I am so proud to be doing a seminar for retailers with Patricia Norins, editor of Gift Shop magazine!
Our collaboration is a natural extension of a couple of seminars the two of us presented at the National Stationery Show this year. We had soooo much fun--with each other and helping retailers!
So now we will be dishing on Tweeting as a Marketing Tool at 10 am on June 29th. The fee for the Webinar includes a copy of my Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers. And there will be others to come. One on blogging will also include another of my books, Your Blog, Your Business, also free with the cost of the Webinar.
Learn more about how to register at. http://www.retailconferenceseries.com/ .
Did I say that attendees get a free book? (-:
PS: See some of my Tweets in the right column of this blog--some of them designed to be marketing tools, some not. Which (Tip!) is also a marketing tool. That is, everything on Twitter isn't all business.
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
Monday, June 21, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Sneak Peek at Tweeting Book's Online Launch
Two launches in one! What a way to get a book off too a great start!
Aggie Villaneuva is planning an online launch for my Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers on August 2, so this is sort of a sneak peek at what's to come.
And MaAnna Stephenson kicks off her BlogAid Podcast series with our interview! Yep! We talk Tweeting to celebrate the launch of Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers and her blog. It's at http://www.blogaid.net/podcasts The specific link to the conversation on Tweeting MaAnna and I had is
http://www.blogaid.net/podcast-with-carolyn-howard-johnson
She also reviewed Tweeting and posted it at: http://www.blogaid.net/book-review-of-frugal-and-focused-tweeting-for-retailers . Find the complete launch schedule planned for me by Aggie Villaneuva at http://www.visualartsjunction.com/?page_id=9204.
By the way, maybe Aggie could plan an online launch of a new product line or new store for a retailer, too!
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
Aggie Villaneuva is planning an online launch for my Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers on August 2, so this is sort of a sneak peek at what's to come.
And MaAnna Stephenson kicks off her BlogAid Podcast series with our interview! Yep! We talk Tweeting to celebrate the launch of Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers and her blog. It's at http://www.blogaid.net/podcasts The specific link to the conversation on Tweeting MaAnna and I had is
http://www.blogaid.net/podcast-with-carolyn-howard-johnson
She also reviewed Tweeting and posted it at: http://www.blogaid.net/book-review-of-frugal-and-focused-tweeting-for-retailers . Find the complete launch schedule planned for me by Aggie Villaneuva at http://www.visualartsjunction.com/?page_id=9204.
By the way, maybe Aggie could plan an online launch of a new product line or new store for a retailer, too!
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Writer Gets Twitter Epiphanies from Book for Retailers
How I love it when I hear directly from people who have read my books. After all, I could use all my writing time on fiction and poetry. It's just that I love to feel as if I'm making a difference. So letters like this from Sylvia McClain just...well, just make me happy!
Carolyn,
Just read your book on tweeting and what struck me most is Branding, Branding, and more Branding. Whew! Where do I begin. No, I am not a retailer but as you said, there might be something in it for writers, too!
The book, Frugal and Focused Tweeting, said:
YOUR TWITTER MONIKER is as important for your Twitter branding as it is for your e-mail addresses.
My epiphany:
Duh! was my first thought; no one knew that my Twitter Moniker "rpmenter" stood for RPM Enterprises (my company name) but me. What everyone knew me by was "Scribal Press," my company imprint publishing name, my Web site and my news calendar of writer events. So before I could finish reading the book, I jumped online and immediately changed my Twitter Moniker everywhere not just on Twitter, from "rpmenter" to "Scribal Press." So my Twitter name is now www.twitter.com/scribalpress.
In Chapter Two, page 30, of Frugal and Focused Tweeting, you suggested:
I will make ____ useful contacts a week. Twitter contacts include possible customers, but connecting with vendors, bloggers who write about shopping, and business editors at print and online media, etc., can be equally profitable in the long run.
My Epiphany:
I had no idea what number to use but it made me take notice and start thinking.
In Chapter Three, page 36, Frugal and Focused Tweeting talked about branding using our Twitter biographies and you gave an example of what you would use for your own store.
I needed to go do a new bio on my Twitter account. Why? Branding that's why.
In Chapter Four, page 57, Frugal and Focused Tweeting said: .
