book.

It gets better! In celebration of my birthday week, I will be offering the following BONUSES:

1) If you sign up for this book during the month of July, you will also receive:

+ 10 step guide to writing an effective pitch letter to retail stores + sample letter {value $150}
+ Linesheet Template {value $150}
+ Store List of 600+ specialty stores around the country that carries paper goods, gifts, baby, fashion,beauty, and vintage vendors {value $500}

2. For the first 10 people who sign up, you will receive everything above PLUS, I will personally critique your website and product assortment and email you with at least five strategies you can implement right away to make your product retail ready! {This alone is worth $225}   SOLD OUT

SPECIAL BONUS #3:
If you place your order by Friday, July 13th and you will be invited to get on a group call with me for an hour of Q&A time. This is something that my private clients have found invaluable and would love to offer this personal time to you. You can ask anything that comes up for you as you go through the exercises or challenges you are facing with your business now. You will have 30 days to implement 3 things from the book before we get on the call. Sound good? SOLD OUT

Please click on the button below to sign up and you will receive all the materials right away!

Still unsure? Check out some of the testimonials from other designers just like YOU! Your product idea deserves to be presented in the right way to get a fair shot in the retail world!


 I want to point out that if this book + DIY kit doesn’t meet your expectation or return on your investment, you will receive 100% of your money back. You have nothing to lose!

Again, the special BONUS #1 is only good for the month of July, #2 is only for the first 10 people to sign up, and #3 is for everyone who signs up by Friday, July 13th.

Here’s to making your product retail ready!

xo,

Grace Kang
Your Retail Product Mentor

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Subscription Business Model ROCKS! Plus, Etsy Meetup :)

Hey there,

What’s better than a new customer? How about a new customer that’s guaranteed month after month? When you offer a subscription service, that’s exactly what you’ll be getting. 
 
Subscription services come in many shapes and sizes, but the basics are always the same: customers get a monthly delivery of some product, a service or a curated assortment of products. If it’s a new assortment every month, it can be a great way to introduce new products, or re-introduce older ones that may not be selling as well as you expected. If it’s one particular pre-established product, such as a flower arrangement, it can be a great way to show off your know-how and remind customers how much they love your product.
 
The subscription can also be a service, where customers sign up for exclusive access to you, your expertise and perhaps some added bonus like free shipping or a small discount on additional products or services.
 
While a subscription service should offer some form of “deal” on what you offer, but the guarantee of a returning customer is worth the discount. The monthly arrival will also serve as a well-planned reminder, keeping you and your best products and services top of mind.

xo,

Grace Kang
Your Retail Product Mentor

images: examples of businesses using subscription business model – birchbox.com and babbaco.com

 

    

 

rsvp
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Quick tip to have FUN with your customers & make money!

 

Hey there,

Summer is upon us and what better way to celebrate than to host a party!

This is the perfect time of the year to take a break from your normal routine and celebrate your accomplishments.Whether it’s an outdoor barbecue, or a more intimate wine & cheese gathering, you can invite your friends and close customers over to have fun. This will give you a chance to meet one-on-one, and even get feedback from those you trust, and mingle amongst your community.  Encourage everyone to bring friends and you’ll be giving yourself the opportunity to expand your circle even more.

While I don’t think it should be the focus of the evening, an event like this is also a great way to sell your products. There’s nothing better than giving customers a chance to interact with your products in person, as opposed to just viewing pictures and descriptions online. They will be able to ask you questions, as well as answer any you may have about their preferences or ideas you’ve been working on.

Here’s to making this your carnival, having FUN and establishing good will. When you take the time to celebrate your beautiful creations and reward your fans, they will spread the word like wildfire.

xo,

Grace Kang
Your Retail Product Mentor