Do you see what I see?

storybookstudio

Jeannie - So you`re a transplant, huh?  Well, you`re still alright in my book. I`m a born and raised Jersey girl. I tried to leave once, but it didn`t work out. I think I`m here for good now. Well, at least the kids go off to college (unless the taxes drive us out before then!)
Thanks for sharing your production story. I would have never imagined just how many little details you need to iron out. Sounds like you made the right decision not having your logo silk-screened. It would have been really bad for it to wash off or smear.
As for the book...it`s just out of my budget because I`m adding the tote. So..maybe I will just put it on the box (Free `My Story` booklet download). I can change it once more before they do the whole run. 
Mary Kay - I`m so excited for you! It must feel great (exciting and nerver-wracking!) having completed the first phase. That is a terrific idea about your downloadable playing cards. Will you be selling directly from your website as well? I`m hoping that by having something like the booklet to download, I might attract a few more sales. I will be selling direct, and I will offer other items like aprons, pillowcases, and totes (but nicer, boutique quality) for children to decorate with their kits.
I would love the website to be interactive, with project ideas and photo galleries of projects that my customers have done with my products.
Good luck with selling!! I`m anxious to start too. I`m right behind you!
 
 storybookstudio2007-8-11 9:26:2

Jeannie

Melissa,
Transplant? LOL - Yes, I guess I am!  
Yeah, the only thing I hate about NJ is the taxes.  The NJ property taxes are SILENT KILLERS here!
So, Melissa, it seems you answered your own question.  If the booklet is not within your budget, then the downloadables would definitely work! The sticker that Mary Kay suggested is a good idea if you`ve already finalized your packaging. Good Luck!
As for Mary Kay, Good Luck with your selling! It sounds like a really fun game!
Jeannie

Jeannie

Thanks Kathy!
But when you say that finding someone to make them is going to be tough, are you ready to look for a manufacturer yet? Have you started looking and find it tough? Just curious.

storybookstudio

Melissa,
I was thinking that it might even be cool for your to offer downloadable stencils (for a fee).  Sky`s the limit, right?  

It sounds like a good idea Mary Kay, but stencils might be kind of hard because whatever they print it on (velum, cardstock, ect.) will need to be cut with an exacto or craft knife. Not easy to do if you do not have a steady hand. I will offer other freebie projects though.
Are you sending out media kits to magazines, or doing a press release? I`m working on that now - trying to get it all together so when the kits come in, I can start firing out samples. We could maybe help each other out with some sales leads though. I am compiling a list of stores. If you are doing the same, maybe we could compare notes . I will be targeting specialty toy and gift shops and children`s boutiques.
 
Kathy - Thanks so much for the encouraging words! It is exciting, but there is so much to be done. I just keep adding things to my task list...it`s getting kind of long, but I`m trying to prioritize and keep what`s left of my sanity.
Can you outsource here in the US? I am working with a contract sewing company in CA who just did some prototypes for some aprons, pillowcases and totes (items that can be decorated with my kits). She did a really nice job, but your flags may be more intricate - not sure what is involved with that. If you want their contact info, I`d be happy to pass it along. I haven`t actually placed a big order with them yet, but I am happy with the quality of their work so far. I`m not going to make much (if anything) on these items, but I thought it would be good to offer some supporting products along with my kits. Maybe I will outsource these items overseas eventually if there is enough demand.
 
 
 storybookstudio2007-8-11 22:33:51

storybookstudio

Kathy - I PM`d you with their information. Like I said, I don`t know if they can help you with your project but it wouldn`t hurt to get some quotes, right?
I can`t even imagine what 5000 of every letter would look like. You`d be sleeping on a mountain of flags . I would have liked to start out with a smaller quantity of my kits, sourcing here in the US. The thing that killed me though were the tooling costs to set up the dies for cutting my stencils. China`s cost was about 1/4 of the quote I received from a US manufacturer. I figured I might as well just set it up there because if I started selling alot I`d probably end up going overseas anyway.
Mary Kay - Let me know how it goes with your PR person. I am working on my press kit myself for now. My sister-in-law is an editor, so I have her look over my copy before I print anything.
I`d love more info on the toy award submissions. I`m wondering if my product would be a good fit for that. It`s more of a craft item, but you never know I guess.
Yes, the PR and marketing will be neverending from here on out I guess. But, I agree that it can be fun and I`m looking forward to selling too. It will be nice when that first order rolls in. I might just take 5 seconds to celebrate. But you gotta keep plugging away - that mountain of products sure is a good motivator!
I need to look at my sales lead list and de-dupe it first, then I`ll send it over to you. I`ll PM you with my email address