Tweet about new blog posts, newsletter editions, Web pages. More on this when we talk about integrating your marketing efforts in Chapter Seven.
My Epiphany:
Why I have never thought of this is beyond me.
Anyway, yes you were right again. There is something in this book for everyone, even those who don't think they want to to tweet.
Sincerely,
Sylvia McClain
Blogging at View Points at http://sylviaspeaks.blogspot.com
Book Reviewer at MyShelf.com and Atlantic Publishing Company
Now available, the 2nd Edition of The Write Life
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
Carolyn,
Just read your book on tweeting and what struck me most is Branding, Branding, and more Branding. Whew! Where do I begin. No, I am not a retailer but as you said, there might be something in it for writers, too!
The book, Frugal and Focused Tweeting, said:
YOUR TWITTER MONIKER is as important for your Twitter branding as it is for your e-mail addresses.
My epiphany:
Duh! was my first thought; no one knew that my Twitter Moniker "rpmenter" stood for RPM Enterprises (my company name) but me. What everyone knew me by was "Scribal Press," my company imprint publishing name, my Web site and my news calendar of writer events. So before I could finish reading the book, I jumped online and immediately changed my Twitter Moniker everywhere not just on Twitter, from "rpmenter" to "Scribal Press." So my Twitter name is now www.twitter.com/scribalpress.
In Chapter Two, page 30, of Frugal and Focused Tweeting, you suggested:
I will make ____ useful contacts a week. Twitter contacts include possible customers, but connecting with vendors, bloggers who write about shopping, and business editors at print and online media, etc., can be equally profitable in the long run.
My Epiphany:
I had no idea what number to use but it made me take notice and start thinking.
In Chapter Three, page 36, Frugal and Focused Tweeting talked about branding using our Twitter biographies and you gave an example of what you would use for your own store.
I needed to go do a new bio on my Twitter account. Why? Branding that's why.
In Chapter Four, page 57, Frugal and Focused Tweeting said: .
Tweet about new blog posts, newsletter editions, Web pages. More on this when we talk about integrating your marketing efforts in Chapter Seven.
My Epiphany:
Why I have never thought of this is beyond me.
Anyway, yes you were right again. There is something in this book for everyone, even those who don't think they want to to tweet.
Sincerely,
Sylvia McClain
Blogging at View Points at http://sylviaspeaks.blogspot.com
Book Reviewer at MyShelf.com and Atlantic Publishing Company
Now available, the 2nd Edition of The Write Life
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Richard May Blogs About NSS Seminars, and I NAG!
I know. I sound like a nag. OK. I am a nag. But tradeshows are one of the best places to network. You'll want to drop by The Stationery Guild's blog today to see what Richard May had to say about the great buyer education program at the National Stationery Show, another of the best reasons to go to tradeshows!
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Big National Stationery Show find!
Yep, I'm b-a-a-a-ck.
And one of the most exciting things I found at the National Stationery Show in New York (in between book signings and presentations, of course!) is the brand new, hot-off-the-press Retailer eProfits.
It will help you harness the power of online marketing --a subject near and dear to my heart. By using frugal (often free) online methods to promote, you can stay ahead of the competition! Please know you can subscribe now at a discount of $149 and receive 3 FREE bonus gifts (worth $228). Visit www.retailereprofits.com today to download your first issue free and subscribe!
I met the editor of this newsletter, Melissa Kellogg, at the show. I saw the initial issue. Trust me. This is a woman who will work for your success. This is a newsletter that can make a difference to any retail operation with its down-to-earth advice. Specific advice! I love the first letter's article on list building, one of the keyes to great marketing of any kind.
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
And one of the most exciting things I found at the National Stationery Show in New York (in between book signings and presentations, of course!) is the brand new, hot-off-the-press Retailer eProfits.
It will help you harness the power of online marketing --a subject near and dear to my heart. By using frugal (often free) online methods to promote, you can stay ahead of the competition! Please know you can subscribe now at a discount of $149 and receive 3 FREE bonus gifts (worth $228). Visit www.retailereprofits.com today to download your first issue free and subscribe!
I met the editor of this newsletter, Melissa Kellogg, at the show. I saw the initial issue. Trust me. This is a woman who will work for your success. This is a newsletter that can make a difference to any retail operation with its down-to-earth advice. Specific advice! I love the first letter's article on list building, one of the keyes to great marketing of any kind.
