Card Industry News

For years I didn’t often attend the GCA AGM. Life was always so busy with the business and one thing or another that I just didn’t prioritise it. I made excuses to myself that it was too far to travel or that the speakers didn’t seem that relevant to me. In the early days I might also have felt like an outsider that didn't know anyone.

These days I don’t like to miss the GCA AGM and I’ve been thinking a lot about why this is. Last month’s was an especially good one and so I wanted to share some of my thoughts on what makes the annual meeting so special and why you might like to consider attending next year. It’s not just for card publishers, so if you’re a retailer or supplier you may also benefit from reading further.

1. The Venues

One of the things I like most about the GCA AGM is the wonderful locations Sharon Little (GCA CEO) discovers for us to all meet in. They are always an adventure in themselves. Recent venues have included the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Design Museum, the Ironmonger’s Hall and the National Space Centre. The 2016 venue was the magnificent Royal Horseguards in London. It’s an incredible Grade I listed building modelled on a French Chateau and steeped in history and opulence.

2. The Speakers

If you really want to get to the heart of what we are as an industry, whether you are a retailer, a publisher or supplier the speakers bring it all. I love hearing from leading retailers like Timothy Melgund (Paperchase), John Procter (Scribbler) and James Daunt (Waterstones). Publishers like Andrew Brownsword (Forever Friends) and others who’ve spoken are so inspiring to all of us. I’m always hugely grateful that they have made the time to share their stories, thoughts and experience with us.

3. The Passion

The passion in our unique industry is infectious. Hearing Dominique Schurman (Papyrus and Clintons) last year and more recently Giles Andreae (Purple Ronnie, Edward Monkton) really get to the essence of what we do in our business was really moving. Our industry is all about emotional connection. Cards are used to help people to feel more loved, more cared for, nurtured and supported in the world. It is a privilege to be a part of this and you can feel it in the air at the GCA AGM.

4. The Community

What other industry has such well attended break out groups in the afternoon where experienced publishers share advice on key subject areas like sales and marketing, product development, brokerage and business development? These are businesses helping competitors within their industry, both large and small. It really warmed my heart seeing these groups contributing to one another after lunch this year. They were all buzzing.

5. Contribution

Just by attending you are supporting and nurturing the industry. It’s also so important that our industry leaders attend this event, speak and share their stories and vision. If greeting cards are to survive and thrive it is essential that we nurture and support new generations coming through. It’s not just about the speakers though. It was so good to see retailers like Scribbler, Moonpig and Paperchase amongst the audience. Our association is for our whole industry and it’s vital we all work together to grow it successfully.

6. The People

Then I first attended I didn’t know people. It’s such a welcoming industry that it’s impossible not to meet one or two new people at the event. I’ve been fortunate enough to have made some lovely friends in this wonderful industry of ours; customers, suppliers and fellow publishers. It’s so nice to catch up with many of them at the AGM and hear how they are getting on. With my exploration into social media I have been using Facebook more and more for connecting with friends in business. It’s a great way of learning a little bit more about one another and for growing relationships.

7. Networking

It’s a word that puts the fear of God into some people and I’ve had an on/off relationship with the idea of it over the years. The truth is networks are important to all of us. The broader and more wide ranging, the more opportunities come to you. Studies have shown that it’s often the weaker links that are most valuable and bring us more opportunities. Although networking tends to be more suited to extroverts, I’d encourage everyone to talk to strangers at these events. You never know where it could lead and what opportunities may arise from a few words with someone new.

8. Opportunities

This year’s GCA AGM highlighted several business opportunities for Blue Eyed Sun as I am sure it will have done for others who attended. For some it might be a conversation wth a new supplier, a buyer, an agent or a broker. For others it might be hearing the CEO of Waterstones observe that the proportion of greeting card sales is lower in Waterstones than in his independent group of stores, signalling a focus on growing greeting card sales going forward. I’m looking forward to following our own opportunities up and am sure that the business generated will have been more than worth the time spent attending the event.

9. Content

Visiting the GCA AGM also gives me a great chance to discover and share some great greeting card focussed content on my blog and social media channels. My followers on Twitter love to keep up to date with what’s going on in our industry and I get likes, retweets and shares of my photos and posts from the event as well some insightful info from the speakers, which I can use on my blog.

10. Video

Recently I have helped the GCA out by videoing the keynote speakers at last year’s AGM and other events. If you missed any of them before I’d encourage you to visit www.youtube.com/GCAClips to watch them online. There are some fascinating insights from key industry figures. My preference is seeing the talks live and being able to ask the speakers questions or chat to them afterwards. If you can’t fit it in for some reason, the GCA YouTube channel is a great backup plan.

11. Golden Nuggets

Sometimes it’s one small nugget of information or a passing comment that shifts your thinking on something. This year I found it incredibly useful to hear how Nigel Willcock from Paper Rose analysed the cost of a sales agent visit to a shop versus a sales rep visit. Hearing how much this costs a company on average has shifted my perspective on field sales and the way I think about them going forward.

12. Face to Face

There is nothing like face to face meetings to grow your presence in a marketplace. If you want to be known within the industry the GCA AGM is a must. So many of the key players within our business attend and grow their relationships and businesses from there as  result.

13. Bellwether

The AGM is also a great opportunity to get a sense of where our industry is at and what to look out for on the horizon. You can see highlights from the GCA market report which is available to buy from £500 from the GCA (it’s free for members). I find it useful just to hear first hand from other companies as to how their businesses are doing and how they perceive the current economic climate.

