October 2009

Positively Heather

Hold the phone: It’s a marketing opportunity

Heather Gooch

I've been making a lot of phone calls for work lately, and I've noticed a couple things as I wait to see whether the boss is really "here" at the office to take the call.

Sometimes the receiver is set down (gently or otherwise) and I can catch snippets of conversation. This is possibly the worst scenario, because if anyone happens to have an opinion on the caller and shares it — it has the risk of being overheard. I'm still amused at calling a colleague at home a couple weeks ago only to have her husband mutter, "I hope she's not one of those survey people" as he handed her the phone. For the record, I'm not!

For Heather's full article, click here.

Spotlight on:

Becky Maselli, Unique Yarns Inc.

Many shop owners may slip into the role of "therapist" with employees and customers now and then — offering some insight into relationships, for example, or a bit of encouragement during a tough time. It's only natural that in a casual social setting, folks open up about what's going on in their lives and seek advice to help them find their way.

But not every owner is a licensed therapist. One exception is Rockford, IL's Becky Maselli, who is a K-12 art teacher and holds a master's degree in art therapy. In fact, before her business became known as Unique Yarns Inc., it began in 2000 as the Studio for Art, Health and Wellness, a private practice whose business plan stemmed from her master's thesis project at Ursuline College in Pepper Pike, OH.

For the full article, click here.

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

Links I Love

Instructables.com

I can spend hours browsing around this well-organized site, getting inspired and spotting trends. From the "Manly Crafts" section to how to incorporate LEDs into your embroidery in seven easy steps, there's something for everyone. Membership is encouraged, but not a requirement — there's plenty to see and do just from a lurker's point of view.

Instructables.com's sense of community is well-defined, too — allowing people to ask and answer questions, comment, collaborate and generally get to "virtually" know like-minded creative types. Who knows — your next trunk show superstar might be idly posting slide show how-tos about his or her cutting-edge technique on the site right now.

But if nothing else, I have Instructables.com (and my husband) to thank for our children, our nephews and certain other lucky recipients becoming the proud owners of marshmallow shooters. It certainly kept the summer bonfires lively!

Got a link you love? Tell me!

The Knitty Gritty

X Knit a scarf, buy a sheep. OK, it's slightly more complex than that, but as the Morning Call reports, Barbara Stabile, owner of Tangled Yarns in Bethlehem, PA, is encouraging participation in knitting the World's Longest Scarf as a way to raise $250,000 to purchase fiber-producing livestock. The project is part of the Keep the Fleece program, which is helping Heifer International give these animals to impoverished families to raise and help them make a living.

Tip: A fiber-oriented charitable cause? It's a win-win! According to the article, "Stabile and others have been hard at work knitting scarves that measure 9 inches wide and 60 inches long. They are collecting $1 for every row knitted. A single sheep could be purchased for every 120 rows." Keep the Fleece is termed a "celebration of the United Nations International Year of Natural Fibres." Linda Cortright, Wild Fibers Magazine, is among those spearheading this project. Click here to learn how to help.

X It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas ... in a house in Lexington, KY, anyway. According to a feature in the Herald-Leader, the decorated model home is open to the public in mid-October to help raise money for the local Red Cross chapter. Among the photo captions: "While it might look good enough to eat, the reindeer 'cookie' on this plate is a needlepoint creation that will never get stale."

Tip: Get in on the Yuletide action. Your local builders and interior designers are likely brainstorming ways to get the public thinking about their homes again. Decorated open houses could fit the bill. Offer to lend some handmade touches, like holiday ornaments, stockings, pillows, etc., in exchange for a "thank you, suppliers" mention in their event programs, for example.

X Cate Blanchett has become Cate 'Blanket' thanks to a crocheted dress she wore to a red-carpet event in Melbourne, Australia. According a post by News.com.au, the actress requested the one-sleeved dress specifically from the designers, Romance Was Born, after their creation debuted at Australian Fashion Week (the post shows the dress as worn both by the model and Blanchett). While TMZ.com noted the similarities between the dress and the afghan adorning the couch on the 1980s sitcom Roseanne, the designers are unfazed by the "granny square" hoots — after all, it was one of the designer's moms who did all the crocheting!

Tip: Host your own "Project Runway." Challenge your customers to come up with original haute couture designs for an 11.5-in. or 18-in. doll. Put them on display through the holiday season, culiminating in an open house where a panel of experts (a local Brownie troop, for example) weighs in on whose design takes top honors. A separate award could be "Customers' Choice," as voted on by those who saw the display.