WonderfulGraffiti

What Weekend?

Geord and I worked most of the weekend, mostly finishing a large new-product sample that had to go out for a catalog photo shoot. We hated to give up the weekend but we were pretty pleased with the results.
Mackenzie made dinner Sunday night and we weren't done by pm. So she called and asked if we wanted her to bring dinner to us! Chicken and rice in wine sauce with broccoli. She meant to bring sourdough bread but it got left behind in the oven. My dad usually joins us for Sunday dinner so he came along, too.

This was Mackenzie's last weekend home, but I didn't feel too bad about missing most of it. She and her younger brother spent lots of time together (they're tight) and she and I will have 13 hours getting her back to college over Labor Day weekend. Road trip! M.

Working With Corporate America

They asked us to add color choices to our sign, which added four words. We go back to the translation process and it starts all over again. Do not try this at home.

Lunch With Fire Fighters

I ate lunch at the office today. With my fruit salad and cottage cheese, I brought wheat tortillas. I cut the tortillas up into cute triangles and popped them in the toaster oven to add a little crunch to my lunch. They didn't start on fire but they may as well have. I walked into the kitchen and there  two feet of smoke hanging near the ceiling. Of course it set off the fire alarm. Of course the alarm company called the fire department. Of course the fire truck showed up. Of course the fire fighters were in full gear on a hot day. Events went exactly as I feared they would, except there was no siren.

The fire truck drive (who wasn't wearing full gear so I assume he's the boss) said that they get called all the time because people burn their lunches. As for me, I've learned my lesson the embarrassing way. I'll watch my toast more closely next time.

Windows Are Up

All sixteen Storybook Windows are up on the site. I get to say I’m really impressed with them because they weren’t my idea.

Every time we put anything new on the site, there are dozens of glitches. Mostly they’re my fault.

If you have the time, I would be most grateful if you could take a careful look at every detail in the collection and let me know where there are still biffs.

When I feel we’ve gotten them all fixed, I’ll introduce the collection on the home page.  Then send several thousand emails to subscribes to our email list. Perhaps with a promo price? Don’t know so don’t expect. But I do want to make lots of noise with these. Don’t know how many windows there are out there like ours. M.

So Close Yet So Far

Remember my past posts about our Biggest Partner Ever? We were sooooo close to the test launch in stores. All sales kit components had been created. All components had been translated to Spanish. All components were approved by various approval boards within the company. We were good to go.

Not so fast.

Now we need to create another kit that tells associates what’s in the first kit and what to do with it.

I’m growing old fast. M.

2nd Coaching Session

Our coaching sessions are only one hour, so we all talk really fast. Ideas fly.

With coaching, Geord and I are forced (in a good way) to address different parts of the business we haven’t addressed before in a systematic, organized or disciplined way. Sometimes that was because we only thought we were addressing areas of the business–like marketing¬¬–in a systematic way. Sometimes it was because we didn’t think we had the tools to organize information in a systematic way. Sometimes it was because we thought we didn’t have the time.  Coaching gives you the discipline to sidestep all those excuses to get things done that are critical to the business.

We each take on assignments to be finished by the following meeting.

You can take on as many as you feel comfortable with.

I have five. We meet in another three weeks. I’d better get started. M.

New Colors Coming

The manufacturer of our Graffiti material has introduced about a dozen new colors. When we began Wonderful Graffiti six years ago, the colors available were less than ideal. The material is a sign-shop material that’s been around for ages, but was just then beginning to be used for “interior typography.” Up until now, the colors available have been colors sign shop customers wanted to capture attention: bright, bold, strong. While bold colors can certainly be used in interiors, there’s a much greater demand for soft, soothing or neutral colors.

So we’ll be introducing baby pink, baby blue, sage, etc. We’ll switch them out for some of our less in-demand colors. Geord wants to keep them all, but he doesn’t assemble sample kits. For those of us who do, 32 colors is plenty.

What’s funny is that the manufacturer typically named their colors in very basic terms: Medium Blue, Bright Yellow, Beige. I renamed them because I thought since our internet customers can’t see the actual colors, it would be helpful if the colors related to things people know: Slate, Carnation, Shamrock, Lemon. I noted right away that with the newest colors, the manufacturer did the same thing. I think their interior typography customers got to them and encouraged them to  name their colors more descriptively.

New color requests, anyone? M.

Coaching So Far

After one session with our new business coaches (I always want to type "business couches,") here are the things we're doing differently:

1. Looking hard at profit margins. Cutting costs when possible to increase low margins, or increasing prices when we can't cut costs,  as with shipping.

2. Starting to ask “where’d you hear about us”? One groom-to-be said, "You're very highly rated on The Knot.com." Had no idea. One enthusiastic client found our wedding site by Googling "chapel."

3. Separating WG.com sales by “Graffiti, Custom, Play Room.”Which segment is more profitable?

4. Starting to make a list of points before phone conversations, particularly before difficult or important phone calls. Found that a list:

    a. Helps me make my points more clearly and effectively
    b. Makes me sound smart and in control
    c. Saves time

Our business couches: http://www.actioncoach.com/davidbrincks/
If you own a small business, sign up for their newsletter. It's really good.

Boo!

I know I've been AWOL lately. My hard drive and back up crashed AGAIN and I lost everything on my laptop. I typically blog at home on my laptop, and haven't had time at work to do it.

Plus I'm traumatized by the whole experience. I've had to go away for awhile to heal. Don't even ask me about getting back on  twitter or facebook. I'm just not ready.

Plus the keyboard on the computer I'm using for the time being is horrendous. Keys stick. Mkaeasw me thingk I can't tpye but I really can. See?

Plus Geord and I are working 12 hour days, 7 days. Business is getting better and we're trying to keep payroll down as long as we can. Plus we have the 2 damn kids to parent. And my house is grubby.

Garden looks good though. (It's the low-maintenance time of year.) I posted photos on snapfish but don't think I can import them from there to here. Can I?

Tomorrow I'll blog about changes we're making as a result of our business coaching. Fun stuff. M.