Sewing Business Blog

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7 Ways to Create An Unforgettable Customer Service Experience

Posted By S. Denise Hoyle on October 22, 2012

Everyone knows what it’s like to be a customer. At times, you are treated horribly. Other times, however, you are treated like a king. No matter what business you may be in, you should always aim for customer satisfaction at the end of the day. Here are some ways to create a customer service experience your clients will never forget:

1) Always greet your customers.

Always make it a point to make your customers feel welcome by greeting them. When possible, do so by name. Everyone loves to feel recognized and remembered.

2) Create a warm environment.

Whether you’re selling online, at a craft fair, or in an actual store, always create an environment that is warm and inviting. Make your space comfortable, encourage browsing, and let your customers know you’re there if they need anything.

3) Communicate.

When it comes to customer service, you should always remember to communicate with your customers often, and to communicate with them quickly. Don’t allow your customers to go days without hearing back from you or they will feel neglected and unimportant. Respond as quickly as you can, and regularly keep them up to date on your transaction.

4) Admit your mistakes.

Did you give someone the wrong amount of change? Did you ship the wrong item? Admit your mistake and apologize sincerely. Don’t stop there! Make it up to the customer, too. Give him or her store credit or a small freebie to make up for any inconvenience you may have caused.

5) Value customer loyalty.

Don’t let customer loyalty go unnoticed. Offer free shipping or throw in a customer discount for your repeat customers. All business owners should recognize that customer loyalty is worth a whole lot more than a single sale!

6) Go the extra mile.

Pay close attention to what the customer wants. If a customer wants a necklace to be shorter, make it shorter. If a customer wants an item to be a different shade of blue, create one in the desired shade of blue. Go the extra mile and your customers will definitely appreciate it.

7) Let your customers know you value them.

You’ve already done so well—don’t stop now. Send your customers a short note thanking them for their business, and maybe include a discount voucher for their next purchase. Send them handwritten cards on their birthdays or during the holidays, or even just a quick personalized confirmation email for online registration or orders.

Whether you work for a business or own a business, it is important that you pay close attention to the quality of customer service that you provide. Follow the seven tips mentioned above and you’ll definitely be providing your customers with an experience that they’ll never forget.

Photo Credit: iClipart

7 Tips for Selling at a Craft Fair

Posted By S. Denise Hoyle on October 15, 2012

Although it can be very enjoyable to spend an afternoon milling about at a craft fair, being a vendor at such event requires a lot more work than you might think since you have to both setup and take down your booth in a short period of time, and you have lots of advance preparation that must be done. If you’re serious about getting ready for selling at a craft fair, here are some tips you should remember:

1) Display, display, display.

Don’t use up all your creative juices on creating your products. Save some of that imagination and inspiration for your booth display. You want to do your best to draw attention and stand out—especially if you’re selling something that may have a lot of competition at the craft fair.

2) Market!

You don’t have to be a business school graduate to know that marketing is key in any business. How will someone find you later on if they don’t know your business name or where they can reach you? Business cards, flyers and even catalogs are great ways to get people to remember you.

3) Identify yourself.

Make sure that all of your products are clearly labeled with your store name and your contact information. This way, you can be sure that both the buyer and/or the recipient will be able to find you again later on to purchase more of your product. Punch a hole in your tag, tie it to your product with a ribbon and you’re ready to go.

4) Be prepared.

Bring along a box of supplies you may need in case of emergencies like string, scissors or glue. It’s always best to be prepared for the worst. The craft tools, extension cords and other supplies you bring may just come in handy.

5) Interact with your customers.

No matter how shy you may be, do your best to interact with your customers. Shoppers at craft fairs love to meet the artists, so put on that smile and make contact with everyone who comes to your booth.

6) Network.

Craft fairs are a great way to meet people with the same passion for all things creative. Collect business cards from both fair participants and attendees and if time permits, send out a friendly email to your newfound friends a few days after the fair. You’ll probably see them again in future shows!

7) Plan the future.

A great way to create a customer database is by setting up an attractive guest book at your booth and invite shoppers to leave their names, contact information and comments on your work. You can email your customers to thank them for dropping by your booth, or send them a message to let them know when your next show is. You can also opt to attach a discount coupon to your newsletter so you can track how effective your promotion method was.

Photo Credit: BitchBuzz

Curbside Chaos’ Yard Makeover Winner

Posted By S. Denise Hoyle on October 14, 2012

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done. for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Check out Curbside Chaos and watch the video of Ruth and her family from Fairfax, Virginia, winners of the $5,000 Yard Makeover, getting a new backyard. They brought in experts to design a backyard escape and used lots of bulbs like gladiolas and lilies to add splashes of color.

