The Best Advice I've EVER Received

I was watching "Talking with Chris Hardwick" the other day, and his guest was James Corden.  Now James Corden is not my favourite late night host. For me it basically goes Seth Meyers, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, and then maybe James Corden.  Anywho, I was watching these two chat, and Chris finished the interview with a question which basically got down to "what's the best advice you've ever got?"  And James answered about how his Dad used to say that the difference between doing something and not doing something is doing something; so DO SOMETHING! 

So that got me thinking.  What's the best advice I've ever received?  What mantra, or motto, do I try to live by or remember.  And I instantly grabbed my laptop to start writing.  Because I LOVE this piece of advice, and for some crazy reason I had never really shared it.
After high school I decided to not go to university straight away because I didn't know what I wanted to take.  So I got a job for an outbound telemarketing company.  Which meant I spent my 8 hour day calling, mostly Americans, trying to sell them stuff, usually a credit card.  After a few months I scaled down to half days because it felt like I was losing my soul.  I hated when people hung up on me.  I took every swear, every hang up, every angry word personally.  Those people on the end of the line clearly  hated me, thought I was a horrible  person, and I deserved an awful fiery death.   One day it really got to me and my supervisor noticed.  
She came over and asked me what was wrong, and I explained how frustrated I was because people kept hanging up on me and I couldn't make any sales (Type A goal driven personality over here!).  All around me my peers were succeeding, while I was failing.  

My supervisor asked me, "Can you control when someone gets upset with you?  Can you control the someone hangs up on you?" And I answered, "well no...." (there was a "but" coming but she cut me off). Exactly, she said.  You can't control if someone hangs up on you.  But you can control moving on to the next call, and maybe that next call will be the sale.  Control what you can control.
CONTROL WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL!
This was a LIFE changing phrase that had, literally, NEVER crossed my mind.  I was (am) so Type A, so gripped by fear, so gripped by needing to control my world around me so I felt comfortable and safe, I felt the need to control everything, including other people, that I never thought that I COULDN'T control other people! But when I really let it sink in, she was right.  I couldn't control if that person hung up on me.  I couldn't control them.  I can ONLY control HOW I react and deal with the situation.
Now lemme tell ya, this has changed my life!  Do I remember this on a daily basis? No, I'm a human, and I fail all the time.  Like when I'm on a plane, sitting on the tarmac, and I need to get off to make my connection...yeah I'm freaking out and I wish that I had control over the plane!   But I TRY to remember to control what I can control.  Somedays it's easier than others.  And I know to some of you, with self esteem and confidence, this is probably the LAMEST revelation a person could ever have.  But for someone like me, who needs people to like her, desires people to love her, who needs exterior confirmation of a job well done, being able to LET GO of the idea that I needed to control everything was revolutionary for me. 

So maybe there's a pre-teen, or a teenager you know who could really use this motto...or a gal in her early 30's still trying to navigate what 'being an adult' is all about.  Would you share this with someone who could use a little pick me up? A little reminder that they only have so much control over this giant thing we call life.  What's the best advice you've ever received?  Share it in the comments below!

How To Be a Great Vendor

*NOTE: this post has been sitting in my drafts folder for like....forever.  Meaning I've really been thinking about it. Enjoy!*
I considered titling this blog "How Not To Be a Giant Flake"  But then I was worried that some people might not appreciate my humour.  And then I thought, well if you are offended by that, we probably can't be friends.  I'm just kidding...my point is...none of us WANT to be a flake... but...
...most of us can remember a time when we were total flakes.  Bailing on a friend's request for coffee.  Not picking up a phone call  (GUILTY!!!!)  Spacing on an important date. We all know it's not cool,  but when it comes to the handmade world, your word is a bond, especially when you're applying for markets.
By no means am I the definitive authority on Do & Do Not's when applying for markets, but I think we can all use a little reminder to make sure we're working together for a respectful, inclusive handmade community. So I wanted to share some of my tips to be an awesome vendor (who gets great reviews and gets invited back!)

1).  Don't Apply If You Can't Committ to the Show Maybe you're clean out of stock.  Maybe you're going on holiday the weekend before the market.  Don't bow to the pressure of applying for that market.  I know it's hard - I also want to do all the things all the time.  

