September 2009

Positively Heather

Get on the Band Wagon

Heather Gooch

There's something to be said about the tremendous attractiveness of belonging. It's a big reason why I signed up for marching band in ninth grade; I was starting high school after attending grade school in a different town, and I didn't know any of my peers. I figured there was safety in numbers and I was bound to make a friend or two, even by default!

By contrast, my chatterbox daughter doesn't have any trouble making or keeping friends, but I noticed that members of her inner circle have all signed up for fifth-grade band this year, too. We'll see who's still dragging a flute case to the bus stop next year, but in the meantime it's given them all a common bond — something to both look forward to and complain about, as pre-teens (from ages 8 to 80) are wont to do.

You might observe the same kinds of bonding going on in a beginner class or in an open stitching session. Conversations can turn on a dime from "Gee, this room is freezing" is to "Wow, this is really a cool technique." The balancing act lies in making sure there are more positive comments than negative.

Some of your loyal customers might prefer to keep to themselves and tend to their projects, learning at their own pace and interacting only when necessary. But by and large, they're more the exception than the rule. Chances are your most familiar faces keep returning because they feel they belong. They find inspiration in your aisles on a good day and solace from their problems on a bad one. Bright colors, cheerful workers, a sense of "it's OK to take your time here" — all of these are a welcome change to the get-in-get-out experiences they're probably used to in big box stores.

And while it's a perk they're willing to pay a slight premium for, you need to continually reinforce the value you bring to them. Accomplish that with innovative classes, focusing on offering some that challenge your most expert stitchers and others that cater to the novices who are trying to work their way to the next level.

For Heather's full article, click here.

Spotlight on:

Sticks & Strings

Laurie Thomas

Not that long ago, Laurie Thomas was high on the corporate ladder as vice president of human resources for a large media company. But the call of the knitting needles was just too powerful... and for the past four-and-a-half years, she has kept up a differently fulfilling career as a "corporate escapee" and owner of Sticks & Strings in Scarsdale, NY.

In fact, I first met Thomas when scouring the Internet for sources for my article on employee reviews for Yarn Market News' August issue. Thanks to her three decades in HR, Thomas could probably do reviews in her sleep. But she has learned to tone down the corporate vibe from her office days and now keeps her staff up to date in an informal, but still informative manner.

With seven employees that Thomas jokingly refers to as "overeducated" — "We come from different backgrounds, but all of us have at least one, and up to three, college degrees" — Sticks & Strings makes it a priority to make customers old and new feel welcome. It also stays keenly focused on stocking yarns and accessories from developing nations, women's cooperatives and not-for-profit groups. It's more than just a feel-good statement, Thomas says, it's just become a way of life for herself and her team to help repair the world.

Thomas also notes that it's important to celebrate the milestones going on in the lives of employees. For example, Laura Zukaite has just published Luxe Knits — and Sticks & Strings is planning to have an in-store celebration this fall. Zukaite was Thomas' first hire back in 2004, and the only employee on the team who wasn't hired on referral or as a former customer. In fact, Thomas says with a smile, she found Zukaite on craigslist of all places.

"We couldn't be prouder of Laura — she's our prodigy," Thomas says. "We're planning to have good wine, great food and a special trunk show featuring many of the actual garments and the wide variety of yarns used in Laura's designs."

If you'd like the spotlight shone on your business, just drop Heather a line at positiveyarn@goochandgooch.com.

Links I Love

Far Flung Gallery

In the interest of full disclosure, I've known the owner of this site, Laura Watilo Blake, for about 11 years or so — first as a colleague and since as a good friend. But setting aside my personal fondness, I can honestly say her site is clean, creative and inviting. It handily markets her expertise as a travel writer and professional photographer. In fact, if you're in the market to give your site a facelift, take a cue from this site and make sure you have links to your Facebook page, Twitter site, Flickr account and YouTube offerings. (Of course, Blake also takes pains to keep each of these accounts updated so that visitors aren't disappointed upon their click.)

From her home page, check out the link to Blake's blog, Far Flung Places. Among other things, it chronicles her recent participation in Competitours, a contest that took place in the midst of a tour of Europe. Each two-person team did an Amazing Race-style rush to finish different challenges, capturing their results on video. Blake dutifully blogged about each obstacle, posting her videos on there as well — and the results are often hilarious.

Got a link you love? Tell me!

 

Let us spin a Positive Yarn for your company

Heather is available for marketing and editorial services for the needlearts and handmade crafts industries.

Email positiveyarn@goochandgooch.com or call (330) 723-3539.

The Knitty Gritty

X A pregnant pause? The New York Daily News reports that a local nurse is teaching high-risk, often low-income pregnancy patients how to knit in a group called "Mothers of Purl." In essence, the article says, it helps pass the time they're committed to bed rest in Montefiore Medical Center. According to the article, the moms bond over their knitting while waiting for tests, and many keep doing it even after they go home. A local organization keeps the hospital supplied with fibers and supplies

Tip: Market to mothers-to-be. Reach out to local OB/GYNs; let them know that you're available to teach the basics to any patients who are interested and are otherwise going stir-crazy on bed rest — or host a teach-the-teacher class for any nurses who might want to help during their shifts. Not only are you providing a welcome diversion as the moms wait for their miracle to arrive, you may have a customer for life. After all, she'll need to make a matching cap for those adorable booties she just finished!

X "Instruction, coffee, conversation" is what reads on the window of Rittenhouse Needlepoint in Philadelphia, and this profile from the Philadelphia Inquirer goes on to elaborate on this simple mission statement. Co-Owners Russell Palmer and Stephen Janick make every effort to keep their products current and for a sophisticated palate — while still maintaining a welcoming atmosphere, even for beginners.

Tip: Keep the inpatient beginner in mind. The article reports that Palmer and Janick "nurtured the idea of a 21st-century needlepoint store where crafters would be welcome and the fumble-fingered could order any needlepoint item they want." They offer several projects that can be done quickly and have a cool vibe, such as funky dog collars and belts. In your store, try marketing to the beginner who could conceivably learn just a few stitches and create something small, but meaningful. It could be the necessary push they need to rise to the challenge. Who hasn't heard naysayers who claim "Oh I tried needlepoint, but I never finished the piece"? More than likely, they were just in over their head with their first project.

X The economy has put lots of Americans on edge, but it seems that Detroit has been hit the hardest, thanks to the turmoil of U.S. auto manufacturers. The Detroit News "Handmade" columnist Jocelynn Brown recently interviewed Lori Sheffield, who owns Skeins on Main with her father, George Ash, in Rochester, MI. According to the column, the shop offers free "sit and knit" events every month that lets customers forget their troubles for a while and enjoy one another's company.

Tip: Offer an all-inclusive social outlet. Sheffield laments that some customers have to give up their classes at her shop because they and/or their spouses have lost their jobs and it's time for some belt-tightening. But it seems that Sheffield has the right response: Eventually, many of these customers will get their finances back on track — and they'll remember how she welcomed them with open arms even when they didn't have the extra cash to spend. Besides, a busy, vibrant shop can generate buzz among friends of friends, build your reputation, and perhaps get you noticed by the local media.