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My little Cavalier pup, Katy, has to have surgery this week and the associated costs are huge (but she sure is worth it). The woman who owns the obedience school and doggie daycare we attend has graciously offered to allow me to set up a display of my cards at her facility to help to raise some money for this. As they will all be animal themed, the hope is I'll have a captive audience.
My problem is, she doesn't want to have any involvement in collecting money (and I can't blame her for that), so she just wants me to set up a display for people to look at my cards and then contact me if they're interested. I've checked the archive and found many wonderful suggestions for people who want to sell their cards "cash and carry" style, but didn't find any ideas about creating a display that's not point of sale.
I want to create a display that will:
Catch the eye while being out of the way of tails and noses of the dogs of all sizes
Enable the people to easily look at and replace the cards and still protect the
cards from the wear and tear of handling.
Easy to change the cards displayed for the season/holiday.
Easy to obtain contact info to order cards.
I've never sold anything I've made and I have to admit I'm stumped, but I don't want to pass on this opportunity as I can certainly use any income I make from it to help defray the costs.
If you have any ideas for me, I would love to hear them.
I don't have too much to add, but I have to come up with a display at my local church's Christmas Boutique as well, and I thought of a few ideas for mine that I can share with you
"I want to create a display that will:
Catch the eye while being out of the way of tails and noses of the dogs of all sizes" I'm thinking of using a wire cupcake stand (like the ones Target sells in the baking/summer/seasonal sisle) on a Lazy Susan. This way it's cute and spins around as well This is for a craft boutique so I know this is a little cutsey, but it's an idea. Can you use an over the door shoe bag holder with the shoe pockets? The dogs really can't get into it, but you can still see it, plus add more cards when it's a seasonal change, so you can have both kinds at once. It's just a thought.
"Enable the people to easily look at and replace the cards and still protect the cards from the wear and tear of handling." I'm going to put a clear plastic sleeve over my card and envelope. This way they can still see it, and hold it but not mess it up or get finger prints or food on it
"Easy to obtain contact info to order cards." I'm going to invest in a cheap rubber stamp from the internet to just stamp my name, and email address, just in case they want to contact me for any reason or to order more. I thought about adding a phone number, but that makes me uncomfortable. So I created a new and separate email address for this card making business, so I wouldn't miss any emails asking something or have it sent to SPAM accidentally. These stamps are cheap on the internet. The one I'm looking at is around about $13 - $20 (depending on what kind of stamp you want). I think it will pay for itself pretty soon
Not being in the least bit a baker, I'll need to take a little trip to Target to see the cupcake stand. I really like the idea of the over the door thing and that just might be the way to go...I NEVER would have thought of that. Now I'll check and see if there's a door that'll work...but I could even put that on a wall I would think.
How do folks see the inside of your card when you put a plastic sleeve on it? I decorate the inside of mine as well and have some sort of verse.
The stamp is a good idea. I think I'll also make some little "business" cards.
The idea of creating a separate e-mail account is excellent!
Why not make only "fronts" of cards (and put those fronts in a plastic zip-topped bag so they can be handled but not smudged, etc.) and then on the back side, put your contact info so they can't just take the card "accidentally" and use it. OR - on the back side, put whatever you would normally put on the inside of the card, just on the back - that way they can see what the inside decor would be like, but don't have to open the package/card to view it. You can even make a note somewhere on that side that all cards purchased would be "full" cards, that these are just card fronts/examples, and that they will include the inside decor on the appropriate side once ordered. Does that make sense?
I love the idea of an over-the-door hanger (I use that for my punches and it's soooo great to see what you need and not have to go hunting for it.) Also, that gives you quite a number of samples you can showcase (I think I have some over the door shoe hangers from Target that hold 24 shoes. That might actually be too big, since you don't want the doggies to be at level with the cards. But you could trim off the very bottom row or two and still have potentially 16-20 slots. You could use one of the very top slots for your business cards - which could be as simple as stamped 3x5 cardstock with all your contact info on it and the price of cards.
Glad I help some I like all of Holly's suggestions too!! The idea of cutting down the shoe bag, makes sense! The one I have is about a 16 - 20 pair hanger, I never thought about the ones that hold more, and that they would drag on the floor. Good thinking, Holly! But I do LOVE Holly's iead of making just card Fronts! People get flustered and forget things at times, and the thought of someone accidentally taking a card is posible. Definitely no malicious, but can happen, so this would cut down on it, and on the back of it, you could stamp the sentiment, but add a sign above the cards saying that "These are Examples Only", and that the finished product would be "nicer" (I can't think of a better word to sustitute at the moment). But I like the idea of still offering Business cards, just in case anyway. You never know, they might not be able to buy now, but later they may and might even have a bigger order too.