But if you're not ready, be real about. It's not gonna be good for you, and you know it...deep down, you know it's not going to be fun.  You're gonna be stressed and end up resenting the market.  And you're going to be in a bad mood the day of the market, and that affects the vendors around you AND the shoppers.   Keep the love alive for your business and don't put so much on your plate.
2).  Don't Apply and then Recind your Application prior to the application closing date

See #1.  But really.  Let the application close.  If you get selected for the market, graciously bow out and let the next person on the waitlist take your place.  Applying and pulling out before the close of the applications just looks bad. It also makes you look unorganized; like you don't have your poop in a group.  (PS How much do I LOVE the phrase "get your poop in a group"? ROFL) Maybe you don't think this is a big deal, so let me put it another way.  Imagine you applied for a job on Monday, and the posting was accepting applications until Friday.  Now imagine you calling the store/office on Wednesday to tell them you DON'T want to apply for the job.  Think about how that manager would interpret the situation.  Then imagine in 6 months you applied for that job again....?!?!?

To me, this is what it looks like when you apply for a market and then cancel before the applications close. It's weird. It's unprofessional. It's unorganized. Mostly, it's confusing. And it telegraphs to me as a market organizer that you didn't really think about what applying to the market meant and entailed.  This also might affect you if you want to apply for that same market in the future!  Remember, it's a small community - you always want to put your best foot forward.  Honesty is the best policy (see #5).
3). Actually read the Terms & Conditions
Hands up, we're all guilty. But only frustration comes from NOT really  reading the terms and conditions.  
"No, you can't have a refund. " "Yes, you have to donate 30 Swag Bag items. " "No, you won't have room to bring your farmhouse kitchen sink in addition to the 8ft table that's being provided."


Markets have terms and conditions for a reason, usually because they had that EXACT thing happen to them in the past! So terms & conditions come from learning experiences-not evil vengeance.  As a vendor I get A LOT of emails in a short period of time because I only sell from September to December.  These emails are long, detailed, and from multiple events.  YOU MUST READ EVERY SINGLE ONE! Maybe a few times - I have done this more than I'd like to admit.  I think I read the email, when in reality I scrolled through it while I was watching TV....and then I have to go back because I can't remember what time set up started ;)   

Here's what I do - make a folder in your inbox where you put all your contracts and info emails from each market, each season.  That way if you do forget something like where you're supposed to park on the day of the market, you know where to go and find the information instead of bothering the organizer, who already sent you the information you needed. And yes, I know, of course it's much easier to fire off an email to the organizer who no doubt knows exactly the answer to your question.  But they're busy. And they already sent you that information.

4). Don't Be Late                               This should seem obvious. It's not.  

Don't be late with anything.  If you have to pay by next Friday, make sure you pay by Thursday.  If you have to be at the venue by 9:15am be there by 9am, even if you have to wait in your car until the doors are actually open (I do this ALL THE TIME). EVERYONE'S time is valuable, not just yours! Be respectful.  If you're running late because of a traffic accident, deathly ill child, or your car broke down, phone the organizer.  Being late because you didn't get up early enough to grab a coffee is NOT OK!  Not having enough time to set up is a detriment to you and the market.  Think about when you're running late for work, how stressed you get, and how that affects your WHOLE DAY! Think your sales are gonna be good in that emotional state? Nope. Every market is like your first day of work for a new employer.  You want to show up on time, look the part, be ready to work, and generally be awesome. 
5). Be Honest Easier said than done, I know.  Especially when you think you might hurt someone's feelings.  Maybe you applied for two markets, got in to both, and now you have to back out of one? Or maybe finances are tight and you need some extra time to pay?  Don't fib your way through an email to try to save my feelings.  You know how you can usually tell when your kid/friend is lying...yeah, same here.  Just be honest in your email.  In MOST cases (actually I would like to say ALL cases, because I have YET to meet a market organizer who is 100% heartless) the market organizers are here to help you have a successful event.  If that means you need a payment plan, need a couple extra days, just be honest with us because we want to help you! Seriously.  I believe that most markets truly want their vendors to succeed and have fun. I know that Jill & I have an "intense" application and a stricter payment deadline than other markets, but that doesn't mean we're ogres! 

OK, sometimes, on Monday morning before coffee, it's border line. But honestly, we're here for our vendors and we really value the relationship we build with them, because without vendors we're just two crazy ladies in an empty hall. 
Did I miss any key tips that you think new vendors should know before jumping in to the handmade world?  Disagree with me? LOL Or did I hit the nail on the head?  Let me know in the comments below!