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Retail Books from Experts at Bargain Prices at National Stationery Show
Five Veteran Industry Authorities to Debut Books at the 2010 National Stationery Show!
Meet the Authors" Book Signing Events
Media Resource Lounge, 3600 aisle
Book Signing on Monday
Here’s a terrific opportunity to meet and chat with industry-esteemed experts, all of whom will debut helpful business-building books at the Show this year.
Rob Fortier, president of Paper Words and Meryl Hooker, manufacturer’s representative have jointly authored Pushing the Envelope: The Small Greeting Card Manufacturer’s Guide to Working with Sales Reps. This book will convey to small greeting card manufacturers how to find, recruit and retain a winning sales. Written from both the manufacturer and sales rep perspectives, this nuts and bolts guide is full of industry information, sales tips, and guidance for building successful and profitable rep relationships.
Enjoy meeting Meryl and Rob!
Monday, 4pm – 5pm and get your copy hot off the press!
Book Signing on Sunday
Long-time retailer and best-selling author Carolyn Howard- Johnson will launch two new books in her award-winning "How To Do It Frugally" series:
Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers: Tweaking Your Tweets Other Tips for Integrating Your Social Media
Your Blog, Your Business: A Retailer’s Mini Guide to Garnering Customer Loyalty and Sales Online and In Store.
Carolyn is a 30-year veteran of the retail industry, founding and operating a successful chain of stores from Los Angeles to Las Vegas.
Carolyn is also the author of A Retailer's Guide To Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrify Events and Sales Techniques.
Carolyn will be available to meet, greet and sign her books on
Sunday, 2pm – 3pm.
Book Signing Monday
Linda Cahan is internationally known for her visual merchandising and store design expertise developed over three decades of working with retail stores.
Get a first run, signed copy of her book 100 Display Ideas Under $100. and chat with Linda on Monday, 10am – 11am.
Linda is also the author of Feng Shui for Retailers.
And as a special exclusively for NSS attendees, Carolyn’s book will be offered at one half the retail price and Linda’s book will be available at a significant discount during these signing events!
Book Signing Tuesday
Wanda Wen, a devoted paper arts enthusiast and founder of Los Angeles stationer Soolip -- the preferred artisanal paper supplier and letterpress correspondence purveyor for L.A.’s trendsetters and Hollywood A-Listers -- has long been a champion of creating simplicity-infused beauty using the ingenuity of the human hand and heart. Wanda's new book "The Art of Gift Wrapping" (Potter Craft/Random House), an inspiring, visually tantalizing and resourceful how-to on the art of gift wrapping, inspires others to join in the fun with 50 innovative design ideas using organic, unique and uncommon materials.
Enjoy the opportunity to visit with Wanda Tuesday, May 18, 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Many of these celebrated authors are among the 2010 National Stationery Show’s educational Faculty, and will be presenting seminars throughout the show.
All signings will take place in the Media Resource Lounge, 3600 aisle
----- Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
Monday, May 10, 2010
Borders, Book Competition and Your Pricing Policy
Borders Australia announces it a new pricing policy in direct competition to Amazon at http://mhpbooks.com/mobylives/?p=15017.
For authors and publishers, this only means a reduced net profit. It means a reduced net profit for Borders as well. For a few customers it sounds like good competition, but most will never follow up on a refund (or merely buy from Amazon). Those who understand this retail ploy will see it as manipulative, rather than a straight-forward "better price for all" policy.
A lesson here for retailers in general is that those TV beat-the-price ads for mattresses and other items--including this Borders policy--appeal to the few. They may feel like an assurance that the retail outlet will do its best to price low, but most know a gimmick when they see it. Most know that the expensive ads must be paid for, that the retailer must make a profit just as their competitors must.
Further, a gimmick like this sends some prospective customers to the competitor to check for prices. He or she may well stay there and buy if the price is the same. If the price is the same too often, the entire process will start to look like a game if not collusion. If the price is only a few pennies less (as it probably will be with something as low-priced as a book), it will look like trickery.
The most important reason that this is a poor policy is that, surprise! Customers want service. They want fast shipping. They want ease of checkout. Yes, they want low prices, too. But to focus on price like this seems a very, very bad move. And a dangerous one. Bookstores (like the rest of us) can ill afford a downward spiral in in our profit margins even considering high volume.
