I can’t wait to show you my NEW product! Don’t have a photo yet but I should soon as these go to press tomorrow.
This happened waaaay faster than I anticipated. Sarah and I were batting around ideas for new product that we could introduce for the January shows. We were thinking Journals. Then I went to talk to John, my angel of a printer, 2 weeks ago about something else and we ended up also brainstorming about new products. We were throwing out all sorts of ideas: a book of postcards, journals, wrapping paper, pad of note sheets, memo cube, memo pad, stationery, etc…We’ve had this conversation before without coming to any conclusions. This time, the memo pad idea kinda stuck. I went home and dug out a memo pad I’d purchased over a year ago thinking it might be something I could easily do. Taking it to John the next day, we dissected the products as far as paper quality, # of sheets, back card stock. Then we divided chores for gathering costs. I contacted Clear Bags requesting samples/pricing and researched magnet companies online. John did the printing pricing. I also contacted a few buyers and reps asking their thoughts on price point and product. All around it seemed to be a thumbs up proposition.
In the meantime, Sarah and I began to play with the idea of what these might look like. We came up with 2 different designs, floral like the Anytime look and more of a kitchen theme with veggies/fruit. I loved both. In no time we had 8 designed, 4 of each “look”. By the time John and I got back together again, this was clearly going to be a product. John was the one who moved it up to create NOW rather than wait. When he heard the SF Gift Show began on Saturday the 4th of August, he thought we should shoot for getting the product ready for orders to be taken! I gulped, “Really?!?” “Sure, why not??”, his reply. I thought of how much the new boxed notecards increased an order size and thought these might do the same….also they will add to the “Branding” of Peg Conley/Words and Watercolors. (another story for another time)
So with that, Sarah and I finished what these will look like this morning complete with product numbers and names assigned. She’s working on the mechanicals which John should receive tomorrow to begin the printing process. By Friday end of day, I will have 12 designs to take to the show on Saturday morning! Oh yeah…the 8 we designed turned to 12 when John explained that the cost of goods would go down if we printed 12 vs 8. The size of the paper dictating how many could go on a sheet. I decided to add one more of each floral and kitchen and then 2 Holiday ones. Can’t wait to get feedback from the buyers/reps. Personally, I think Sarah and I have once again hit it out of the ballpark with a new product intro!!