Branding 101

Hey y'all, 

What a busy year! Phew!  Now that I've got a little more time on my hands, I wanted to share some tips and tricks for making you, your brand, and your booth stand out from the rest. For info about creating the perfect booth check out this previous post.

Today we're talking about BRANDING.  Ugh.  What a horrible word.  I know it scares me sometimes, and it can be super scary.  It's one of those things that creative types, me included, often leave until too late and then get stressed about.  I'm here to tell you there's nothing to stress about. Branding can be fun!

When I started my business in 2013, I chose my favourite colours, taupe, vintage white and coral, to represent my brand.

My sign and decor for my table had coral accents against burlap and white. But for last year, I was kind of over the coral.  Don't get me wrong, I still love the colour, but was it really working for my brand?  I liked the white and burlap-they're great neutrals that can work with ANY accent, AND didn't clash with my colourful scarves.  But the bigger question I was really asking was "what is my brand"?  And am I doing a good job of getting that across to my market/fans/clients etc?

So I looked around online and did some brainstorming.  That's tip #1-BRAINSTORM.  And I mean in the most literal way possible.  It's hard to think of flashy one liners that describe your brand straight off the bat.  One of the best techniques to find what your brand (and you) stands for is create a word cloud (or list). List EVERY SINGLE WORD that describes you, what you make, and what you believe in.  
See my word cloud (right).

Use these words (2-3 per sentence) to come up with a tag line, that best represents your brand.  From these words I have some great descriptive sentences I can use on market applications, Facebook posts, websites, twitter, etc without having to come up with something new every time.

West Coast Leslie features handmade & local products

Handmade, with colourful yarns, these products are truly inspired

This wearable art comes in various designs, colours, and sizes.

You'll also notice in my word cloud I have a few words that describe me and what I stand for in my business; like service, quality, & fun.  Once you've come up with maybe five lines, save them to a word document so you can grab them anytime.   Also take a couple of sentences and work them into a paragraph about you and your business.  Have a 5 sentence paragraph that can be used on applications etc.  

This is one of my business bios I use.  

It feels a bit like writing an essay for University, but you want to be clear.  Make sure you include what you make, how you make it, and why it's awesome!

Tip #2 You don't have to marry your brand.  What?!? I know, I said it.  Yes, it is important for you to have consistency with your brand, but let's say you've had your logo for 5 years and over those years your business has changed, morphed, grown.  Then shouldn't your brand also change to reflect your business?  Think about the clothes you loved in high school (for me it was surf/skate logo tees and flared jeans! YIKES), you would never wear those clothes now.  Likewise with your brand-it should reflect your business.  This isn't a license to change up your logo every year!!! That is confusing for your clients and does not encourage brand loyalty.  But if you feel that your brand/logo/colour scheme doesn't reflect your business anymore, it's OK to change it. There's nothing worse than having a name that doesn't tell people what you're about.  You'll spend all your time explaining it instead of talking about your products and selling them!

Tip #3 Consistency.  Right just after I finished telling you you can change your branding! Ha ha ha.  What I mean by consistency is look at how you are represented online and in person.  If you look at my Facebook page, my website, my online store-they look like they're part of the same family.  I've used the same header, in the same colours, with the same fonts and logo. No one is going to wonder if they're in the right place, especially when moving from one online entity to another.   And while for us creative types, it might be a bit boring to have the same colours, font, etc it's NOT boring for our customers.  It's reinforcing that they are in the right place, you are a trusted source, and yes they want to buy from this maker!  Consistency is also why I would recommend simple graphics and fonts, so that you're not going crazy with images on every online platform!  And don't forget to use these online images in print too.  Hang tags, pricing signs, postcards, business cards.  Everything that represents you and your brand should be thematic.  I changed my tags to better reflect my brand this year and I love it - plus it makes my life SO MUCH EASIER.  

By doing this you're again reinforcing in your customers mind that you've got it all together (even though sometimes we are running around like chickens with our heads cut off!)

Do have other branding tips?  

Share them with us in the comments below!

limited production run #1

It's time friends!  It's time to launch the FIRST limited production run for West Coast Leslie Designs! Thanks to everyone who participated in our survey, because we want to make what you want to wear!  And don't worry, if you're favourite item wasn't selected for the first run all is not lost.  We will be hosting limited production runs throughout the year, so stay up to date with us on Facebook and Instagram!