14. Attendance is growing

What’s most exciting about the GCA AGM is that attendance is growing. More and more members are getting involved and engaging with our industry to improve it. This is great for all of us and exciting to be a part of.

Blue Eyed Sun has been a member of the Greeting Card Association since 2003. Our membership has been invaluable to us over the years, not least for the support and help from CEO Sharon Little.

What I love most about our membership, besides the great deals and benefits on offer, are the events. Moments in time where we stop working in our business and work on our business. Meetups where we look at the bigger picture and think carefully about the meaning of what we are doing. Places where we can carefully consider opportunities and threats to the card industry. Events where we can grow and learn. The GCA AGM has all of this and more. I hope to see you at the next AGM. Click here to book your place.

Learn about GCA Initiatives like Festive Friday

What is Thinking of You Week?

Find out more about the Ladder Club for new greeting card publishers

Watch Giles Andreae's great talk from the GCA AGM 2016 below:

The Ladder Club 2016 was one of the best I have attended in thirteen years of speaking at the event. This year's seminars for new and aspiring publishers were held at the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend-on-Sea and featured a host of greeting card experts to help those starting out or seeking to grow their greeting card businesses.

Founded by Lynn Tait and now organised by Jakki Brown, editor of Progressive Greetings Magazine the Ladder Club has been an incredible support for so many artists, creatives and newbies for the last 17 years helping them to save time, money and heartache. If you are new to the card industry and have never attended, I would highly recommend doing so.

Here are some photos and a summary of the two days at the Ladder Club 2016:

If you ever attend the event it's worth staying over the night before and attending the delegates dinner at the Westcliff Hotel. Speakers are seated amongst delegates on every table. It's a great opportunity to network and pick up some informal tips from the experts.

Day 1 at the Ladder Club 2016 was for absolute beginners and those considering setting up a greeting card business. The day started at 9am sharp with an introduction from Lynn and  Jakki. After the speakers were introduced, Sharon Little the Chief Executive of the Greeting Card Association said a few words about the GCA and why it's worth being a member.

Karen Wilson and Claire Williams then gave a wonderful news reader style presentation of the highs and lows of their company Paper Salad. Then Jeremy Corner of Blue Eyed Sun (that's me) spoke on how to wear different hats within your greeting card business and the different ways of thinking needed to run a successful greeting card company.

After a short break, Julie Brightley from Enveco talked us through the nitty gritty of envelopes. Mark Jessett from GF Smith gave an amusing talk on how to choose the right boards for printing your cards on. Bob Short from The Imaging Centre took us through printing digitally. His son Adam demonstrated their fantastic new online ordering and marketing system called Simplicity. Simon King from Sherwood Press spoke on litho printing. Sharon returned to wrap up the morning's session telling us what to include on the back of our greeting cards.

After lunch we learned about PG Live from co-founder Warren Lomax and Tracey Arnaud who runs the a section of the show called Springboard for new publishers. Jim Bullough then took us through the practical aspects of exhibiting at trade shows. I wrapped the section up with a short talk on how to evaluate the success of trade shows.

Midlands sales agent, Ian Bradley, showed us the inside a sales agent's brain. Miles Robinson from House of Cards shared the independent retailer's perspective. Finally, Ben Hickman and Mark Williams from Brainbox Candy talked about standing out from the crowd with effective marketing.

Day 2 at the Ladder Club 2016 was for those who have already exhibited at a trade show or are turning over several thousand pounds. Day 2 is more about climbing the ladder once you are on it.

The day was filled with some fantastic talks from Ladder Club alumni. Jack and Hannah Dale of Wrendale Designs who have grown their business from £0 to £2.5 million in four years shared their story and insights. Tish Bas and Hazel Williams from Paperchase gave a large multiple retailer's perspective and answered loads of questions from an inquisitive audience. Jessica Hogarth spoke brilliantly on licensing and copying issues.

I shared my experience of export, cash flow and financial growing pains. Mark Coulson from Coulson Macleod discussed warehousing and fulfilment options. Gale Astley, Warren Lomax and Jakki Brown spoke on PR and how to generate sales and leads through PG magazine. The day ended with a panel Q&A session with the speakers and an interesting discussion on price increases that are expected in 2017.

The Ladder Club 2016 was a fantastic example of the wonderful and supportive nature of the greeting card industry. I loved speaking at it and am so grateful to Lynn and Jakki for starting it. It has helped so many publishers and creatives over the years. If you are thinking about setting up a greeting card business don't miss it next year.

10 Top Climbers from the Ladder Club

10 Ladder Cub Alumni on their way up

Just what is the point of trade associations? I’ve been asking myself this question a lot of late, having just become the new Vice-Chairman of the Giftware Association (GA) as well as being Treasurer for the Greeting Card Association (GCA). Since getting more closely involved with these two trade groups over the last few years and helping to improve their offering and membership numbers it’s really got me thinking hard about what makes joining them a must rather than just a should.

Blue Eyed Sun has been a member of the GCA, the GA and the FSB (Federation of Small Businesses) for over a decade now. We’ve also been approached by a number of others over the years including local enterprise groups and other specialist trade bodies like ACID. It’s quite easy to see the direct debits siphoning off your hard earned cash each year and wonder whether it’s all worth it. So what are the benefits of joining?

Financial Benefits

As supplier members, there are key financial benefits that each offer. In Blue Eyed Sun’s case we enjoy 5% off our stands at the Spring Fair and Autumn Fair trade shows through the GA and 10% off our stand at PG Live through the GCA.