Garden Guru Bulbs

If I had won the yard makeover I would also love to create a backyard escape with lots of hidden seating areas and meandering paths. I also really like the idea of planting an assortment of bulbs and the Garden Guru section of the site (bottom left on the front page) helps you to pick the best bulbs for your area and gives you information on when and how to plant them.

Garden Guru Bulbs

These purple and white varieties – Crocus, Chionodoxa, Muscari and Scilla bulbs – are perfect for the color scheme and style that I have in mind for my back yard plans.

Garden Guru Bulb Planting

The great thing is that in addition to planting recommendations based on your area, you also get free detailed planting instructions and tips to help you grow gorgeous flowers that bloom in the month that you want. Plus you can "Meet The Ladies' and learn from their tips – I really enjoyed hearing about Evelyn's tips on which bulbs to plant to help keep pesky animals from destroying the yard because I need those!

Even if you don't have a yard to makeover, you can use bulbs in pots to decorate a porch or kitchen window. You can also make great gifts from bulbs from the holidays and you'll find lots of inspiration in the many videos available when you visit www.digdropdone.com to learn more.

While you're there, share the information on Twitter with the hashtag #CurbsideChaos and "Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done" will donate $1 to Rebuilding Together – a nonprofit organization that works to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize communities.

Tutorial: How To Make A Robot Costume

Posted By Sarah J. Doyle on September 24, 2012

My Grandson looks AWESOME in the robot costume he actually made (with a little help from Mamaw, of course!) This project is a “no-sew” creation and simple and quick to make!

Items needed: 1 large clear gift bag (for the body), 1 medium size silver gift bag (for the head) and lots of cool stickers! First thing to do is remove the handles from the bags, since you’ll be making a robot “body” and “head”. This costume would fit a child between the ages of 4-6 easily, of course depending on the size of the child.

Here’s my boy – the clear gift bag on the table and his HUGE sheet of assorted stickers. He stuck nearly all of the stickers on the front and back of the clear bag. We then cut a hole in the “bottom” section of the bag so it would go over his head and of course cut armholes in both sides so it would fit over his body.

Next, we took the mediuim size silver gift bag and held it up to his face to see where the eyes/nose/mouth would be, then cut out a cute little area for his face. We then made a sign, ”I Am A ROBOT”, just in case people couldn’t tell! He also had been coloring the nice eagle picture, so wanted to put it on his robot “chest”.

Here’s my handsome robot – all ready for the big day!!!

How To Make A Reversable Collar Tutorial

Posted By Sarah J. Doyle on September 24, 2012

If you’re the kind of person that likes to change that basic dress or blouse (or sweater) into a variety of styles just by adding a faux collar or bow collar, this tutorial is for you! This collar tutorial will be a “custom” collar that uses your basic blouse or dress pattern as the basis for making the collar.

Materials needed:

1/3 yd print fabric; 1/3 yd solid matching fabric and matching thread

TO MAKE THE PATTERN:

CollarReverseA

Using your basic round neck dress or blouse pattern, follow these steps:

FRONT:

Beginning at the end of the shoulder line, (don’t go all the way to the end of the seam allowance — just the shoulder line) make a “square” as indicated in the above diagram, and draw a straight line 8″ long. At the end of the 8″ line, draw a straight line to the center front that will be “squared” to the center front (the line will be parallel to the waist line). This piece is the front collar.

BACK:

Beginning at the end of the shoulder line, (don’t go all the way to the end of the seam allowance — just the shoulder line) make a “square” as shown above and draw a straight line 6″ long. At the end of the 6″ line, draw a straight line to the center back that will be “squared” to the center back line (the line will be parallel to the waist line). This piece is the back collar.

Copy the two collar pieces just drawn onto pattern paper — they will need to be separate pieces, rather than cutting into your blouse or dress pattern.

CollarReverseB

To complete the pattern, add 1/2″ seams all around, except the center front, which will be on the fold, as shown above.

CUTTING AND SEWING PROCEDURE:

1. Cut one front (center front on the fold) from the print fabric and the solid color fabric. Cut 2 back pieces from each fabric (print and solid).

2. Pin and sew the shoulder seams on the print fabric and on the solid fabric.

3. With right sides together, sew the two collar pieces together, leaving a 2″ area open along one of the center back seams so it can be turned.

4. Clip the curve around the neck before turning.

5. After turning the collar right sides out, press all the seams. Either hand stitch the opening closed or stick a small piece of stitch witchery inside and press closed.

