Chatterbox: Blog Central

I’m stepping in today from a week of extreme painting. I have been filling store orders and I’m still going. I thought I’d show a new product that I introduced at my last show in Dallas. I wanted to introduce the hawk line more with the blocks, so I decided to start making name banners. They are doing well, and they are so cute. I recommend my stores to order a boys name and a girls name and they get a complimentary ring of about 25 color block samples. I also recommend mixing light colors with bright colors, it really makes the banner even cuter.

At the grocery store, my wife and I try to use our own recycled bags for both fresh and frozen foods. But the baggers have not been trained much beyond “paper or plastic?” We’ve been giving them some gentle instructions about putting frozen foods in the insulated bags we provide. On seeing that the teen bagger was not up-to-speed about how to use recycled bags, the checker said to my wife, “What do you expect, they’re teenagers!” And what does she expect we think about her demeaning the young worker in front of a customer? Was she representing the store brand?

Too bad there’s not a GPS system that gives you easy directions on exactly where to advertise to reach your buyers. Or is there? Like in the old days when you had to pull over and ask someone for directions, just ask any children’s retailer! “What trade source do you read or use?.” Ask buyers at shows and make some random calls. Ask your reps and suppliers. Search the Internet. Their first answer is a good indication of where you should put your advertising dollars. Take their direction and get more mileage out of your budget!

With my three boys, our nights are filled with their sports activities and homework. My youngest son Austin loves to draw. He really doesn’t pose much interest in wanting to be an artist when he grows up, so I think he just enjoys spending time with me. In that, he is always asking for a drawing lesson.