We also get discounted rates from key suppliers through both organisations. Both leverage the numbers of their memberships to negotiate member deals with website designers, courier companies, insurers, credit controllers and credit checkers.

GA retailer members benefit from member to member trade show discounts, discounted hotel costs, cheaper Retail Week subscriptions, retail advice and legal insurance protection.

Each trade association also has free half hour calls to top legal experts dealing with key industry issues like brand protection, sales agents and copyright law.

Protection

The GA has a scheme set up called Copywatch which helps companies register and protect their designs as well as warding off plagiarists with their Copywatch logo on brochures and websites. They also have a credit discussion group to identify and help deal with customers who are slow to pay or in danger of defaulting.

The GCA has a really useful Range Name Register which Blue Eyed Sun checks every time we release a new range so that we don’t inadvertently market products with the same range name as another publisher. With so many companies and ranges out there this is easily done even after the usual Google and the IPO Trade Mark Register checks.

Marketing

Members of both the GCA and the GA have profile listings on their websites, which makes it easier for customers and suppliers to find them and help grow their businesses. More customers means more sales and better suppliers can mean cost savings and improved service for your customers. These listings also have strong SEO (search engine optimisation) benefits and are a good opportunity to show off what you do. The GA also offers competitive advertising opportunities on their website for those looking to enhance their industry profile.

GCA Associate members who supply publishers and retailers get listings in the supplier directory on the GCA site, free access to the GCA market report (worth £500) and exclusive access to members at GCA events and online.

Both organisations offer the opportunity to be featured in their newsletters or magazines. Progressive Greetings, the official journal of the GCA, has a section called Innovations which offers free editorial to members and newcomers to the card industry. The GA have an email newsletter called Giftwrap which goes out regularly to a large database of retailers and suppliers and is always looking to feature stories on it’s members. They also have a free weekly email called GA Reflect which includes relevant industry news.

Credibility

The GA and the GCA logos add credibility to your business. You can use them on our website, email signatures, letterheads, at your premises and in your brochure. We have their logos on our trade show stands as they add another level of reassurance to customers that we are a credible well established business with strong links to our industry community.

Events

Both associations put on regular events like seminars and networking gatherings. The GCA has some fantastic seminars on subjects like improving sales with sales agents and distributors. Recently they’ve also been adding video footage of their events to their website so you can see their latest seminar on licensing and distribution on their YouTube channel. These events give members a chance to keep up to date with legislative changes and ask questions from more experienced members.

Similarly the GA have had some excellent Business Boost days to help members drive sales and cut costs. They also organise Meet the Buyers days with retailers like John Lewis where suppliers get face time and invaluable feedback with leading retailers who in turn get to discover exciting new products for their stores.

Both trade associations have inspiring AGM / Members’ Day events that are well worth adding to your diary and attending. This recent GA Members day included keynotes specialising in customer service, branding and network thinking as well as informative talks on auto-enrolment pension changes, resale price maintenance compliance and HR recruitment.

Last year’s GCA AGM featured brilliant keynotes from the experienced card retailer Dominique Schurman (CEO of Clintons), rising publishing star Hannah Wrendale and inspirational comedian Sanderson Jones (founder of Sunday Assembley). If you missed them you can catch up on the GCA YouTube channel.

This year’s GCA AGM is on the Tuesday 8th November at the Royal Horseguards in London and promises another fantastic lineup.

No Trade Associations?

All of these benefits and more for both retailers and suppliers deal with the “what’s in it for me?” question most non-members ask before joining. Understandably, prospective members want to know the immediate return they get for their money.

There is a more important consideration though: What would we do if they didn’t exist?

For example, how would we respond to industry threats? Who would lobby government on our behalf to protect our interests when legislation changes or needs changing? Who would support new companies into our card and gift industries to keep our industry fresh and vibrant? Who would help us when we find ourselves in difficulty? Who would mediate and offer opportunities for competitors to come together and protect their industries? As busy business owners or companies, these are not tasks you or I might be able take on on our own and yet they are absolutely vital to all our livelihoods. It’s easy to forget that the real purpose of these organisations that is to make us stronger together as a group.

Both Chief Executives of the GCA  (Sharon Little) and the GA (Sarah Ward) have a wealth of experience, industry knowledge and a network of contacts that can help almost any member in a business situation they are having difficulty with. I find having these two experts on the end of the phone an invaluable benefit of our membership.

Community

When you sit on the committees at these organisations you join a group of passionate business men and women who see beyond their own businesses and recognise the importance of the bigger picture. It’s a great way of connecting with influencers and thought leaders and I have grown so much from spending time with such wonderfully inspiring industry peers. The organisations thrive on these hubs of passion and dedication to our industries. All are volunteers and most don’t even claim expenses for travel or their time attending multiple meetings in London and Birmingham each year.

Beyond the committees, the membership of these associations is a thriving community of businesses and entrepreneurs who all want the best for their industry’s future. After the recent EU referendum we are all aware of how important being a member of a group can be.

Those who set up the GA, the GCA and other trade bodies decades before us recognised the importance of contributing a small share to provide a focus for the well being of the industries in which they trade and we must continue to do the same.

Even if the benefits I’ve listed above are of little or no use to you, contributing to our community is something worth paying for. This is what makes membership a must rather than a should.

Join the Giftware Association

Join the Greeting Card Association

Are Trade Shows still worth it?