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
For authors and publishers, this only means a reduced net profit. It means a reduced net profit for Borders as well. For a few customers it sounds like good competition, but most will never follow up on a refund (or merely buy from Amazon). Those who understand this retail ploy will see it as manipulative, rather than a straight-forward "better price for all" policy.
A lesson here for retailers in general is that those TV beat-the-price ads for mattresses and other items--including this Borders policy--appeal to the few. They may feel like an assurance that the retail outlet will do its best to price low, but most know a gimmick when they see it. Most know that the expensive ads must be paid for, that the retailer must make a profit just as their competitors must.
Further, a gimmick like this sends some prospective customers to the competitor to check for prices. He or she may well stay there and buy if the price is the same. If the price is the same too often, the entire process will start to look like a game if not collusion. If the price is only a few pennies less (as it probably will be with something as low-priced as a book), it will look like trickery.
The most important reason that this is a poor policy is that, surprise! Customers want service. They want fast shipping. They want ease of checkout. Yes, they want low prices, too. But to focus on price like this seems a very, very bad move. And a dangerous one. Bookstores (like the rest of us) can ill afford a downward spiral in in our profit margins even considering high volume.
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Think an E-Mail Can Replace a Hand-Written Note?
Note: This post is from guest blogger Maria Murnane of Honey Pot and author of Perfect on Paper: the (Mis)adventures of Waverly Bryson. These products are available at wholesale and because this is a newbie line, it's your chance to shine with something new, something cute! Something no one in your area has seen! Reach Maria at info@waverlyshoneyshop.com .
Honey, nice try, but think again.
Yes, we are all busy, and yes, it is much easier to send an e-mail than it is to send a real letter or card. But the truth is that nothing says “I care” like taking the time to pick up a real pen and use it. Think about it. When was the last time you received a thank-you note in the mail after having friends over for dinner? Or sent a note to a friend after her boyfriend broke up with her? Or opened a funny “just because” card from a friend who sent it to you … just because?
Remember how nice it felt to receive a card like that? Or to send one?
Honey, you are not alone!
I’ve always loved sending cards to my friends, and even before e-mail came along I used to lament the lack of witty options out there, especially for women. I never in a million years thought I’d design a line of my own, but then one day I quit my job and decided to write a novel, a romantic comedy about a single woman called Perfect on Paper. In the book the main character, Waverly Bryson, comes up with a line of greeting cards for women called Honey Notes. Here are some examples:
Front: Is it worse to be fake or bitchy?
Inside: Honey, just face it. If you're asking, you're probably both.
Front: Ever feel like you don't know anything at all?
Inside: Honey, just face if. If you're asking, you're probably both.
Front: Can’t face the dating scene after a breakup?
Inside: Honey, hit the bar, and hit it hard. Beer goggles are the lonely girl’s Cupid.
Front: They say laughter is the best medicine?
Inside: Honey, toss it in with girlfriends and wine, and you’ve found the fountain of youth.
Front: Afraid to show your vulnerable side?
Inside: Honey, that’s better than showing your cellulite side.
Front: Life has its ups and downs, right?
Inside: Honey, if you’re talking about my weight and my bank account, the unfortunate answer is yes, in that order.
After Perfect on Paper came out, so many readers asked me to make the Honey Notes for real that I decided to do it! And I didn't stop there. I launched a website called Waverly's Honey Shop that includes Honey Notes, Honey Tees and Honey Totes, all featuring quotes from Waverly Bryson. Right now the products are only available at http://www.waverlyshoneyshop.com/, but I hope to get the line into brick and mortar stores. So all you Honeys out there, please take a look and help spread the word! You can also buy my book on the site and/or read the first chapter. If you do, I hope you enjoy it!
------
Learn more about Maria at http://www.mariamurnane.com/.
----- Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
Honey, nice try, but think again.
Yes, we are all busy, and yes, it is much easier to send an e-mail than it is to send a real letter or card. But the truth is that nothing says “I care” like taking the time to pick up a real pen and use it. Think about it. When was the last time you received a thank-you note in the mail after having friends over for dinner? Or sent a note to a friend after her boyfriend broke up with her? Or opened a funny “just because” card from a friend who sent it to you … just because?
Remember how nice it felt to receive a card like that? Or to send one?