6. Use a small piece of iron on velcro for the back neck closure (cut a piece approximately 1/4″ x 1/2″ and secure as in the following picture.

CollarReverseC

By using velcro in this manner, you will have a reversable collar which can be used with many of your clothes. Here is the finished product – printed side

CollarReverseD

Or solid side on a basic black top:

CollarReverseE

Want to make a BOW COLLAR?

Cut 2 strips of the solid or printed fabric 8″ long and 2 1/2″ side. With right sides together, using 1/2″ seams, sew the two long sides to make a tube. Turn right side out and fold the end seams to the inside, press and hand sew the end seams to finish the strip.

To make the closure, use iron on velcro pieces 1/4″ x 1/2″ – place one on opposite ends of the strip to make a closed band, as shown:

CollarReverseF

Place the finished strip at the center front collar to make a bow, as shown below.

CollarReverseG

Dress up your favorite basic dress or blouse with an assortment of collars and bows.

For a variety collar styles, see our pattern changing – collars class at the PatternsThatFitYou website.

In addition to making a variety of collars, you may also want to make new necklines and new sleeve styles for that basic dress or blouse. There are so many changes you can make to that one basic pattern, you may not need to buy another pattern.

The Votes Are In…… And I’m AMAZED!

Posted By Sarah J. Doyle on September 20, 2012

A few weeks ago we ran a post asking the question, “Who do you sew more for…… plus size/full figure women or overweight/obese children”? We have gotten a TON of emails from people answering that question and reasons WHY they do what they do.

By far the MAJORITY of people responding say they sew for full figure/plus size women. Many of the reasons were basically the same – “I am a full figure woman, can’t find anything that fits properly, so I pretty much sew for myself, and help out a friend or two as well”. The book/class preferred by these women with the “I sew for myself” answer is the “Sewing For Full Figure/Plus Size Women as a Home Business” because that manual contains ALL of the classes plus additional information at a reduced price than if they were to purchase “some” of the classes now, and some more later. In reality, the idea of having all the information in one manual is more beneficial than many separate classes that they may “lose”. I would never have thought about that answer, as I figured the “business” manual would primarily for those in a sewing business – amazing! We did have some responders who are indeed in a sewing business, and because they themselves are in the plus size category, they prefer to sew for the same type of women, as opposed to working with overweight children.

On the other hand, those who preferred the “Sewing For Plus Size Children as a Home Business” are ones like I would have been a few years ago – had grandchildren who were very much overweight and had some friends who also had grandchildren in the overweight/obese size ranges. These people also purchased the business manual because it contained ALL the size ranges for overweight boys/girls so the information they needed was in one manual regardless of whether the overweight child was 6 years old, 10 years old, boy or girl – everything was at their fingertips. In addition, the business manual contained the information about how to alter store bought patterns for plus size children – so they figured they were all set regardless of who they were sewing for, what ages they were sewing for, or if they were making the patterns or starting with a store bought pattern and altering it.

Regardless of whether you’re in a sewing business or sewing for just a few people, I’m sure one of the above books will help you in getting the perfect for that full figure woman or for those overweight children.

6 Must-Haves For Your Craft Show Display

Posted By S. Denise Hoyle on September 17, 2012

You may have all your products ready for the upcoming crafts show you’re joining—but have you given much thought to your booth’s appearance? Appearances are extremely important, and believe it or not, your sales can be greatly impacted by how your booth is set up. There are plenty of things you can do to spruce up your display. Here are must-haves for your craft show booth:

1) Color

Put some thought into the mood you want your booth to create, and identify the different colors that can help produce this mood. Be wary of overly bold colors or busy patterns. Remember, you want to choose colors that make your products pop!

2) Interesting levels and depths

One way to draw people into your booth—even from afar—is by displaying your items at various lengths and depths. Keeping your items at varying heights will keep your booth interesting and inviting.

3) Signage

It’s extremely important to have signage in your craft show booth. If you want people to remember you, make sure that you have a clear sign displaying your store or website name in a unique and interesting manner.

You should also make it a point to clearly label each item with its price. Customers might be turned off if they have to ask for the price of every single item, and they might be even more upset if they cannot ask for your prices because you’re busy attending to another customer.

4) Business cards

Many shoppers will only decide on making a purchase after having time to think about it. It’s important to have business cards available containing all your contact information. You may also want to jot down the other craft shows you will be joining at the back of the business cards to make it even easier for these shoppers to find you.

5) Simplicity

Keep your booth looking welcoming and orderly, and avoid going overboard. You may be tempted to go all out with your booth display—but remember that your product is the real star of the show.

