On the 26th February, we finally got round to changing the window and adding a beautiful rose and leaf screen at the back, This was so overdue it was embarrassing, but when you are busy with orders these things seem to get put on the backburner.
Not only did it look pretty, but it also made the window
far more accessible from the other sie.
We also covered the shelf with stunning glitter vinyl
which would enhance any of our invitations and stationery.
Little did we know that less than a month later we'd be closing the doors and not knowing when or even IF we'd be opening again.
I'm not sure the penny had dropped for most people but I actually shut shop almost a week before lockdown.... I just got the most horrible feeling and just HAD to do it.
All businesses were instructed to stop what they were doing and STAY AT HOME! I'm sure people didn't realise the implications of this and with hotels, pubs and venues shutting shop, weddings were postponed and overnight the customers who I had relied on to keep my shop open disappeared, with no real understanding of when they will reopen.
I worried for them I contacted all 15 couples who had weddings booked so far and who had already had stationery from me and told them I would do their change of date cards free..... but as yet I'm holding off printing them as some couples postponed till August but even then they seem unlikely to be going ahead. I'm afraid it's a waiting game.
Anyway..... before lockdown I placed a last-minute order for card and envelopes.... listen if I was going to be closed for any length of time I wanted to make sure I a) Had enough crafting supplies to get through and b) make sure I had the stock for when I reopened as there's going to be delays in supplies when we do open.
Thankfully the order came the day we shut shop!
O.k. I really do have enough paper, card and envelopes to last me a lifetime.... but I wasn't quite thinking straight. I didn't worry about not having a haircut for 6 months, but card and envelopes? NOPE! And then I ran off to buy white gloss and emulsion.... just to keep Steve busy decorating you understand! (Slight giggle here!)
The first 3 weeks were spent with Steve working from home and me generally cleaning all those places that get missed when you work 6 days a week. At last, I could once again see out of my windows, the corners of the room got hoovered and even the skirting boards looked at me surprised when I offered them a damp cloth! Once Steve was furloughed the ceilings got painted and the doors and those still in shock skirting boards got a new lease of life. The garden had an early spring makeover, the grass was but and then..... it all sort of went downhill after then.
The novelty of a stay at home person soon wore off. It wasn't a holiday as no-one could go out. Daily updates became almost an obsession and the statistics became horrifying. But the good thing to come out of all this is the change ALL business owners have had to STOP, re-evaluate and rethink their businesses and where they are going. It's been a time of majors.... Major ups and Major downs, but the one good thing small independent businesses have over large national ones is that we can pivot and swivel at the drop of a hat. We are more flexible and adaptable. Here-in lies our strength.
I've seen the most awesome things happening in the small business world. Clothes manufacturers have been making gowns, Gin makers have been making hand sanitizer and restaurants have been making and delivering means for those self-isolating or shielding.
STOP - PIVOT - SWIVEL
I'm going to put this on a t-shirt!
I love designing and making wedding invitations and stationery, but there are times in the year when there simply is no business and with the current covid19 issues it seems very unlikely to me that there will be any weddings at all this year and I certainly don't think that couples who haven't already booked will go rushing out to book this year at least.
Late Autumn into Winter is not many people favourite time to get married so it's generally quiet for me. Last Winter I offered Personalised baubles, LED bottles and other small personalised gifts which certainly helped keep me solvent through the lean times.
As well as the wedding stationery I already make and offer cake toppers, t-shirts, sweatshirts and hoodies along with making small business stationery for fellow crafters... again all these help to keep the wolves from the door, but not enough to do full time.
So, with all hands on deck and me feeling pretty useless I was sort of transported back to when Inspired by Script was born. As many of you know I started life as a calligrapher and lettering artist. My work involved commercial work and commissions but I also created pieces for sale, generally working with positive, inspirational and motivational quotations that I either wrote on canvas or made into little books. I got to thinking what do people need right now? How can I help? What can I do? And then BOOM! Affirmation cards! Something from the past that helped me so much when times were really low!
Of course, I found an old set and realised that after putting them to bed almost 10 years ago I needed to revamp and almost reinvent them!
Before I knew it the boxes were being replaced with tin ones and my finger had clicked the buy now button on the packaging website!
A new up to date instruction card
replaced the small booklet.
And the tins made them more durable.
The cards were made larger and the font more modern
I listed them on my website and sold 7 straight away!
That doesn't sound a lot but when you haven't sold anything since the middle of March it becomes a big deal!
So then my brain started to go into overdrive. What could I do to keep the business alive during what could possibly be the worst year ever and potentially see me shutting up shop forever?
The recent week and extraordinary synchronicity that seems to thread through my life would give me the answer when I least expected it... but I'm going to leave that for another day.
I hope if you have a small creative business you are seeing a way through what feels like dark wood. I hope you are finding new ways to pivot and market your business and most of all I hope you are reaching out to those around you and to others when you need them
If you've found a way of adapting your business, I'd love to hear.
Pop me a comment below, I promise to reply.
with love and bright blessings, Sue xox
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