the business of style: introduce your sweet baby!
Saturday, January 9, 2010
As promised, since a lot of friends and readers have approached me over the past few years with questions about how to start a small fashion/design business, I'll be showing up on Saturdays to talk about the business side of style. Are you someone who's working at a "real job" until you can someday quit and pursue your dream? I plan to have lots of helpful little tips for making your dream a reality that I wish someone had passed along to me when I was first starting out.
People who are working on something near and dear to their heart are often a little shy about promoting it because it's not "real" yet, the kinks and imperfections haven't been worked out, etc. But if you want to see your dream out in the world, you have to treat it like a sweet baby that's not very good at reading. Your heart goes out to this baby and so you will read to, buy books for, tutor, and most importantly nurture it until this sweet baby aces their English test {and with this kind of love and attention, of course they're going to ace it!}. You wouldn't hide this baby in a closet just because it doesn't read perfectly yet!
It doesn't matter if you're working out of your bedroom and only leave the house once a day to grab a coffee at Starbucks--chances are, somebody's going to ask you for your card. I've chatted with more people than I can count, who excitedly tell me about their special dream business and then hand me a business card that has all their "real job" info on it. It's a very small detail, but having a business card devoted exclusively to your dream project is a first step in taking it seriously. Luckily it's not very expensive to make up a business card and it'll give you an extra boost of confidence because you're honoring your dream!
Now this may sound like blasphemy to all you stylish designer lovers, but this is not the place to get super artsy--make sure it has your name, phone number and email on it and not just some email account that you never check. Remember, this is your baby! We've all cleaned out our desk and come across business cards that have a beautiful logo with a teeny tiny contact number and then racked our brain trying to remember who gave it to us before tossing it into the trash with a shrug. Another little hint that I learned the the hard way: it's great if it coordinates with your logo/theme/design--but don't spend too much time or thought on the card {at least this first round}--in the end people don't care about the look as much as having a way to contact you. You can always change it after you give this batch of cards away. The important thing is to get the word out right now!
So to kick things off, I teamed up with UPrinting and one lucky TrustYourStyle reader will win 250 business cards. {I'm loving the give-away because they're also giving me 250 business recycled paper cards too--yay!}
UPrinting requires the winner to pay for shipping, but it's affordable and a very nice incentive to get started with your dream!
* The winner can chose from the following sizes:
2 x 3.5”, 2 x 3”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.5 x 3.5” (skinny card)
{The nice thing about the skinny cards is they can double as hang tags for your products!}
* The paper choices are: 14 pt gloss cardstock, 14 pt matte cardstock or 13 pt recycled uncoated cardstock.
* Eligibility: Sorry, Uprinting has limited the give-away to US Residents due to shipping costs.
To enter, tell me what your dream business is and how you would use the business cards to further it. If you'd like an extra one or two chances to enter the drawing, sign up to follow me on Twitter, Google Friends or FaceBook and then let me know in the comments section so I can add you in again for another chance to win. Please make sure to include your email so I have a way to contact you if you're the lucky winner!
Good luck everyone and best wishes for all of your dream projects--I know you'll do it! The winner will be announced next Saturday so please drop by again for next Saturday's Business of Style post.
p.s. If you have a topic suggestion or a business question you'd like me to answer feel free to email me!
People who are working on something near and dear to their heart are often a little shy about promoting it because it's not "real" yet, the kinks and imperfections haven't been worked out, etc. But if you want to see your dream out in the world, you have to treat it like a sweet baby that's not very good at reading. Your heart goes out to this baby and so you will read to, buy books for, tutor, and most importantly nurture it until this sweet baby aces their English test {and with this kind of love and attention, of course they're going to ace it!}. You wouldn't hide this baby in a closet just because it doesn't read perfectly yet!
It doesn't matter if you're working out of your bedroom and only leave the house once a day to grab a coffee at Starbucks--chances are, somebody's going to ask you for your card. I've chatted with more people than I can count, who excitedly tell me about their special dream business and then hand me a business card that has all their "real job" info on it. It's a very small detail, but having a business card devoted exclusively to your dream project is a first step in taking it seriously. Luckily it's not very expensive to make up a business card and it'll give you an extra boost of confidence because you're honoring your dream!
Now this may sound like blasphemy to all you stylish designer lovers, but this is not the place to get super artsy--make sure it has your name, phone number and email on it and not just some email account that you never check. Remember, this is your baby! We've all cleaned out our desk and come across business cards that have a beautiful logo with a teeny tiny contact number and then racked our brain trying to remember who gave it to us before tossing it into the trash with a shrug. Another little hint that I learned the the hard way: it's great if it coordinates with your logo/theme/design--but don't spend too much time or thought on the card {at least this first round}--in the end people don't care about the look as much as having a way to contact you. You can always change it after you give this batch of cards away. The important thing is to get the word out right now!
So to kick things off, I teamed up with UPrinting and one lucky TrustYourStyle reader will win 250 business cards. {I'm loving the give-away because they're also giving me 250 business recycled paper cards too--yay!}
UPrinting requires the winner to pay for shipping, but it's affordable and a very nice incentive to get started with your dream!
* The winner can chose from the following sizes:
2 x 3.5”, 2 x 3”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.5 x 3.5” (skinny card)
{The nice thing about the skinny cards is they can double as hang tags for your products!}
* The paper choices are: 14 pt gloss cardstock, 14 pt matte cardstock or 13 pt recycled uncoated cardstock.
* Eligibility: Sorry, Uprinting has limited the give-away to US Residents due to shipping costs.
To enter, tell me what your dream business is and how you would use the business cards to further it. If you'd like an extra one or two chances to enter the drawing, sign up to follow me on Twitter, Google Friends or FaceBook and then let me know in the comments section so I can add you in again for another chance to win. Please make sure to include your email so I have a way to contact you if you're the lucky winner!
Good luck everyone and best wishes for all of your dream projects--I know you'll do it! The winner will be announced next Saturday so please drop by again for next Saturday's Business of Style post.
p.s. If you have a topic suggestion or a business question you'd like me to answer feel free to email me!
posted by Mary Jo at TrustYourStyle at
Saturday, January 09, 2010
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10 Comments:
i'm working on mine - becoming a full time professional photographer. inch by inch-day by day.
As a former kids clothing buyer, I am thinking about all the possibilities of creating a collection of cloths and toys and books based off of vintage Americana fabrics. Images of Norman Rockwell with a softer 1970's edge.
The simplest of colors and classic items, to assist us all in living a delightful, thought filled, productive and playful life.
Creating art and counting coins, sharing stories and volunteering our charitable hands and minds and hearts. Cheering on good will.
Yes, yes, yes! I need this!
My dream business is to be not only a professional lingerie blogger but also to become a lingerie consultant and personal shopper.
I want to be the place people come to to find out the best deals, the hottest discounts, the latest collections, and the best tips.
I also want to help people buy lingerie for themselves and/or their significant others and to help companies design collections that "connect" with the masses.
It's really ambitious, I know, but I think I can do it. :-)
Business cards would help because I want to go to at least one lingerie trade show this year, and though business cards are a small thing, they're one of those things that would make me seem 100 times more professional.
Eek...I worry this might be too long, but I can't tell you how much I'd love to win this prize. :-)
LOVE hearing about all your cool businesses-in-progress! And please, no comment is too long--I get excited the more I hear about your ideas. And if writing long comments was an offense, I'd be in blogger prison right now!
Keep them coming! I can't wait to hear more!
xo
oh i totally agree that business cards are a major necessity. i remember when i first got mine, i felt so official (i first got them for the blog and later the shop). i'm VERY shy about handing them out, but i'll try to work on it.
Hi Mary Jo,
I am so excited to read your new feature about the business side of the fashion industry. I would like to be considered for the give-away as I am currently an aspiring freelance fashion journalist. I intern at Stiletto Woman where I write weekly posts for their site and help with their sister magazine, k.Glam Couture, where I write articles and look for independent artists to feature in the magazine. I recently left my job in textbook publishing to pursue my interests in the fashion magazine industry. While I don't have a business, I feel having business cards could help me as I network with publications to build a freelance portfolio.
Thanks for the chance, as always!
Dyan
whimsybeing@gmail.com
Hey Mary Jo,
My name is Marissa and I am an aspiring Eco-friendly, Charity promoting and serving, fashion designer. I have recently graduated from a very expensive school that I am paying off myself which gives me little room for business cards. In the future I plan to incorporate my dreams and goals to improve the fashion world, because we all know that us girls need our fashion and I want that to be a good thing for everyone including our planet. I could really use these cards and would really appreciate a consideration. I have been working two jobs and going to school for 3 years full time.. I need to find a job soon and these cards could really help me. As you know the job market is extremely difficult and looking very professional is profoundly important. I can guarantee that you will not regret helping me!
P.S if this helps.. love your blog
xoxoxo Marissaofthesea
Your blog is pretty good and impressed me a lot. This article along with the images is quite in-depth and gives a good overview of the topic.
business logos design | website logo design
Your blog is pretty good and impressed me a lot. This article along with the images is quite in-depth and gives a good overview of the topic
O wow really very awesome! I think this is one of the best sites out there. It has so much information. I certainly love this website, keep on it. Have a good day!
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