Honey, you are not alone!
I’ve always loved sending cards to my friends, and even before e-mail came along I used to lament the lack of witty options out there, especially for women. I never in a million years thought I’d design a line of my own, but then one day I quit my job and decided to write a novel, a romantic comedy about a single woman called Perfect on Paper. In the book the main character, Waverly Bryson, comes up with a line of greeting cards for women called Honey Notes. Here are some examples:
Front: Is it worse to be fake or bitchy?
Inside: Honey, just face it. If you're asking, you're probably both.
Front: Ever feel like you don't know anything at all?
Inside: Honey, just face if. If you're asking, you're probably both.
Front: Can’t face the dating scene after a breakup?
Inside: Honey, hit the bar, and hit it hard. Beer goggles are the lonely girl’s Cupid.
Front: They say laughter is the best medicine?
Inside: Honey, toss it in with girlfriends and wine, and you’ve found the fountain of youth.
Front: Afraid to show your vulnerable side?
Inside: Honey, that’s better than showing your cellulite side.
Front: Life has its ups and downs, right?
Inside: Honey, if you’re talking about my weight and my bank account, the unfortunate answer is yes, in that order.
After Perfect on Paper came out, so many readers asked me to make the Honey Notes for real that I decided to do it! And I didn't stop there. I launched a website called Waverly's Honey Shop that includes Honey Notes, Honey Tees and Honey Totes, all featuring quotes from Waverly Bryson. Right now the products are only available at http://www.waverlyshoneyshop.com/, but I hope to get the line into brick and mortar stores. So all you Honeys out there, please take a look and help spread the word! You can also buy my book on the site and/or read the first chapter. If you do, I hope you enjoy it!
------
Learn more about Maria at http://www.mariamurnane.com/.
----- Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Come Pah-h-h-ty with Me in New York
Here is a recent media release from the National Stationery Show telling about the doings at the show in May. They always manage to combine practical, store-building events with so much fun you won't know you're working! (-:
- Opening Night Party Moves to Quintessential NYC Venue -
WHITE PLAINS, NY, April 22, 2010…In addition to presenting the latest product collections from nearly 900 exhibiting companies, the National Stationery Show® (NSS) will offer a host of exciting events to further enhance the market experience for some 11,000 attendees, May 16-19, 2010, at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Events such as the "Party on the Battery" Opening Night Party, USPS® Butterfly Stamp release, Greeting Card Association LOUIE Awards, "Meet the Authors" Book Signings, and The Supply Side Exhibitor Mixer provide additional networking opportunities during the social stationery industry's foremost gathering of the year.
"The National Stationery Show serves as the single platform that brings the industry together - not only for new product discovery, business development, and education - but also for events that support networking and generate excitement for the year ahead," said Patti Stracher, show manager. "This year is no exception, with a full schedule of events that will create a vibrant market experience for all."
Following is the complete schedule of special events at the 2010 NSS:
"Meet the Authors" Book Signing
Sunday, May 16, 2:00 - 3:00 pm
Media Resource Lounge, 3600 Aisle
Long-time retailer and author Carolyn Howard-Johnson will launch two new books in her award-winning "How To Do It Frugally" series: Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers: Tweaking Your Tweets and Other Tips for Integrating Your Social Media and Your Blog; and Your Business: A Retailer's Mini Guide to Garnering Customer Loyalty and Sales Online and In Store. The first book in the series, A Retailer's Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions, was launched at last years National Stationery Show. Carolyn is a veteran of the retail industry with more than 30 years founding and operating a small chain of stores from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Both books will be available at half-price during this signing event.
"Party on the Battery" Opening Night Party
Sunday, May 16, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Battery Gardens
Battery Gardens will serve as the new venue for the annual NSS Opening Night Party, celebrating the opening of the 64th annual National Stationery Show in style. A Manhattan oasis positioned along the water's edge with panoramic views of New York Harbor, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, "Party on the Battery" promises to be a true New York City experience. Tickets are $65 per person. Early ticket purchase is recommended, as this event sells out each year. Tickets are available online at www.nationalstationeryshow.com.