On Thursday 23rd June 2016 Britain’s electorate will vote in the EU referendum to decide whether or not we should remain in the European Union. The Union has long held a fascination for me, ever since I designed and patented an EU board game at school. At university I spent an exchange year in Amsterdam thanks to the ERASMUS scheme and, currently, Blue Eyed Sun is selling more and more greeting cards in Europe.

A common complaint amongst business owners is that we don’t have enough information about the EU Referendum (aka Brexit) to make an informed decision. If you think about it, we can never have enough information. The data for any given situation is infinite. So, despite our best efforts, we could end up making a snap judgment based on emotions like fear (of the unknown or of missing out) or anger (at the idea of losing control or at being taken advantage of). If it works out alright we will forget the external variables that affected this and pat ourselves on the back even though it has very little to do with our conscious intent or control.

Despite this seemingly frivolous outlook on how we make decisions, I’ve been brushing up on my history and weighing up the pros and cons of Britain’s EU membership to try and rationalise my thoughts. Here’s what I’ve learned:

A Brief History

The European Union is an economic and political partnership involving 28 European countries. Created post WWII, the thinking was that countries that foster economic cooperation together are less likely to go to war. After the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, the EU created its own currency (The Euro), which is used by 19 members. The EU has a parliament to which member governments assign representatives. It sets rules on things like the environment, transport, consumer rights and human rights. The single market facilitates free movement of goods, services, capital and workers.

Despite Churchill’s supporting of the idea of the EU, Britain initially stood on the sidelines at the signing of the Treaty of Rome in 1957 held back by commitments to the commonwealth and the ‘special relationship’ with the US. Britain was one of few European economies that grew during the war. At the time, GDP per capita in the UK was significantly larger that the average six founding members of the EU; however by 1973 it had plummeted to 10% below average.

After being twice rejected in the sixties (French President, Charles de Gaulle, was unconvinced of Britain’s commitment), Britain joined the EU in 1973 under Ted Heath’s Conservative government, desperate to prevent further relative economic decline. Harold Wilson’s Labour government held a referendum in 1975 when 67% voted to stay in the EU. After joining the EU our GDP per capita has been comparatively stable ever since.

Should we remain, David Cameron has negotiated terms that mean that Britain will not join the Euro, migrant welfare payments will be cut, the City of London will be protected, British cash spent on bailing out Eurozone nations will be reimbursed and a ‘red card’ system will be implemented to prevent the EU imposing unwanted legislation.

The Debate

Whilst a lot of detail will be affected by the outcome of the referendum, broadly speaking the debate centres around two main areas, our sovereignty and financial implications.

Sovereignty

The right to control our own destiny is one of the lynchpins of the leave campaign. In my opinion, this control is somewhat of an illusion, as is the notion of a separate Great Britain. If you think about it, we are already European. There is no ‘us’ and ‘them’.

St George, our patron saint, was a Roman soldier born in Cappadocia, Turkey. English is Latin based and we were essentially under the moral authority of the Pope for centuries until the Reformation. Previously, Britain has been controlled by the Saxons (Germany/Denmark/Holland), the Normans (France/Scandinavia), the Vikings (Denmark/Norway/Sweden) and the Romans (Italy). For centuries French was the language of our Royal Court, diplomacy and the law. Several Royals have been German (Namely Hannover and Windsor - previously Saxe-Coburg). Immigration and the flow of people and ideas has always been an integral part of what Britain is.

The flow goes both ways. Over a million Britons live in other EU countries and millions more visit each year. EU citizens can live and work were they like within the EU. Those voting to stay say that there is no guarantee that expats would be able to stay abroad after Brexit. The opposition say that International law protects expats from being forced to return.

The issue of sovereignty is essentially about control. Leavers say that most UK laws are made in Brussels, whilst those that wish to remain say that only a minority of UK law derives directly from the EU; plus Britain retains a veto in many important areas. In any case, some sharing of sovereignty is crucial to enable fair trade across Europe.

Britain is already a member of, and influenced by, a variety of external bodies including the International Monetary Fund, World Health Organisation, United Nations, NATO and G8. The toxic Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), banks and corporations arguably all have more powerful control over our lives than the EU.

Financial

About half of the UK’s trade is conducted in the EU. As members, trade negotiations with other parts of the world are conducted by the EU not individual states. Being part of the EU gives the group more negotiating power on a global scale. US President Barack Obama said as much in a recent interview.

Those wanting to leave say that the EU bureaucracy costs Britain too much. For example, last year my friend Gemma Price at Superfood Market had to spend over £40,000 on new labelling to comply with EU changes. At a recent Sage EU Debate I attended, MP Anna Soubry asked the 100 business people there if their business had been affected by EU red tape and not one raised their hand. Certainly we are unaffected by this bureaucracy in the greeting card business.

Those who believe we should leave the EU say that £billions of pounds would become available for other priorities. It is hard to know the true cost of leaving though. Some estimate this could also be in the £billions.

Those wishing to remain feel that we save money being in the EU because prices are lower as a result. Flights and mobile phone charges, for example, are cheaper. They say the benefits easily outweigh the costs and that we might even have to pay to access the EU market if we left.

Leavers say that trade would continue because we import more than we export from Europe. They cite non-member, Norway, as an example of how trade deals would work outside of membership. On the Remain side, it’s felt that leaving would cause an economic shock and slow our growth. We are more dependent on the EU than they are on us and we would still have to comply with EU rules when selling into the single market – my friend Gemma would still need the right labels if she wished to sell into the EU.

