I’m headed to NYC at the end of the week for the gift fair (I’ll be exhibiting), so I spent most of yesterday in my office making little catalogs for the cozy/cuff. I decided to go the DIY route for my catalogs partly out of budgetary concerns, and partly because none of my online printing sources offered the dimensions I wanted.
When done right, DIY marketing materials can really help convey the story of your brand and products. I thought I’d share a couple of my favorite resources for creating your own promotional materials. I would highly recommend two books by Ellen Lupton – D.I.Y.: Design It Yourself
and Indie Publishing
.
D.I.Y.: Design It Yourself is an excellent resource for the independent maker looking to promote themselves on a budget. After an initial overview of DIY and some design basics, Design it Yourself has sections devoted to a myriad of ideas that could be used to promote your business, from blogs and branding, to business cards and press kits, to logos, t-shirts and websites. With lots of images, Design it Yourself is sure to spark your creativity, even if you don’t bother to read the text. (But I would read the text, too. There’s a lot of useful information in there.)
If you’re working on designing a new catalog or portfolio book, I also recommend you check out Indie Publishing. It also has a good overview of design basics (which are more specific to designing a book), including an InDesign crash course. Indie Publishing gives you some suggestions for getting your book commercially printed, including using print-on-demand technology like lulu.com. (Which is ideal for printing a few, high-quality portfolio books or exhibition catalogs.) But it also has a nice section on handmade books, featuring some great techniques you could use to promote the unique, handmade qualities of your products.
One other tool that makes my DIY marketing efforts easier – my X-ACTO Paper Cutter
. I’ve never had much success with rotary cutters, so this guillotine style cutter was worth the investment. I use it for everything! (Well, everything related to cutting paper.)
Note: the product links in this post are Amazon affiliate links, but I wouldn’t recommend them if these weren’t products that I use and love.
I’m headed to NYC at the end of the week for the gift fair (I’ll be exhibiting), so I spent most of yesterday in my office making little catalogs for the cozy/cuff. I decided to go the DIY route for my catalogs partly out of budgetary concerns, and partly because none of my online printing sources offered the dimensions I wanted.
ooh – megan! thank you for these book recs! i need to get to the bookstore ASAP.
Good luck at the Gift Show Megan! I’ve exhibited there before when I was a designer for another company and it was crazy. I have to tell you how much I appreciated your post on Scoutie Girl this morning and how you have made me think that HEY! I am successful. I’m doing what I love and even though I can’t get rid of my beater truck yet, I’m happy. I’m so glad I know about this new blog. Its exactly the help, inspiration and comradery, I needed.
That’s it! I’m getting a paper cutter. Thanks for the recommendation.
Hi Megan,
I just wanted to tell you that I have spent the better part of my morning pouring over your blog. I found it yesterday while googling for small business resources and blogs. I have read so many interesting post and comments (your recent post on the culture of cheap had some really well thought out and helpful ones), and have found some great links too.
I am in the process of trying to expand my business and move beyond testing the waters to making it my full time job. There is so much involved – as you know, and I’m so thankful for all the internet resources out there. Years ago, my mom started her own company and I can’t imagine how much harder it must have been to have to figure everything out on her own. I am so thankful for people like you who share your stories, advice and experiences with the rest of us.
I’m looking forward to visiting again soon.
Best wishes,
Bess
Hi Megan,
I’m also so greatful for all of your recommendations and advice, which I really need badly at this time! I’m going to be helping my Mom at the Ambiente Trade Show in Frankfurt next week (I can’t believe it is coming so soon)!!! My Mom makes Raku art and I am her right-hand woman when it comes to marketing and all that good stuff:-) I really do not have that much experience exhibiting at Trade Shows and need some advice about the marketing materials that we should have at hand. We already have business cards, wholesale pricelist, catalog for one line of products and postcards were sent out to some prospects. What else do we need? I wonder if I should put together a catalog for the rest of the products or if we should just concentrate on one line of products this time around? What about a media kit? I already have most of the stuff for a media kit, but are they given out at Trade Shows and to whom? Oh, so many questions and so little time! To make matters more complicated Mom lives in Finland and I live in the U.S. Thank God for e-mail though! I understand that you may be too busy to respond by the time I have to have all my stuff together, but I would really appreciate a future post about what marketing material to have available at a Trade Show.
I wish you luck at NYIGF. I can’t wait to read your report about it later. (Some of my Mom’s art is exhibited at NYIGF for the first time ever.) I’m so thankful for this blog. It is exactly what I have been looking for.
Megan,
What printer do you recommend for DIY projects? Also, I had no idea x-acto made a paper cutter like that! Amazing!
Not the one I have! (I have an HP photosmart and I don’t love it.) I’ve heard good things about Epson printers, so that would likely be my next purchase. I would look for something that is photo quality and that you can replace each ink color separately (less ink waste!)