USPS Butterfly Stamp Release Ceremony
Monday, May 17, 9:30am
South Concourse, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
The NSS will host the official announcement and unveiling of the U.S. Postal Service® Butterfly stamp, a 64-cent, 1-ounce postage stamp developed in collaboration with the Greeting Card Association (GCA) to serve the needs of greeting card and other social stationery manufacturers and their customers utilizing square or irregular shaped envelopes that require hand cancelling. The new Butterfly stamp will serve as a universal symbol for mail requiring additional postage due to being square or irregular in size. Join us for the unveiling with USPS leaders, GCA representatives who spearheaded the effort, and NSS Show Manager Patti Stracher.
"Meet the Authors" Book Signing
Monday, May 17, 10:00 - 11:00 am
Media Resource Lounge, 3600 Aisle
Linda Cahan is internationally known for her visual merchandising and store design expertise over some 37 years in retail. Get a first run, signed copy of her book 100 Display Ideas Under $100. Her book will be available at half-price during this signing event.
"Meet the Authors" Book Signing
Monday, May 17, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
Media Resource Lounge, 3600 Aisle
Paper Words President Rob Fortier and manufacturers' representative Meryl Hooker have jointly authored Pushing the Envelope: The Small Greeting Card Manufacturer's Guide to Working with Sales Reps. This book will convey to small greeting card manufacturers how to find, recruit and retain a winning sales rep. Written from both the manufacturer and sales rep perspectives, this nuts and bolts guide is full of industry information, sales tips, and guidance for building successful and profitable rep relationships.
22nd annual International Greeting Card Awards - "LOUIE Awards"
Monday, May 17, 7:00 - 10:00 pm
The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers
Presented by the Greeting Card Association (GCA), the LOUIE Awards celebrate the year's most original and ingenious greeting cards in a variety of categories, including the Grand Prize "Card of the Year". This year's theme - Go for the Gold - recognizes the gold medal caliber of the greeting cards, imprintables, and invitations considered for this year's competition. Sponsorship and ticket information is available by calling the GCA at 202-393-1778 or visiting http://www.greetingcard.org./
The Supply Side Exhibitor Mixer
Tuesday, May 18, 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Level 3, Hall E
Suppliers to the social stationery industry exhibiting within The Supply Side division will have dedicated time to connect with NSS exhibitors during The Supply Side Exhibitor Mixer, where a casual atmosphere and complimentary refreshments will foster networking among colleagues. Advance registration is not required.
The 64th annual National Stationery Show, the nation's leading marketplace for the social stationery industry, will run Sunday, May 16, through Wednesday, May 19, 2010, at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The Show features nearly 900 exhibitors and attracts some 11,000 attendees.
The National Stationery Show is owned and managed by GLM®, LLC. For exhibitor information, contact Kelly P. Bristol, sales manager, at GLM, 1133 Westchester Avenue, White Plains, NY 10604. Telephone (914) 421-3228. Fax (914) 948-2918. E-mail kbristol@glmshows.com. Attendee information is available by contacting GLM's Customer Relations Department, at (800) 272-SHOW or (603) 665-7524, or by email, at customer_relations@glmshows.com. Additional information and registration is available online, at http://www.nationalstationeryshow.com/.
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
NATIONAL STATIONERY SHOW EXPERIENCE TO INCLUDE NATIONAL
MEDIA EVENT, NETWORKING EVENTS, BOOK SIGNINGS AND MORE
- Opening Night Party Moves to Quintessential NYC Venue -
WHITE PLAINS, NY, April 22, 2010…In addition to presenting the latest product collections from nearly 900 exhibiting companies, the National Stationery Show® (NSS) will offer a host of exciting events to further enhance the market experience for some 11,000 attendees, May 16-19, 2010, at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Events such as the "Party on the Battery" Opening Night Party, USPS® Butterfly Stamp release, Greeting Card Association LOUIE Awards, "Meet the Authors" Book Signings, and The Supply Side Exhibitor Mixer provide additional networking opportunities during the social stationery industry's foremost gathering of the year.
"The National Stationery Show serves as the single platform that brings the industry together - not only for new product discovery, business development, and education - but also for events that support networking and generate excitement for the year ahead," said Patti Stracher, show manager. "This year is no exception, with a full schedule of events that will create a vibrant market experience for all."