The Leavers are concerned that unemployment is over 10% in the EU (almost double that of the UK) and worry that more people will flow into the UK putting financial strain on our healthcare and welfare systems. The UK currently gets £66 million for investment every day from the EU. Three million UK jobs are said to be linked to the EU.

The Card Industry

Blue Eyed Sun trades in Europe with EU members and without. Having less paperwork and less currencies to exchange saves us money. One of our best BES team members is from Spain and we’d hate to lose her. To be honest though, I’m sure we would cope whatever the outcome of the vote. It would be a problem if leaving badly affected our relations with our European neighbours.

The diaspora of Brits abroad probably has a more important effect on the European greeting card market than we can quantify. For example, last year Blue Eyed Sun sold over 50,000 cards in Greece and I believe this is largely due to British influence. With more Brits abroad, more countries are adopting our practices. Would this diminish if we left the EU and had less flow of people between Europe and the UK? Whatever we decide, the EU Referendum is one of the biggest decisions our country has had two make in many years.

Personally, I like being part of the EU. It protects our Human Rights. We have cleaner water and air and lower greenhouse emissions. The EU protects consumers and regulates on trading standards. We currently have a seat at the table with influence instead of being on the outside. I also like that the EU aims to stimulate competition and trade, increase efficiency, raise quality and cut prices. This makes good business sense to me.

Register to watch the live #SageDebateEU Monday 13th June at 13:00 GMT

Click here for the Government's Referendum website

All you need to know about Brexit from the BBC

I recently took a call from an upset retailer who had discovered that a competitor right next door stocking our cards and displaying them in their window in the same way as they did. Our retailer had only started stocking Blue Eyed Sun last year and within a short space of time our cards were making up over £10,000 of their sales at retail in a small town with a population of 18,000 people. This was a significant portion of their turnover and profits. Without exclusivity, our customer felt that their business was under threat from the competition and went so far as to say that they felt that they would be forced out of business if they didn’t stock our cards.

I totally felt for the customer and was shocked to hear of the clash as we actively go out of our way to try and prevent these types of incidents occurring. We don’t guarantee exclusivity, although where possible we try to protect the interests of our independents and meet their needs as best as we can. For years I've wanted to have a simple system for managing clashes. I’ve learned that it's almost impossible to have a black-and-white rule about this, so we deal with each on a case-by-case basis. Our processes have been further complicated by the rise of brokerage, especially among independent gift and card shops.

Brokerage is a system whereby a single large publisher plans and manages the card pockets in a shop; often on behalf of several publishers for the retailer. Traditionally implemented by the large multiples, smaller independent stores have been using it to reduce staff costs and simplify systems. These upsides tend to be offset by the lack of flexibility of ordering and reduced pocket numbers of successful smaller niche publishers like ourselves.

Brokerage works well for companies like us when selling to larger stores or into small independent stores that sales agents don't frequent. It can cause problems when a good current independent customer switches to brokerage and no longer requires our sales agent’s services. In these situations we can often see sales dip by as much as 80% due to the restricted number of pockets we may get through the broker. The situation is less than ideal for us and our sales agents. The alternative of losing all sales from the store by not taking part in the brokerage scheme is even worse.

Because we have excellent relationships with our brokerage providers we are able to say yes or no to any opportunities that are offered to us. In this particular instance the competitor’s shop had slipped through our usual safety net of checking for clashes. At first glance the problem appeared to have a simple remedy: we notified broker and said that we can no longer supply the competitor’s shop.

However, the competitor stocked certain Blue Eyed Sun card designs that were not included in the brokerage plan. Furthermore, we ourselves had not sold these extra cards to the competitor. We know exactly what cards of ours brokers put into the stores and we have records of what we sell into any shop. We discovered that the competitor has a relative that also uses the same brokers for their shop in a different town.

This makes the situation even more complicated. The relative’s store is our main shop in that location and we have been selling to them for longer than our upset customer. What do we do? Do we turn down both competitor shops to appease our unhappy customer? Do we say sorry to our customer and keep selling to the relative, albeit with less margin through brokerage?

There isn’t an easy solution. I’ve always valued loyalty so the longest serving customer usually wins. Equally I don’t like upsetting customers so I can’t always find a win-win solution. What’s the right business case for this? Chase the biggest revenue or look after the loyal, long standing customer? For me personally it’s not always about the money. My loyalty has probably cost me many thousands of pounds over the years by being sticking with certain customers, agents and suppliers when a more ruthless businessman would have moved on long before. Not to say we never have though.

When we were starting out we had a tiny gift shop in South West London approach us wanting to stock our cards exclusively and not to sell to anyone in their area. The retailer didn’t order more than £300 worth of cards a year and frankly that was no model for us to sustain our growing business. We had to turn her down in the end. As we did a small boutique shop in Brighton that wanted the same deal and for the cards to be sold in consignment, which meant that we were only paid when our products were sold to consumers from the shop.

Some businesses are built on the consignment model and they have done very well. It’s not one that would work for direct to retail publishers like us though. Card publishing is to a large extent a volume game and so just selling to tiny, boutique shops who only want exclusivity is probably best left to small, one-person local handmade publishers. The trouble with this approach is that those retailers are then buying from inexperienced publishers who may not know how to produce best selling cards. Stocking your shop with cards that look different but don’t sell is a different problem.

I’ve spoken to many competitors about exclusivity over the years and have had a mixture of responses. One publisher actually felt that dealing with larger retailers had brought more independents to them as they thought that their cards must sell well if they are in the multiples. Interestingly it’s never the multiples (large or small) that have an issue with exclusivity. One retailer friend of mine who owns several shops doesn’t care if cards he sells are in shops nearby. All he focuses on is how well product sells in his shop.

