Because we’re all in this together folks.
Collage Greetings is a greeting card and gift distribution company. By definition, my company is a small business, we have less than 15 employees. Our customers are wholesale buyers for independent gift stores, bookstores, boutiques, museums, galleries and other unique venues such as garden centers and upscale car washes – a high percentage of these customers are small businesses. Our products are sold to those wonderful merchants primarily through our sales reps all across the U.S. Our reps are predominantly self-employed men and women working as independent reps, not employees of a rep group. Finally, the product lines we distribute are also small businesses, fine artisans with strong entrepreneurial spirits. You see where I’m going with this…
These are difficult times for everyone, but it’s much tougher for small businesses.
So, this blog will serve as a forum. I feel strongly that our customers, our reps and the artists whose lines we distribute are our partners in business. Through communication and the exchange of information we’ll weather the storm and we’ll keep our sense of humor and dignity. When the economy turns around, and it will turn around, we hope this blog will continue to be a round table for everyone involved.
Your comments, ideas, feedback and stories of successful and not-so-successful business maneuvers are warmly welcomed from this day forward. If you have not visited our new website: www.collagegreetings.com – please visit the site today. You are cordially invited to be a part of our industry family.
Wow! It is nice to get some helpful hints on what to do in these trying times. Thanks, Collage for helping greeting card companies out with your creative tips! I especially like your ideas for eye-catching mailings.