And now, what you've all been waiting for...... 

(insert drumroll here) SLOUCH TOQUES!

These bad boys will be available in TWO SIZES: Small/Medium (20"-21") and Medium/Large (22"+).  They are made from 100% acrylic yarn, which is hypo allergenic and machine washable.  Did we mention is super soft and comes in some gorgeous colours? Like Plum? Peacock Teal?  Yeah. We're pumped.

Remember they are available to purchase ONLY on Facebook!  They are up there NOW, so be sure to check them out.  There are limited quantities so if you want one, be sure to hurry!!!

What I've Learned Part 1

Every new opportunity lends itself to a learning curve.  Starting a new job.  A new piece of technology.  Trying to do your own taxes (don't).  And then magically, one day, we don't need to think about HOW to use these things, we just do.  I bet you can't remember a time you didn't know how to use a spoon?  So in this little series I'd like to share with you some of the tips and tricks I've figured out, the hard way, about handmade selling.

Today's Episode- How Putting the Price Out in the Open Stopped My Sales

Whoa!  I know right?  It seems counter intuitive.  And a lot of makers will tell you YOU NEED to put your prices right out in the open.  What if someone is shy and they don't want to talk to you? If your prices aren't visible, you'll loose that sale. And that's a fair assumption.  But let me tell you my story about how doing that TOTALLY backfired on me.

First full year of production - 2014.  Tyler and I were working every market together -it's always nice to have someone to bounce your ideas off of.  I had my boot cuffs displayed in baskets, all lined up, ready to go to home with fashionable ladies.  I had these great little chalkboard picks I'd got at Michaels and stuck them in the baskets with the words "boot cuffs" on them. Cute right?

Then I got an idea- let's use my super cute chalk board signs and put the price of the cuffs on the chalkboards.  I rewrote the signs with $49-the price of my cable cuffs.  This would allow me to interact with my customers without having to answer "How much are the boot cuffs?"  I thought I was a genius!  My brilliant idea was efficient and informative; who wouldn't love it?

The customers, that's who didn't love it.  By seeing that $49 in black and white kept people from even touching the cuffs.  People stopped talking about them ALTOGETHER!  No one picked them up.  And just like that my boot cuff sales stopped. DEAD.  I mentioned to Ty how bummed I was that people weren't interested in the cuffs.  He suggested that the price was scaring them off and that we erase the signs.  The price was on the tag anyway, it's not like we were hiding how much they were.  So we erased them.  Put them back just with the words "boot cuffs".  Lo and behold, sales started to pick up.  I couldn't believe it!  Every blog I'd ever read told me to make sure my prices were visible.  But when I tested that theory, it didn't work for me.  

So what's the moral of the story. Depending on what you make, most shoppers need to feel a connection to your product.  Especially if it's a bit of an investment.  Once people pick up my cuffs, feel how soft they are, see how well crafted they are, they've already started the process of imagining how those cuffs would fit in their life. They start thinking about what boots they have that would match. In their head, they already own the cuffs.  And that is EXACTLY what you want people to do with your products.  ENCOURAGE shoppers to pick up and try, feel, touch your products.  Putting your product in their hands already gives them a sense of ownership!  It brings them one step closer to making that purchase, WITHOUT YOU HAVING TO BE PUSHY! WOO!   Once someone has picked up something, it's in their hands, they are interacting with it, they're imagining how it will fit in their life, their wardrobe, their home.  Once they can see their life WITH your product, the price becomes LESS scary.  Why? Because they've already purchased it in their head.  They've already decided that they need this.  I can't tell you how many people have balked at the price of my products, UNTIL THE PICK IT UP or TRY IT ON!  Then they get it.  

I'm not saying hide your prices.  I'm not saying to be sleazy, or scamy (that's not how I roll).  But you don't need to have a big neon flashing sign (or chalkboard sign for that matter) outright flaunting your prices.  Next time you're shopping in a higher end clothing store, try to find a tag that's out in the open.  Bet you can't.  High end retailers do the same thing.  They want you to envision your life with that sweater, BEFORE you see the price.  Think about the prices at an art gallery.  Tiny. Almost hidden beside the painting. Available, but not flashy.   And from my experience, it works.

Stay tuned for more tips and tricks on how to be a better handmade seller.  Got a comment or question?  Leave it below.  I promise to get back to all of them.  Let's make 2016 your most successful handmade year yet!

Peace, Love & Handmade
*Leslie

HERE'S WHAT'S UP

We're only a week into 2016 and we already 

have BIG plans for West Coast Leslie Designs!

The 2015 Market Season was such a blast and successful to boot!  We are so grateful to all our shoppers and boosters and friends who support us.  It was our second full year of operations and while we're starting to feel like we know what we're doing, we are still learning so much!  Last year we updated our booth for LARGER spaces with two vintage ladders.  We received SO many compliments on our "new" booth from fellow vendors & shoppers.

We were ready for the boot cuff craze this year!  

We made so many pairs we have some left over!  

How did that happen?!?!

And even though we carry awesome classic products, we always get asked to make other items.  This year I think the most requested items were leg warmers, slippers, and fingerless gloves.  Sadly there are only so many hours in the day to make things :(  BUT you will be happy to know that we found a way to offer some new products!!

ANNOUNCING WEST COAST LESLIE DESIGNS 

LIMITED EDITION PRODUCTION RUNS!

Ok so what does that mean? LOL  We will be launching new products, like slippers, in a limited number, available for purchase during a specific time.  For example we will make 20 pairs of slippers and they will go on sale on a Wednesday on our Facebook page.  The sale will last until the products sell out OR for four weeks TOPS!  Once they're gone, THEY'RE GONE! If it's a successful run and people still want slippers, in a month or two we'll run another slipper production.  

Got it? So exciting!!! Remember these products will only be available on Facebook, so make sure you're following us over there!

We want to know what you'd like to see us make!  If you've got ideas for what we should make for our first production run head over to our Facebook page and let us know!!

Peace, Love & Handmade
*Leslie

Happy New Year

Hi Everyone!  I know it's  been a while since we've been active over here on the blog, but we had a SUPER busy and very successful fall market season.  "Thank you" will never really be enough to show our gratitude to all our crafty friends and awesome customers who are out there staying #prettyandwarm!

First things first.  The other day on Facebook, I posted a bit of a cryptic message about 2015 and how some unexpected challenges have already popped up.  I'm taking today to share exactly what I meant, set the record straight and just fill everybody in on what's happening with West Coast Leslie Designs.

The big news is that Tyler (my husband) has accepted a job with the Ministry of Transportation!!! So super exciting! He starts MONDAY (January 19th).  The flip side of the coin is that the job is based out of Kamloops, a city about 355 km away from our house. This is not the ideal situation, obviously.  But it's the reality.  My "day" job, being a dance teacher, keeps me in the Lower Mainland until June, because I can't just up and walk away from my students-that's not really how I roll.  What happens after June is still in the air.  And if I'm being perfectly honest, I don't know if we'll know what to do by the summer; I mean it's only 6 months away and that time is going to fly by!  But this exciting, new, awesome adventure for Ty makes me stop and re-evaluate West Coast Leslie Designs.  So while I had BIG plans for 2015, I may have to step back a bit and figure things out as we go :)

Here's what I do know, and I hope you can get excited for;

1). More frequent and scheduled blog posting.  Jill & I really want to interact with our fans, customers and friends!  We want to help you out from knowing how to care for your WCLD garments to helping you succeed with your business (handmade or otherwise).  We'll be offering some awesome info on the blog in 2015, so follow us and never miss a post! BlogLovin' is an easy way to follow the blogs you love :)

2). Community building.  What I took away from 2014 is that I LOVE THE HANDMADE community!  And I want to hang with you ALL. THE. TIME. We're on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and our blog, website and newsletters.  But you know what?  We don't post the same stuff on every social media outlet.  That's boring, and overkill if you follow us on more than one platform.  Here's what you'll find on each social media feed.  Pic your favourite and follow us :)
Facebook is where we want to hang out with you-our friends, the community at large.  It's the best place for us to get your feedback and find out what YOU want.  We also link our blog posts to Facebook! Oh and we like to have contests, giveaways and SALES on Facebook!


Instagram is where you'll find a blend of my personal and business pics.  It's an insiders look at how things get made, works in progress, my day to day life and general goofiness.  I LOVE Instagram and hope you'll hop over and follow me for all the fun!