6) A huge smile

As cheesy as it may sounds, one of the most important things you can bring to a craft show is a cheerful disposition and a huge smile. Draw in those customers by being pleasant and engaging, and remember to have fun with the experience!

Photo Credit: queen puff puff

How Increased Well-Being Makes for a Happier Life

Posted By S. Denise Hoyle on September 16, 2012

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of My Well-Being Powered by Humana for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Your well-being is about so much more than just being well – in addition to your physical and mental health, there is a sense of contentment that we get from connecting with our friends and family, and being connected to our community. When we're confident in our careers and feel good financially, that also adds to our well-being.

About MyWell-Being from mywell-being on Vimeo.

Our own personal well-being is just that, personal, and that's why Humana has created the My Well-Being Assessment. The free online tool allows you to evaluate your health and wellness and well-being. Join the My Well-Being website and you'll receive a FREE Dummies book just for signing up.

In addition to your choice of three free Dummies books, you'll find lots of great content like games, polls and tools plus all sorts of feature stories to help increase your well-being on topics like saving money while staying healthy, organizing your family, and the relationship between learning and earning.

Evaluate your well-being today and get the tools you need to help you start improving it right away. Share your opinions with the community and stretch your mental muscles! Taking steps to improve your well-being will help you in all aspects of your life and My Well-Being makes that easy to do with content that is personalized for you.

Get Your Garden Ready for Fall

Posted By S. Denise Hoyle on September 15, 2012

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Scotts Miracle-Gro for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Last year we had lots of weather issues, too much rain followed by drought conditions, and our garden just never really took off. This year we opted instead to do some container gardening so we would have better control over the conditions and one of the extra added benefits we’ve seen is that our plants are still producing now as we head into fall.

Fall gardening projects are great because the weather is starting to get a little cooler and the beautiful fall flowers and colors are coming out. I visited Miracle-Gro’s Find beauty in the Fall page and clicked on Southeast to see their recommendations for my area. According to the site I should still be maintaining those container gardens and planting cool season flowers.

I found this gorgeous container garden made out of a pallet on Pinterest and I think it’s a fabulous way to grow and display some fall flowers, especially if you’re working with a small space. Miracle-Gro Potting Mix would make this a fast and easy project and the flowers will thrive with good drainage and air flow. You could also use Miracle-Gro LiquaFeed which is great for use with flowers, vegetables, trees and shrubs and will make feeding as easy as watering.

What kind of gardening projects will you be doing this fall? We’d love to hear about them, and you can share your stories and tips with other gardeners at the Miracle-Gro Facebook page.

Coupon Clutch Clearance Sale!

Posted By Sarah J. Doyle on September 13, 2012

The coupon clutch company is holding a HUGE clearance sale on a wide variety of coupon clutch prints and designs. While normally selling for $29.95, there is now a whopping 33% discount on all CLEARANCE clutches, dropping the price to $19.95! Here is the direct link to the clearance section: http://couponclutch.com/clearance/. No promo code is necessary — the discount applies to all clearance items, making room for new fall fabric designs. Of course, as with all clearance sales, once they’re gone, they’re gone – no back orders and no rainchecks, so be sure to grab one (or several for gift giving) while they are still available.

While coupon clutches are all the rage for holding coupons, I’m here to tell you there are MANY other uses for them! My sister is a teacher and she carries her laptop and all paperwork for the day in her zebra clutch. The side flaps keep everything in place and the handles are perfect for carrying everything easily. Here is the zebra one she has:

My friend uses one as a photo album. The 4-pocket plastic pages are the perfect size for her pictures and she carries it with her when she makes trips to Tennessee, Michigan and South Florida to visit family and friends. Her grandchildren have traveled more than I have — even though only via pictures in her photo album! This is the one that she carries — The Olive/Burgandy design.

Check out the clearance category (or the regular priced ones as well), and see what you’d like to have. At this price I’m going to be checking my Christmas gift giving list and get some gifts at bargain prices!

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1) Always greet your customers.

2) Create a warm environment.

3) Communicate.

4) Admit your mistakes.

5) Value customer loyalty.

6) Go the extra mile.

7) Let your customers know you value them.

Related Posts:

1) Display, display, display.

2) Market!

3) Identify yourself.

4) Be prepared.

5) Interact with your customers.

6) Network.

7) Plan the future.

Related Posts:

Related Posts:

Related Posts:

Related Posts:

Related Posts:

1) Color

2) Interesting levels and depths

3) Signage

4) Business cards

5) Simplicity

6) A huge smile

Related Posts:

Related Posts:

Related Posts:

Related Posts: