Ok, the countdown panic has set in and isn't budging till we get to the show. On returning from the first of this new term's morning school run, our Monday 'to do' list was drawn up and since then it has felt like we've been running a marathon hitting all the walls that runners talk about - challenging but not insurmountable!
With emails and phone calls rallying faster than a Wimbledon final between ourselves and our manufacturers we are crossing our fingers and toes for the arrival of our sample collection early next week. Everything of importance is now illuminated. The procrastination has stopped. There is a pep in our step. With endless courses on time management, it's seems only possible to manage time when you've a big looming deadline - working all hours just to get the jobs done.
Stephanie has been hard at work finalising swing tags, business cards and trade show invitations - again lots of design decisions to make when trying be informative, brand savvy and very friendly all on a 10cm x 6cm slip of card! Our shopping web site template is practically there - again just waiting on the clothes, honestly it'll be 'all right on the night' as they say. It's touch and go as to whether we'll get a whole new photo shoot done next week but I'll keep you posted and document the mayhem. if we don't get our new collection photographed we have enough images to get us to the show and the photo shoot will have to happen in Februaty. Although...top of our wish list is to receive our collection by Wednesday, do a photo shoot Thus/Fri, spend the weekend posting up photos on the web site et voila, we will have really reached a much looked forward to milestone in the business.
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| Tools down and time out. |
On Thursday morning I was offered a chance to speak about our business on East Coast Radio. Armed with some printed accessories to talk about and a fair amount of adrenalin(first time on radio) I found myself in Declan Meehan's studio loving the chance to wax lyrical about our print range and general optimism for the future. Getting our name and brand out there is going to be a huge part of 2011. Which leads me on to another part of our list - social networking? There is no begging the question as to whether we go down this route, the answer is an emphatic yes, so please if you come across us on Facebook please press the 'like' button and spread the word. Hopefully the pandemic effect of 'you tube' will work for us too.
As I write, I am also thinking ribbons, boxes, coat hangers, printed tote bags, 1950's style occasional table to serve as functional prop at trade stand - need to go and source all these. Is this where business/pleasure becomes a bit blurred. I will source a table that works for the show but it will also have to look good in our sitting room! Oh yeh and accommodation in London - now that's the fun part!
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| 'How many times do you want me to play peekaboo?' |