We're using Twitter a little more formally.  If you want to know where we'll be, what craft markets we're checking out, and who we're following, follow us on Twitter.
And lastly, in 2015 we're recommitting to our Blog "Try To Keep Up".  More pics, more posts, more everything!

3). Online sales.  While we'll still be working markets, we're going to ramp up our online store and open up to more custom orders.  So please, check out our Storenvy shop or shoot us an email.  We want to make online shopping easy and convenient for you!  Because some days it's literally too cold to leave your house to buy a scarf! LOL

4). Teacher at Heart.  That's me.  To a T.  From an early age I've always known I wanted to be a teacher.  Writing on chalk boards, leading others, encouraging people to learn and love learning!  So I've created a sales course to help other amazing handmade peeps sell their products.  I want others in the handmade world to be profitable and have fun doing it (without feeling like a scum bag, and keeping your brand and personality intact) so keep your eyes peeled this summer for this awesome learning opportunity!  I promise you'll learn SO much and it will really help you gear up for the holiday market season!

Ok so that's long enough!  I want to thank everyone who's been along for the ride with us.  We are continually learning, and evolving and trying things out, so thank you for sticking with us and inspiring us.  We are super excited for 2015 and hope you are too!

When is a Scarf not a Scarf?

Don't get me wrong.  I love scarves.  Infinity scarves in particular.  They're all I make.  I think everybody looks good in an infinity scarf AND no pesky ends hanging around.  I never know what to so with those ends-do you?   Anyways, I like things to be functional and versatile, while still ensuring I look cute doing it.  I mean if you can check all those boxes, I think you've got a winner.

Today, I wanted to show you all the different ways you can wear a West Coast Leslie infinity scarf!

Depending on the length, you can wear it long-like a statement necklace.  Works great with a casual white tee shirt and jeans.

Most of the scarves I make are super long and wide.  Making them a perfect make-shift hood.  Especially in Vancouver, when you never know when it's going to rain.  It's also good for keeping your hair style in tact.

In a lot of places fall weather changes every 5 minutes. Often it's not cool enough to wear a full jacket, but you can't go walking around in a t-shirt?!  That's when you can turn your scarf into a vest!

And my personal favourite, just a classic, double wrapped around the neck.  Whether you like a bit more hang or more of a cowl feel, up around your ears, there's nothing that beats the cozy feeling of your favourite scarf.

Which is your favourite way to wear your scarf?

Leave me a comment and let me know!

Craft Sale Tips - Your Booth

Hi all you West Coast Leslie readers! I'm Jill, Leslie's little sister and I thought I would take over Leslie's blog today to start sharing some of tips and tricks we learned last year doing our first craft sale. 

(That's me!)

Even though it's summertime, we're busy gearing up for this year's fall, winter, and holiday markets!  Last year we did one big planned show (Crafty Affaire), and then a couple more later that happened to just come up.  This year our plans are bigger and better than last year.  
I figured that we're probably not the only ones that are thinking about this right now, and I definitely have some tips from experience that I haven't really seen anywhere else in my research.  Ready? Let's go!
Plan your product line - Pick a few main items!!! The very first craft sale I did on my own was a few years back now and it was a bust for a couple reasons - one, it just wasn't the right crowd, most people weren't interested in buying (more show research might have helped here) but two - I was selling a bunch of different items.  People are easily overwhelmed.  Your product should draw them into your booth.  From a distance your customer should be able to see what you're selling.  You will make more sales like this and it will make your life easier! 
Here's what my booth looked like for that show:

Here's the booth Leslie and I set up last year:

Even with the pinky instagram filter you can easily see that the WCLD booth is much more coherent than my Envirocraftiness booth.  

Pre-plan your display Know how much space you're working with, what display items you want, and where your product is going to be.  Set it up at home and then take photos so that  a) you can use them when applying for shows (if required) and  b) if you have family or friends helping you set up it's a good reference for them to know how to help.  
Will your booth look identical to your photos? Probably not, but that's okay! 
Here's Leslie's at home set up of her booth

Throughout the show you might need to move product based on what's selling or not selling.  Don't be afraid to deviate from your plan! 

When planning your display, here's a few things we like to keep in mind:

1) Does it look too perfect? You want people to touch and interact with your product.  If you can get people to pick up, feel, try on your product, you're much closer to making that sale! (more on that in the next post about sales!) It should be accessible.  Customers shouldn't have to wait for you to get something down for them to look at - some people WILL NEVER ask, and you just lost a potential sale.