I forgot to clarify (sorry, we're in the middle of getting ready to move some furniture around in the house), that I am stamping my name/contact info on the backs of my cards, so they can't loose it, but also so if the Receiver likes it, they Too can contact me as well!! So it's a way to spread the business a bit further out, as well!
~ I apologize if this is not making any sense, I'm just trying to keep two little girls busy while I move some furniture around, by myself (Husband is at work). My oldest is starting Kindergarten in 2 weeks, and just lastnight my FIL dropped off a brand new school desk for her. Well we have no room in our house since we have 6 couches and all their extra furniture as well, until they find a house (Long story, but it's been 7 years, I don't see them finding one anytime soon ;). Plus we have babies and toys and clothes to fit in here, there's just no more room to add anymore furniture at the moment.... Pray for me, I'm so frazzled - LOL
Holly, sheer Genius I tell ya! I love your idea about card fronts only. I actually have many of the cards completed, but playing off your idea, if I sacrifice just one by separating the front from the back I can display both inside and outside without that "accidental" disappearance of which we were speaking. I could use the backs for informational purposes if necessary, like options available, etc.
And I love, love, love the non-traditional business card idea, too!
And to my havonfamily friend (sorry I couldn't locate your first name), you made perfect sense. I like the stamp on the back of cards because, like you said, if they actually buy any and give it to someone that someone has my contact info, too. I really appreciate you taking the time to write while you've got so much else going on...I will pray your frazzled days will calm down soon.
Don't ya love it when a plan comes together? Couldn't have done it without you. Thank you so much ladies...now that I've got a clear idea I'm really excited about the prospect of selling these cards.
Gotta go shopping for an over the door hanger! Thanks again!
Please post how it all works out. I hope you're able to drum up both sales and additional business to help off-set the surgery for your little pup. It's so hard when they are needing help, isn't it? Again, Good Luck - and go sell some cards!
One other idea in addition to the cards that hopefully would go over well for you. Somewhere I saw at a craft show or it could have even been here at SCS, a doggie "treat bag". The topper had a doggie type stamp and computer generated words "bad to the bone". Inside of the baggie were a few dog treats. Cute idea and I bet people would be willing to order them if you priced them in the dollar to two dollar range. Wouldn't take much time or expense to make them. Hope Katy is better soon!
My other thought would be to make up an order form that people could take with them so that as they look at the cards, they could check off the number/description of the cards that they are interested in and then contact you. Otherwise they may have a hard time remembering exactly what they wanted by the time they get home. Good luck and please let us know how everything turns out.
I've had luck with a "year of hallmark" package, where the person can pick 6 different occasions (anniversary, birthday (kid/husband/friend), valentine's, Easter Christmas, Mother's Day, Father's Day, get well, sympathy, congrats, etc), and I priced it a (little) lower than the cost of buying individual cards. I had some samples, but not one for each holiday, just made them up as people ordered them.
Good luck and Addison (<--) is sending furry get well wishes to Katy!
Sambini, I think the idea of the treat bags is fantastic and got me thinking of other non card things I could do as well...thanks so much for giving me yet another direction I can go. I love the idea of the order form...I'm going to use the 3 x 5 card idea Holly gave me and I could actually put the order form on the reverse.
Meg, as soon as I read your clever idea, into my mind popped "A Dog For All Seasons"...playing off your idea. I think that would work very nicely. Thanks for suggesting it.
I can't believe all the ideas I've received here and I really want to thank all of you again for your wonderful suggestions and your well wishes for Katy. She goes in for surgery on Thursday. She was diagnosed with syringomyelia (which I now know is common amongst the Cavalier King Charles Spaniels). The surgery, brain surgery (gosh, I still can't get my brain around that), removes part of her skull as there's insufficient room for her brain. There's an 85% success rate, so I'm hoping we're in that percentile and not the 15%.
Kim.....I would also advise you consult the business you will be placing the cards in. They may have particular ideas as to where and how they will allow you to display your for profit cards. No sense spending money for display options if they don't fit the ideas of the business you are using.
Best of luck with the medical issues for your dog. Us dog parents have down the road many times. It is all part of caring for our family members. You have the same care and financial responsibilities whether they are animal or human.
Display for Cards to be Ordered