I’m a big fan of watching the numbers in business as they don’t always match one’s gut instinct. The numbers don’t deceive like your feelings can. If you think sales are likely to be damaged because a publisher you stock is also in a shop nearby then it’s important to watch the sales to see if it’s really true. It’s easy to get emotionally invested in a range that you’ve trawled the miles of aisles of Spring Fair to find. It’s also easy to assume that because they appear in your neighbour’s shop that they must have copied your hard work when sourcing the same suppliers. Our brains can deceive us in this regard as we fall prey to cognitive bias which might, in truth, just be coincidence.

The main reason that exclusivity is so important to retailers is not necessarily one of greed and wanting to have a monopoly on certain publishers in their town, it’s because differentiation from competitors is so important to business success. Not only are cards good bread and butter sales that keep shops going in quieter months, they are also strong visual products that are used to create a ‘look’ in retail stores. The way shops look and therefore feel is key to consumer experience in shops. If a retailer has spent a lot of time and effort creating that look with their stock selection it can be frustrating for them to see the same thing across the road.

Fortunately there are lots of great suppliers out there and one can still keep best sellers in stock whilst differentiating your shop window and interior with unique, well thought out displays that are regularly changed. We have similar issues on the publishing side with similar ranges to ours appearing in the marketplace. The trick is to keep moving forward, trying new things and regularly bringing out fresh new products. Although it’s hard work, if you are one step ahead then the competition are always one step behind.

Why customer complaints are good for business

Using the 5 love languages in your retail business

Eight ways to deal with failure

After ten years of working away in our old premises in Hove, which served us remarkably well for the amount of space, Blue Eyed Sun have expanded into new premises at 56 Victoria Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9LR.

Whilst we would love to have stayed in Brighton, warehouse premises there are in short supply that is reducing further as a result of changes in legislation that allow commercial property to redeveloped into residential accommodation.

The move gives us more space and nicer premises from which to work. Many of the team now have their own offices. It's lovely and bright too as we've upgraded the lighting to LED which is also more environmentally friendly.

This amazing new space will allow us to grow our product offering and to improve our stock control both of should help to keep our customers happy and hopefully mean continued growth.

It's been a big project prepping the building to suit our needs and to manage the move during our busiest time of year. We've managed it though and look forward to continued success from this fantastic property for years to come.

if you are a customer or supplier please remember to update our details on your accounts and CRM systems.

Read more about our new beginnings for 2016

See our latest new ranges here

All the essential info you need for Spring Fair 2016

The New Year is always a good time for new beginnings. Even though technically a new year starts every day there’s something about the 1st January and the new year date that seems to energise in a different way to most other days. Perhaps the celebrations the night before focus us on turning over a new leaf or it might simply be the fact that we are heading out of the darkest days of Winter into Spring and it literally is a new period of growth.

New Place

At Blue Eyed Sun, we’ve marked the change with a move into newly acquired premises which makes it extra special. After nearly ten years of toiling away in our old industrial units in Brighton we have a lovely new factory up the road in Burgess Hill. It’s a great space that we’ve refurbished and I’m sure our team will be very happy there. They’ve been involved in planning the design and look of the interiors. There’s more light and better facilities for them going forward. The units also give us more room to grow, which is exciting. We ran out of space two years ago and although it’s kept us efficient I do think it’s held us back a little.

Out with the Old

In preparation for the move, we have been doing a lot of clearing, sorting and so on. It’s my least favourite job in the whole world. I get side tracked with the detail of it and then despondent that I can’t get through it all fast enough. I kept discovering interesting old bits of paperwork. Like our very first order, our original brochure and a load of rejection letters from top retailers that now stock us. The letters were a good reminder that persistence is one of the things that has really kept us growing all these years.

Despite the distractions I got most of it done and I’ve photographed or scanned the paperwork I want to keep and recycled the rest. My goal for 2016 is to get digital on most of our paperwork and do the full shift over to the cloud. Paperwork takes up space and most of it I only ever look at it when I’m try to clear out the office!

In with the New

Essentially the cloud is online storage for your data files. With tools like dropbox, it’s been around a while now and you can expect to see more big growth of it in the coming year or two. We have a cheap and simple NAS (Network Attached Storage) device that acts like a server which we then back up to Amazon’s servers. Yes. Amazon own that space too! It’s like having a Big Yellow storage facility on the internet for your digital stuff.

The advantages are that you can access receipts and paperwork from anywhere in the world by logging into your cloud storage to find it. A lot of software has been moving into the cloud too, so you can do things like look up your accounts on a range of different devices. This blog post for instance was in the cloud whilst I wrote it on my iMac at home, edited on my phone in bed and uploaded it from my iPad to the blog in the morning. Being able to work from anywhere has really freed up my time.

New Ranges

The most exciting part about having more space is that we can launch lots of lovely new designs because we now have room for the stock. Blue Eyed Sun has had a remarkable run over the last few years. Our market leading stitched ranges like Vintage, Gorgeous and Picnic Time have been massive hits for us. We feel like we have so much more we can do. We love coming up with new ideas and techniques and are really looking forward to showing our customers what’s new at Top Drawer Spring and Spring Fair this year. Even though we’ve been really busy, with getting the new building ready and the big move, Jo has managed to produce over 150 new designs across 5 new ranges.