Following is the complete schedule of special events at the 2010 NSS:
"Meet the Authors" Book Signing
Sunday, May 16, 2:00 - 3:00 pm
Media Resource Lounge, 3600 Aisle
Long-time retailer and author Carolyn Howard-Johnson will launch two new books in her award-winning "How To Do It Frugally" series: Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers: Tweaking Your Tweets and Other Tips for Integrating Your Social Media and Your Blog; and Your Business: A Retailer's Mini Guide to Garnering Customer Loyalty and Sales Online and In Store. The first book in the series, A Retailer's Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions, was launched at last years National Stationery Show. Carolyn is a veteran of the retail industry with more than 30 years founding and operating a small chain of stores from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Both books will be available at half-price during this signing event.
"Party on the Battery" Opening Night Party
Sunday, May 16, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Battery Gardens
Battery Gardens will serve as the new venue for the annual NSS Opening Night Party, celebrating the opening of the 64th annual National Stationery Show in style. A Manhattan oasis positioned along the water's edge with panoramic views of New York Harbor, Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, "Party on the Battery" promises to be a true New York City experience. Tickets are $65 per person. Early ticket purchase is recommended, as this event sells out each year. Tickets are available online at www.nationalstationeryshow.com.
USPS Butterfly Stamp Release Ceremony
Monday, May 17, 9:30am
South Concourse, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center
The NSS will host the official announcement and unveiling of the U.S. Postal Service® Butterfly stamp, a 64-cent, 1-ounce postage stamp developed in collaboration with the Greeting Card Association (GCA) to serve the needs of greeting card and other social stationery manufacturers and their customers utilizing square or irregular shaped envelopes that require hand cancelling. The new Butterfly stamp will serve as a universal symbol for mail requiring additional postage due to being square or irregular in size. Join us for the unveiling with USPS leaders, GCA representatives who spearheaded the effort, and NSS Show Manager Patti Stracher.
"Meet the Authors" Book Signing
Monday, May 17, 10:00 - 11:00 am
Media Resource Lounge, 3600 Aisle
Linda Cahan is internationally known for her visual merchandising and store design expertise over some 37 years in retail. Get a first run, signed copy of her book 100 Display Ideas Under $100. Her book will be available at half-price during this signing event.
"Meet the Authors" Book Signing
Monday, May 17, 4:00 - 5:00 pm
Media Resource Lounge, 3600 Aisle
Paper Words President Rob Fortier and manufacturers' representative Meryl Hooker have jointly authored Pushing the Envelope: The Small Greeting Card Manufacturer's Guide to Working with Sales Reps. This book will convey to small greeting card manufacturers how to find, recruit and retain a winning sales rep. Written from both the manufacturer and sales rep perspectives, this nuts and bolts guide is full of industry information, sales tips, and guidance for building successful and profitable rep relationships.
22nd annual International Greeting Card Awards - "LOUIE Awards"
Monday, May 17, 7:00 - 10:00 pm
The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers
Presented by the Greeting Card Association (GCA), the LOUIE Awards celebrate the year's most original and ingenious greeting cards in a variety of categories, including the Grand Prize "Card of the Year". This year's theme - Go for the Gold - recognizes the gold medal caliber of the greeting cards, imprintables, and invitations considered for this year's competition. Sponsorship and ticket information is available by calling the GCA at 202-393-1778 or visiting http://www.greetingcard.org./
The Supply Side Exhibitor Mixer
Tuesday, May 18, 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Level 3, Hall E
Suppliers to the social stationery industry exhibiting within The Supply Side division will have dedicated time to connect with NSS exhibitors during The Supply Side Exhibitor Mixer, where a casual atmosphere and complimentary refreshments will foster networking among colleagues. Advance registration is not required.
The 64th annual National Stationery Show, the nation's leading marketplace for the social stationery industry, will run Sunday, May 16, through Wednesday, May 19, 2010, at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The Show features nearly 900 exhibitors and attracts some 11,000 attendees.
The National Stationery Show is owned and managed by GLM®, LLC. For exhibitor information, contact Kelly P. Bristol, sales manager, at GLM, 1133 Westchester Avenue, White Plains, NY 10604. Telephone (914) 421-3228. Fax (914) 948-2918. E-mail kbristol@glmshows.com. Attendee information is available by contacting GLM's Customer Relations Department, at (800) 272-SHOW or (603) 665-7524, or by email, at customer_relations@glmshows.com. Additional information and registration is available online, at http://www.nationalstationeryshow.com/.
