It’s the final push to get the cards ready for the printer. I ordered the UPC codes online. Artwork is provided along with the numbers. In a working session with Sarah today we finalized the design of the back of the cards, worked out a few problems I couldn’t solve on my own, and came up with the last steps of what needs to be done before “printer ready pdf” happens. Bottom line: I need to stop procrastinating on the “words” to go with the “watercolors”! I’m feeling quite overwhelmed with the task. I open up InDesign, review all the cards, add words to one, then another and then feel stumped. What if I’m going for the wrong sentiment for the image? Does that sound too hoaky? too “new age”? should they all be greeted inside? (I answer that with not going to happen as I like blank cards and I recall a comment I got from Yvette at Copperfields, who also likes blank cards), should I do another birthday? I breathe deep, relax, try to do what I preach and TRUST. Then I shut the lid on my computer, thinking the next time I open it up the perfect words will come to me! Problem is, I open the lid for round whatever and the perfect words are still hiding from my brain. I seem to repeat the above steps, close the lid again. This has been going on for 2 weeks! Tonight, after Sarah left, I committed myself to “just doing it!” Happy to report that I did make progress. I’ve got a deadline of Tuesday morning next week. Well over 3/4 the way finished now, I plan to be finished on time. Then it’s only a few more steps and I’ll see these cards printed and in my hand!
From there it will be a big marketing and sales push. That is easier for me, in a way, with my background of Sales. Today I followed up with a phone call to a rep group here in the Bay Area that handles Brush Dance as well. Playing phone tag, I hope to connect soon and make an appt to review this line. I plan on getting reps across the country but also plan on doing lots of marketing myself to organizations (Botanical Gardens and such) on my own. Mark and I read “Success Principles” by Jack Canfield last year. He, along with Mark Victor Hansen, wrote Chicken Soup for the Soul (and now have an incredible business as the books continue to roll off the presses with all the spin off titles). They were turned down by 144 publishers before they found a small one that was willing to work with them. Talk about Persistence and Belief in your product! Even after they found the publisher, he laughed when they told him they planned to be on the NY Times Best Seller list. Their goal and lots of direct marketing, phone calls, letters and plain hard work did take them there 18 months later….and the rest is history. I remember this story every time I begin to worry that my line may be too flowery or too inspirational (not enough birthday cards etc..) or too whatever. Then I realize that this is MY dream and MY goal and I’m going to be bigger than I can even imagine! If I choose to think that way, which I do! The dream from the ethers is becoming more concrete each day…definitely catching steam…or wind in the sails. It’s happening!!