“What’s new?“ has to be the most common question retailers ask publishers at trade shows. The trick is to have new of best sellers and to try some radically new ideas too (ideally ones that are on trend). Trends have been getting harder to predict of late and now move quickly because of the internet. As all designers are watching the same trend forecasts, staying fresh, original and on trend is a constant challenge for any design-led publisher.

In addition to new product we’ve also been looking to improve our displays.

New Stands

For years we’ve prepped expensive Foamex boards to display our greeting cards at shows, only to find their corners bashed after they fell of the wall overnight after the velcro used to attach them failed. It’s rare for customers to mention the damaged boards and I’ve always consoled myself by saying it’s the card designs that really matter. We all like to do our best though don’t we? I imagine it’s the same for retailers. If your display and point of sale looks good it gives off a different feeling and experience for the shopper who is looking at the lovely cards they stock. It enhances it. Our stands have never looked terrible, but I’ve never been thrilled with them either. I’m looking forward to showing off our new cards on our new, custom made trade show displays for the new year.

New Friends

2015 was an incredible year for me personally as I was invited to attend some amazing events at 10 Downing Street, New Orleans and the Rugby World Cup. I’ve made some wonderful new friendships with all sorts of interesting people from around the world. Social Media has been a big part of all of this for me and it has led me to me changing how I operate online in 2016.

I’ve decided to make a commitment to more connections on social media. Instead of just interacting with friends that I already know on Facebook, for instance, I’m opening up to more friendships from the card industry and beyond in an effort to engage more widely with others. I have been experimenting with all sorts of new digital tools including Slack, Blab and Periscope. WhatsApp (and instant messaging in general) has been the most powerful of the lot for me so far in terms of new meaningful connections and I’m excited to see where they take me this year.

New Commitments

Contribution is really important to me and I’m proud to have been asked to be Vice-Chairman of the Giftware Association and take up my post in 2016. I’ve been working with the GA at committee level for five years. With new CEO, Sarah Ward, already doing a great job it’s going to be an exciting year for the GA. I’m particularly looking forward to working with incoming Chairman Henri Davis who has a wealth of knowledge and expertise in retail.

I’ve been a member of the GA and the GCA for many years now and, having worked closely with both at committee level, they do invaluable work. Our industry wouldn’t be the same without them. Even if you can’t find the time to serve on their committees do join and support them as a member. Whether you are a supplier or retailer, they are fantastic resources that we don’t want to be without. Remember it’s not just about what’s in it for you (although there are loads of benefits for members at each organisation), it’s about the wider community that you are a part of.

What’s New for You?

If you aren’t sure where to start with your goals for the new year. Try a slight shift towards something that you’d like to improve. Take small steps initially so that you can get momentum and progress. They say the one who moves mountains always starts by carrying away small stones first.

I hope that 2016 brings you lots of wonderful new adventures and personal development. Good luck with all of your new endeavours and goals.

18 ways retailers can maximise their January sales

Make better decisions using 6 thinking hats

8 ways to deal with failure

Last year was my tenth as a keynote speaker at the Ladder Club for new and growing greeting card publishers. With this year’s seminars coming up next month, I thought that it would be fun to take a look back at some of the fantastic publishers that have come through this wonderful event over the past decade.

10 TOP CLIMBERS

These Ladder Club companies have had great success in the card business over the years. They are often at trade shows and have a good presence in the marketplace. Our retail customers may have mentioned them as good sellers or it may be that I think what they do is particularly innovative or inspiring. They also regularly feature in the trade press and work hard at improving their businesses. You can click on the images to visit their websites.

Full Colour Black

Specialising in art cards with a funky, retro feel they have a large collection of Banksy images and cards. Their selection appeals to those with an off-the-wall sense of humour and is stocked in a range of stylish stationers, museum and art gallery stores. They’re proactive with their marketing and are often seen in trade magazines.

Green Pebble

Founded by Michael Charles and Ruby Ormerod, Green Pebble have come a long way in a short period of time since they attended the Ladder Club in 2010. Specialising in fine art greeting cards they have worked hard to expand their offering and cover their niche well. What I love about them is that they are not afraid to get on the road and sell. A rare thing amongst new publishers.

Lesser Spotted

Dominic Greyer’s unique place names project started as a side line and has now become his day job. He has travelled far and wide to capture funny road signs and place names with his outstanding photographic range. He’s done his fair share of trade shows since attending the seminar in 2007 and has successfully expanded his range to include mugs, coasters and cushions.

Megan Claire

Personalisation specialist, Megan Purdie has successfully translated her style into a popular selection of mainstream cards and now boasts an enviable stockist list including John Lewis, Harrods and Harvey Nichols. A regular finalist at there Henries, she does a lovely job with her trade show stands and is regularly featured in the trade press.

Mollie Mae

After six years of running her own card and gift shop, retailer Stacy Barthorpe partnered with graphic designer Jude Kennedy and launched their business in 2009. The company is named after a combination of their daughter’s names and their distinctive, commercially savvy, contemporary style has led them to being snapped up by many of the country’s leading sales agents. They have an excellent line of complimentary stationery and gift products and are often seen exhibiting at shows.

Pango Productions

Founded in 2004 by business partners, Cindy and David, Pango boast an enviable stockist list including Selfridges, Paperchase, Scribbler and Harrods as well as a great number of boutique shops around the world. Their innovative, colourful and cute designs are fun and bright and they have even expanded into toys with their Craftholic license from Japan. I was lucky enough to organise a design-led area called Fresh with them both at Spring Fair a few years ago and they were a joy to work with.