-----
Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
Monday, April 26, 2010
Retail Consultant Robert Medak Reviews Marketing Book Especially Written for Retailers
A review of A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions
by Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Reviewed by Robert Medak
A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions lists a series of frugal ways of promoting your business, in good economic times as well as bad; and not break the bank in the process. Anyone in the retail business should read this 120-page book. There is a good deal of information in a small book that is of use to retailers, and their business no matter the present circumstances.
Many of the ideas are common sense, but also things that retailers may not have thought of. There are many inexpensive concepts that are easy to implement in your store, whether it is large or small. The size does not matter, the ideas in this book are what can help retailers grow their customer base with a few simple adjustments to present stock and how to deal with it. Simple promotion ideas that may cost only a few dollars, to free can increase your business over time. Fortunately, the few ideas listed in this book may trigger some things retailers can come up with on their own.
Do you need more business in your store? A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions can help you with simple ideas form how to move and arrange your stock and more. There are also some simple and effective ways to garner publicity in your local newspaper and have customers send you business with ideas that may cost you nothing expect some time and training of your employees.
A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions is an easy to read book that can help all retailers do more promotion for your business without spending a lot of money.
I recommend this book for any retailer and award it a four star rating.
----Endorsement Disclaimer: All reviews posted on this site and written by this reviewer are personal opinions of the book by this reviewer. The reviews are NOT paid endorsements of the book or the author. They are not advertisements. All reviews are honest, forthright and the opinion of this individual reviewer. This reviewer’s opinions are not for sale. (There is however, a small fee for some reviews, and sometimes this reviewer receives complementary copies from the author.) Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR Part 255 (http://www.ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)
Reviewer Robert Medak is a freelance writer and editor and serves the retail industry as a consultant and editor of promotional materials like blogs. Find him at http://www.stormywriter.com/.
Carolyn Howard-Johnson is also the author of Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers.
----- Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
by Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Reviewed by Robert Medak
A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions lists a series of frugal ways of promoting your business, in good economic times as well as bad; and not break the bank in the process. Anyone in the retail business should read this 120-page book. There is a good deal of information in a small book that is of use to retailers, and their business no matter the present circumstances.
Many of the ideas are common sense, but also things that retailers may not have thought of. There are many inexpensive concepts that are easy to implement in your store, whether it is large or small. The size does not matter, the ideas in this book are what can help retailers grow their customer base with a few simple adjustments to present stock and how to deal with it. Simple promotion ideas that may cost only a few dollars, to free can increase your business over time. Fortunately, the few ideas listed in this book may trigger some things retailers can come up with on their own.
Do you need more business in your store? A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions can help you with simple ideas form how to move and arrange your stock and more. There are also some simple and effective ways to garner publicity in your local newspaper and have customers send you business with ideas that may cost you nothing expect some time and training of your employees.
A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions is an easy to read book that can help all retailers do more promotion for your business without spending a lot of money.
I recommend this book for any retailer and award it a four star rating.
----Endorsement Disclaimer: All reviews posted on this site and written by this reviewer are personal opinions of the book by this reviewer. The reviews are NOT paid endorsements of the book or the author. They are not advertisements. All reviews are honest, forthright and the opinion of this individual reviewer. This reviewer’s opinions are not for sale. (There is however, a small fee for some reviews, and sometimes this reviewer receives complementary copies from the author.) Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR Part 255 (http://www.ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)
Reviewer Robert Medak is a freelance writer and editor and serves the retail industry as a consultant and editor of promotional materials like blogs. Find him at http://www.stormywriter.com/.
Carolyn Howard-Johnson is also the author of Frugal and Focused Tweeting for Retailers.
----- Carolyn Howard-Johnson's FRUGAL book for retailers is A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques launched at the National Stationery Show at Javits Center. Because she is the author of the multi award-winning how-to books for writers,The Frugal Book Promoter: How To Do What Your Publisher Won't and The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success, retailers will also find essentials of writing for blogs, Web sites, and newsletters on this blog. She is the author of an award-winning novel, This Is the Place; and other fiction and poetry. She blogs on better writing at The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor blog. Find her tweeting for retailers at @frugalretailing . If your followers at Twitter would benefit from this blog post, please use this little green widget to let them know about it:
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