2) Is all that really necessary?  Obviously you want to show off your product in the best way.  However depending on the length of show, the size of your booth, and what your product is, an elaborate setup may not be worth it.  I would  personally not be the vendor hauling a dresser to a show that's less than 16 hours, and even then, I'm not sure this would be my best strategy!!  Leslie and I have revamped this year's booth to include wine crates which both create depth and dimension, still allowing us to show off the product (you don't want your display to outshine what you're selling), and as a bonus, we can pack product in them.   Same goes for the trunk Leslie found, I foresee that being a great way to store additional inventory! 

Avoid clutter.  People get overwhelmed easily.  If you're not able to put all your merchandise out make sure you're familiar with your inventory so that you can grab it when a customer can't quite find what they want. 

What works to display jewelry is not going to work for big crocheted scarves, or handmade soap.  Look for ideas from people who sell similar or similar SIZED items as you.  ie what works for baking might also work well for selling soap!  

3) Does your customer know what you're selling?  This may sound obvious, but we were at a market where this one vendor had a phenomenal set up, but, we asked each other "do you know what she's selling?" 

4) Is your design appropriate for you product? This one has two meanings.  First you want your booth to represent your brand.  You want your colors and logo to stand out.  One mistake we made was that people struggled to read our "West Coast Leslie Designs" banner - we'll be revamping this for sure!  While we wanted that cute bunting banner which matches our brand image, it caused confusion and could better represent the WCLD brand.   

Secondly, the branding of your business should match the product you sell.  For instance, a booth across from us sold dog treats.  Here's a pic of their setup:

Simple, clean, and you can see the product and price list right out front, and they have a great visually attractive and self explanatory sign right there!  PS. These guys from Sparky Snacks were some of the awesome people we became friends with at the show! 

Now think of how it would look if they had a crafty vintage setup like our WCLD booth...weird right?  Make sure your design matches what you're selling.

5) Don't forget that YOU are part of your display!

Don't have so much "display" that there's no room for you.  Don't sit behind a table piled high with product.  Make sure you have ample room to move around, access your product and are available and approachable to help customers.  Wherever possible, wear your product (if it's wearable!)...and this leads me into my favorite selling tip:

Before I tell you what my FAVORITE selling tip is I want to give you a sneak peek at what's coming up:

Updated West Coast Leslie Designs booth - see how we've revamped our booth for 2014 and applied these tips

Leslie and Jill's best tips to selling like pros and making your sale fun and profitable! 

Alright, now here's what you've been waiting for.... one of my favorite sales tips of the weekend:

Be a walking model.  Wear sellable items and DO sell the shirt off your back (or scarf around your neck, as the case may be).  Often people were drawn to the scarf I was wearing, they can see how to wear it, how it fits, how it works with your coloring, etc.  If they express ANY interest in the piece you're wearing, take it off, offer it to them to touch, try on, etc.  This works for some people, but not for others.  If the customer feels awkward about buying "your" item.  Casually put it down on the table and keep helping them.  Once the scarf is on the table, BOOM! it's back to being part of the merchandise and it's not longer a weird "personal issue."  Chances are they will buy it.  

A big part of being successful with this technique is to look well groomed.  Obviously for your show you want to look good, but if you notice, all the pics of me I'm wearing my hair up.  I shed like MAD! Nothing is ickier than stray hairs on things you want to buy.  So in order to sell the scarf I was wearing, it definitely helped to be well groomed and not be overly scented (good or otherwise)!

I'm headed out to Vancouver to hang with Leslie and work on our fall strategy towards the middle of the month, definitely be sure to come back and check out our progress and great tips to make your sale more successful too!

What have you found works for you when designing your booth? What ideas have flopped? Share with us in the comments! 

Crochet Health Benefits

I've always been one to distract myself.  Tyler laughs at me.  When life gets too stressful, I play meaningless iPhone games.  

Oh, and I also crochet.  I've been crocheting almost daily since the day my Dad passed away.  It's been a way for me to channel my grief (and maybe something deeper-I can't really put my finger on it). In fact, the night (morning) he passed away, I stayed up late working on an ear warmer. The one I'm wearing in that picture  I sometimes feel like this was one of the last pictures of me with a real smile. After Dad passed, my smile is dimmed.  At least, I feel like it is.

I saw this great article with a link to a Crochet Health Survey (which I took).  I believe in the power of art to heal.  Music.  Dance. Fine Art.  Crafts.  These are tools we can use to heal both physical and mental pain.  I've seen it in my Gramma, who suffered a brain aneurysm several years ago and can still crochet, knit, write and remember all her grand kids names!!!  And crochet has helped me channel, distract, and heal.  And it still does.  I often feel that if I stop crocheting I'll loose my Dad forever.  It connects me to his last day and that's really important to me.  

Do you know anyone who crochets or knits for mental health?  Share this survey with them, or just share it with friends.

Who Am I? Why Am I Doing This? Do I Even Want To Do This?

I don't like blogging.  I shouldn't say that.  I don't like blogging when I feel like I'm not connecting to anyone.  I don't like doing things that don't impact others.  That's something I've always loved to do.  I have always had a desire to make an impact.  Something.  Whether it was in a dance performance on stage, whether I'm teaching a student, writing a birthday card, or cooking a meal, I want you (yes you!) to walk away with more.

So when I started West Coast Leslie Designs, I just knew I wanted to make things.  I wanted to make things that other people liked as much as I did.  I loved the feeling of wrapping up in a big cozy scarf, that encircled me and made me feel warm, safe, happy, and felt like home.  (ah that concept of "home"!  It's maybe the best thing ever-to feel at home).  So I started making scarves, and selling a few scarves; to an Aunty, to a former student's parent.  Then I thought, well I could really do this. So I made more.  I applied to 1 (ONE!) craft fair, I got in, I started my Facebook page (it was slow-it's still slow), someone saw it and asked to sell my stuff in their store.  At the same time a really good friend of mine started a VERY similar business to mine (albeit in a TOTALLY different geographical area, but an area I still had strong ties to), and she started a Facebook page and she starting selling her items.  WHOA! Talk about a major self esteem blow.  When I looked at what she was doing all I could think was "she has a better name than I do, a better logo, better merchandise, better prices", and it seemed (to me) that she was WAY more successful than I was. 

All the while I kept making and feeling the pressure to be "legit".  A pressure I put on myself, a pressure that was being fed by comparing myself.  I felt like I couldn't make an impact unless I seemed credible.  People wouldn't accept me and my brand if I didn't have a business card.  People wouldn't purchase from me if I did have a website; an online store.  

So I rushed. I'll spare you the gory details (e.g. buying things, then having to call the web company to ask for a refund as I was NEVER going to learn how to use WordPress). I jumped in-DIVED in really (that's how I roll-no time to think, I have an iDEA! LOL) And now I feel the need to step back. Do I love the name West Coast Leslie Designs? (well that Leslie part is kinda cool, but it sure is LOOOOOOONG, especially if I hand write all my tags) Does a vintage looking silhouette represent my brand?  What the hell is my brand?  How do I find out what my brand is without shelling out thousands of dollars to people who claim to know all about online marketing and strategy (ps if you've spent any decent amount of time working in retail, you already know A LOT of it!)  I love coral as a colour, but does it have the long term appeal I'm looking for.  Will this font last the test of time, or am I going to have to re-brand myself in 2-3 years?  It's daunting and scary, and I look at people on the web I admire and feel bad about myself because (I feel) I'm not making the impact that they are.  I read the copy (that I wrote) on my website and think "Who wrote this? This feels fake-that's not how I talk. I think some of these things, but not all of them." I look at my website and wonder if it represents who I am, what I want for others, and what I can offer you! 

I think for many of us (online, blogger types, crafty types) we look for how we can make a difference.  We want to make a difference.  Our souls crave to make a difference, even if just in a couple of people.  And that's what I'm going to try to do.  So don't mind me, the gal in the corner over thinking EVERYTHING but also trying to go with her gut, with her intuition.  Being genuine about myself and what I do.  

Yarn It All!

Life has been a little crazy over here, but I wanted to fill you in on a great series happening over at Bugaboo, Mini, Mr & me, aka Kim.  She's got an amazing yarn series gong on right now called Yarn It All, chock full of great yarn projects, including yours truly!  Head on over to Kim's blog to check out what I'm sharing today!

And be sure to check out all the great 

projects happening over there in the next few weeks!