Jennifer! Designs Celebrates 10 Years!

It's a Celebration!

In 2003 I  began designing greeting cards in my kitchen, not knowing that I would actually be selling them to stores and eventually online. Over the years I moved into a studio that I designed in my house, enabling me to finally eat somewhere other than on my couch. When I wasn't working my full time job, I lived and breathed greeting cards. In fact, I still work 40 hours a week at another job in a totally unrelated industry. I will probably never stop loving and breathing greeting cards!

The greeting card industry is one of the most competitive. Did you know that there are about 3,000 greeting card publishers in the United States? When I began my company, it was extremely difficult to sell online. Twitter, Facebook and Big Cartel hadn't  been born and direct mail marketing was king. I no longer sell to stores and attend trade shows. Instead I sell my cards through an online store called Big Cartel. It's a lot of fun because I have the privilege of working directly with you, the end user.

What does the future hold for Jennifer! Designs?

I have designed and sold over 5,000 handmade greeting cards as well as dozens of handmade gift tags, a line of stationery and a gift card line. I am working on developing a line of custom covered mini-match boxes to be sold with a matching card and candle and hope to dream up many more product lines.

 

A preview of what's to come!

 Last week it occurred to me that Jennifer! Designs is in it's 10th year!

As a way of saying thanks to all of my customers, I am offering free shipping through June. Use coupon code: FREESHIP at the storefront checkout until June 30, 2013.

I welcome suggestions on how Jennifer! Designs can better serve you. What themes do you love and or would like to see? Is there something about the products or website that keeps you from making a purchase? You may comment on this blog or send me an email through the website.
It's only May and the celebration will last throughout 2013! I'll be posting the next Anniversary Promotion in July. In the mean time, I better think up something else to blog about, ha!

HAPPY SHOPPING!

Why I Haven't Been Blogging

I know, I know. I should be blogging about about springtime or giving you tips on design, do it yourself projects or maybe even posting photos of babies and puppy dogs.

Ever since I announced that I would run a promotion on Jennifer! Designs products every Tuesday, I seem to be spending my time making new product and imaging the next promotion. I get excited about running sales. It's a way of thanking my customers and hopefully gain new ones.

This week I am offering Free Shipping when you spend $10.00. Just use coupon code: FREESHIP
 at the checkout. 

Did you know that all of the greeting cards are handmade? Did you know that there are over 250 designs to choose from? We ship within 3-5 business days, yet most shipments leave the studio the day we receive your order.

There is a contact section on the website if you have any questions or concerns. You can also contact me about custom orders. Perhaps you are interested in customized invitations or personalized note cards.If you can dream it, I can design it.

I'll do my best to dream up something to blog about but know that every Tuesday, you can count on a new promotion!

HAPPY SHOPPING!

Gift Card Holder

Gift Card Holder

Sympathy Card

Gift Tag

Writer's Block or Just Fear of Failure?

It's been a month since my last blog entry. It's not always easy for me to click "publish". I make endless lists in my head about what I will write about and tell myself that this is the day that I will write. I draft these ideas, second guess myself and click delete.

I don't think of myself as someone with a loss for words and most days I'm pretty good at conveying my message, but lately I have been feeling really insecure about how my blog is perceived and asking myself -

1. Why am I afraid of failure?
2  Who is my audience?
3. Will my readers like what I write?
5. What causes one to stop and read a particular blog?
6. I wish my blog was as good as so & so's. How can I make mine just as interesting?
7. Do people want advice, tips or stories? All of the above?
8. Where can I find inspiration?
9. Why am I here and what does this all mean?

Okay, #9 is an exaggeration, but you get the point. Clearly, from the list of questions, my problem is not writer's block. It's simply 2 parts fear of failure and 1 part fear of not being liked. As a business owner, I want you to discover my product line, visit my website and purchase products. As me, Jennifer, I want you to get to know me and like who I am. I want you to comment on my entries as a way for me to know you. I love people and I love to please. In a lot of ways that is why I am on the greeting card business. Greeting cards make people happy. They give people a sense of being thought of and liked. When someone buys my cards they feel confident that the recipient will feel thought of liked, or even loved.

Do you own a Twitter or a Facebook account? Don't you just love when someone "Likes" your post, "retweets" your tweet or "follows" you? What is it about all those actions that gets us so excited? There are days when I seemingly can't stop checking the stats and comparing them to others - A BIG MISTAKE! I am certain that these actions are the source of my blogger-low self esteem. I convinced myself that these numbers meant something; as if numbers were representative of who I am and the products I produce. I forgot why I became interested in social media in the first place. So what changed? What caused me to return to my blog? I realized that:

1. I love sharing articles about design, typography, the arts and other topics.
2. I love sharing/introducing new products through various social media channels.
3. I enjoy meeting my customers and staying in touch with friends.
4. I love gaining knowledge and seeking out information through other's tweets, blogs and Facebook pages.

My worries and insecurities take the enjoyment out of one of my favorite daily activities. I realized that failure would be not trying at all. Failure would be abandoning my blog and letting the numbers and worries get the best of me. Fear of failure is unhealthy and unproductive. Fear of failure would be never giving myself the chance to succeed and grow.

I think Theodore Roosevelt said it best  

"It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed."

Today is the first day of letting go of my fears. I have many ideas and many stories and designs to share with you. Let it be said that there will be days that I just won't have anything poignant or brilliant to say but that I will surely not be afraid to fail.