Paper Salad

Founded by experienced card designers, Claire and Karen, in 2005 after attending the Ladder Club, the company has a really fresh look and their children’s ranges are particularly strong. They’ve successfully expanded and are now distributed in 15 countries and are stocked in top multiples like Waitrose. They’ve won Henries awards and have had a profitable licensing partnership with Glick (amongst others) who create gift bags and wrap to compliment their cards. They now regularly speak at the Ladder Club themselves and have supported many other new publishers.

The London Studio

PR, design and social media whizz Soula Zavacopoulos has done a wonderful job creating distinctive, best selling, award winning ranges including the popular Wisdom of Kids. Often shortlisted at the Gift of the Year awards, Soula has now got together with Saffron Cards in a savvy licensing deal that will allow her to focus on design and grow her product offering with a very experienced and successful partner.

The Art Rooms

Jacky Al-Samarraie started her award winning company in 2007 whilst holding down a challenging full time job in social services. Today her cards and gifts are stocked in many of the world’s most famous galleries and retailers. Her original, eye catching style is often seen at trade shows on a range of gift products. What she has done with her business is very inspiring.

Wrendale Designs

In three years Hannah and Jack Dale have grown their start up to in excess of £2 million in annual sales through hard work and Hannah’s original take on the classic medium of watercolour. Hannah’s distinctive trade mark splatter effect has won her several Henries awards and a successful licensing deal with Portmerion. With ambitious expansion into the US on the cards too, Wrendale are one of the most impressive Ladder Club alumni to date.

It has been a privilege to be a part of the Ladder Club all these years and to help so many talented creatives and publishers (there were actually too many great businesses to include on my lists). It is so important that we all support new talent coming into the industry. They are the future of our business and they keep us fresh.

Discover 10 Ladder Club publishers on their way up

Attend the 2015 Ladder Club seminar for new card publishers in November

Read all of the Ladder Club related posts

We've been helping new greeting card publishers for over ten years at the Ladder Club founded by Lynn Tait and Jakki Brown. Below are some interesting new publishers that are successfully working their way up the industry ladder. Many have done well with Henries nominations, have been featured in the trade press and I regularly see them in shops when I visit our customers. You can click on the images to visit their websites.

Ten new Ladder Club publishers to keep an eye on (in alphabetical order):

Coulson Macleod

Stylish graphic cards with some humour from Mark Coulson and Hannah Macleod.

Dry Red Press

A lovely selection of art cards from Laura and Jackie MacDonald and Sue Campion.

Eloise Hall

Delicate, elegant illustrations that have been beautifully designed to create distinctive cards.

I Drew This

Hugely experienced card designer, Ilona Drew, self publishes her own beautiful card illustrations.

Jessica Hogarth Designs

Stylish, contemporary surface pattern and textile design translated into unique cards.

Perkins & Morley

A popular collection of art cards and gifts from Janet Morley and Jill Perkins.

Redback cards

A great range of humorous, original and fresh cards from Chris Stanley.

Sarah Kelleher

Artistic, well styled and carefully considered cards that work well for their respective occasions.

Tache Crafts

Quirky, playful and stylish handmade cards by Penny Bryant and Frank Nichols.

Wraptious

An exciting range of artists across cards and gifts from founder Simon Wadsworth.

Click here to read more Ladder Club posts

Find out more about attending the 2015 Ladder Club Seminar in November

I just had the most amazing day at 10 Downing Street with the StartUp Britain bus tour. Having mentored many small businesses over the years and being a Sage Business Expert, I was invited along by sponsors Sage to meet the Prime Minister David Cameron, Anna Soubry (Minister for Small Business) and Sajid David (Secretay of State for Business). 

StartUp Britain's bus tour is traveling throughout Britain until the 7th August. The bus offers free mentoring and workshops to support businesses who starting out or are looking to grow. It's similar to the The Ladder Club seminars we do in the greeting card industry each year. This kind of encouragement is invaluable for small businesses and it's great to see such strong support for it by the Prime Minister, MP's and sponsors involved. Click here to see the schedule of stops

It's always great flying the flag for greetings cards at these events. So often people seem surprised to meet someone running a successful and growing card business. I guess many assume things have changed because of Moonpig, social media and texting. The truth is we all love to receive greeting cards. Last year the UK spent £1.29 billion on single cards alone - more than tea and coffee put together! Despite technology, cards are still such a lovely personal way of connecting with friends, loved ones and with customers.

I also had the pleasure of meeting few of the other business people at the event including Gemma Price who runs Superfood Market, a company that specialises in Vegan produce. The growth of her StartUp in the last two years been phenomenal. Starting with her vegan blog, she now has a 54,000 square foot warehouse selling over 10,000 lines from her website www.superfood-market.com! I'm veggie and my diet is 90% vegan with a lot juicing, so I'm looking forward to exploring her company's beautiful site and ordering something soon! 

Carol Smillie was also there and talking pants! She too has started a business in the last couple of years called Diary Doll, which specialises in pretty underwear which have a waterproof panel to protect women against potentially embarrassing situations. As you'd expect she is as lovely in person as she is on TV. I also bumped into my good friend, Maria Allen, whose laser cut jewellery and gifts we sell on our Ivy Ellen wedding website. Maria's company has had fantastic success on NotontheHighStreet.com and it was great to catch up with her and hear her news. 

I have to say a special thanks to my lovely friends at Sage for inviting me along. I look forward to seeing them again soon when I run the Great North Run in September with Team Sage to try and #BeatTheCEO.