Green Marketing Made Affordable!

We all are recognizing how important it is to do what we can for our delicate environment. Three White Daisies has made some efforts to make your marketing pieces both affordable, but also environmentally friendly. Many small companies believe that green practices are important, but they can't afford them.

As a print broker I work hard to find you the most affordable printing for your projects, but they must also meet the following criteria:

1) Keep it Local! In my search for affordable printing I will never select an option that is further than 2 states away. I believe in keeping it local, but also realize the importance of fuel economy. We might be able to find lower prices if we ordered something that was printed in another country, but then we have such a large "footprint" and the few dollars we might save is not worth it.

2) Soy Ink, really! They really can do anything with soy, it is amazing! All the printers I work with use soy ink. Soy ink is a safe and environmentally friendly ink because of its simple compound compared to petroleum–based ink. Soy ink also makes recycling easier and surprisingly produces even more vibrant colors.

3) Guilt Free Paper! This may sound funny to you, but not all paper companies will get their paper from legitimate sources. The only paper companies we will use paper is produced specifically for paper-making and is not produced from illegally deforested trees.

Working from my home office not only helps me keep my prices low for both design and printing needs, but it saves me from commuting to work every day. One less car on the road is a good thing. In my home office I keep things as green as possible by using environmentally friendly cleaners, turning off light switches, and using energy saving products whenever possible.

If you need some tips on how to make your office green check out this article!

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What Are You Wearing?

Do you still get up and put on the hose and high heels ... do you button up your shirt and wear a tie? What are you wearing to work when you are your own boss?

Most of the time when while working I am hidden behind my 19" monitor in my home office and you can't even see me. If you could see me you would most often find me in flip flops, jeans, and a t-shirt. Since my work is sometimes sporadic and in the rush to get a job done for a client I am working into the wee hours of the morning then I will allow myself to put on my fuzzy slippers and favorite three stripe sweat pants that are so well loved have on two stripes on the left leg.

I have seen ad's suggesting, "work from home and stay in your pj's all day!" When I see those ad's I wonder how they were raised. As a mom, I rarely let my daughter stay in her pajama's all day and it didn't matter that she didn't have a high powered meeting to attend. It is apparent even from ages as early as two that staying in pajama's for a prolonged period of time can encourage lazy behavior and cause one to want to spend too much time on the couch. (At least at my house!)

The other thing for me is that on more than one occasion it will be a day when I didn't have any client meetings set up, but at the last minute a client will need to meet with me. I would hate to not be there for a client because I was still in my pj's and couldn't get ready in time. With a quick change of my shoes and the addition of a cardigan I am ready for a client meeting.

I have a few clients that dress rather formal, but most of my clients are very casual even though they don't work from a home office. I might find them in red converse and shorts or jeans and an Ed Hardy tee.

I guess to sum things up: I think dress codes can be casual, but even if you work from home or in a small business you should get dressed in something that would be presentable in public. I am wondering what you think! Please share your opinions on dress code ... if you have one tell me about it! If you don't please tell me why!

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PS: My favorite tee right now is the Vintage V-Neck T from the Gap!

Why Am I Sad About Hollywood Video?

Seriously, I am kind of sad when I see all the Hollywood Video's closing down. Not sad enough to get up and go into the video store, however. I like to think if it were a local owned by some residents who knew me by name when I walked in I would still go to a video store, but I haven't seen one of those in years...at least not near my house.

I feel a loss, it is an era ending... I am thinking that my daughter may never know what it is like to go into a video store and argue in front of total strangers over the choice between a romantic chick flick or a shoot 'em up and then eventually settle on a comedy you can both agree on. Not even seven years old when she wants to watch a movie she asks me to download it or get it on demand.

As a small business owner I wonder what this means . . . It's not just Hollywood Video, but lots of long time well established businesses are unable to keep their doors open in this economy. Without such large overhead, maybe this is time for the small business to thrive!

I read some great tips online recently about operating in a difficult economy. To sum it up:

1) Reassess your business model: A simple reassessment can oftentimes lead to increased efficiency and revenue.

2) Invest in marketing, it may be even more important now!

3) Find ways to cut back the budget, there is almost always something that can go.

4) Keep positive!

Read the whole article!

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Meet One of the Most Interesting Men in Vancouver

Today I got to visit Reo’s Coffee & Hot Dog Emporium, located in the Uptown Village part of Vancouver, WA. Reo's combines two American passions, coffee & hot dog's. Sitting right next door to another shop that boasts about it's hot dogs from the window, I wondered what could this place have to offer that is so different? With a quite impressive menu including everything from "awful waffles" to "fabulous hot dogs" and an amazing barista I was surprised to find I was most impressed by the man behind the counter, Chuck Leidy.

Not only is he charming with great customer service, but he has a plethora of intriguing stories to tell. If you are a fan of that little movie Twilight he could tell you about his ON SET experiences when they were filming! Yes, ladies ... Chuck was on set! If you have an interest in small business he is overflowing with tips and interesting stories ... even about how Nike got it's start back when Converse were selling for only $3 a pair!

So if you are looking for a great cup of coffee, a truly kosher hot dog, or just an interesting chat Reo's should be your destination! Personally, I am looking forward to working with him and getting to know both him and his wife Gina!

Featured Small Business of the Month July 2010: Babyface Skin Care

The small for now, small business of Babyface Skin Care started only two years ago with just one product: Hyaluronic Acid Serum. Traci Tran, a woman with an amazing sense of fashion and appreciation for quality, brought it in to supplement a thriving boutique fashion resale store on eBay. Quickly it became evident that people were craving more and more of high end products at an affordable price and as a result she shifted her focus from resale clothing to beauty products. Tran says, “It has to not only work very well, but I have to be able to offer it at an affordable price. I decided long ago that I would offer the products at affordable prices and take smaller profits so that everyone can enjoy quality, not just those who have the money to buy a $300 jar of eye cream or drop $500 at the Spa or Salon on treatments.”

In less than 2 years this went from a small venture that featured one product on eBay to an online store with more than 20 products. How did this happen? Tran says, “The big boom has pretty much been just within the last year, and the majority of that within the last 9 months. I'd say we are pretty blown away at the growth.” With such dramatic growth in such a short time can we expect to see even more from Babyface? Tran says they are working to streamline production of current products and even looking to carry some new items based on customer feedback. Many different distributorships and business owners are trying to get in on the action at Babyface, but Tran is wisely waiting until they get all their processes in place before moving forward with a major change. The first goal is to get Babyface Pure Protein on shelves at Ulta stores across the US. Tran explains, that she likes “ULTA because they have the same philosophy as I do, they are affordable quality.”

The advertising that has gotten Babyface into just about every country across the globe: word of mouth. No joke. There is not a huge advertising budget, just consistent quality service and product, a perfect feedback score on eBay, and an informative blog. Some new branding efforts include custom packaging, brochures, and a website designed by us! They recently also added a Facebook fan page that will allow customers to provide input, keep up on trends within the company, and any special promotions. If you aren’t already a fan of the products I suggest becoming a fan to learn more about it!