If recent events have taught me anything, it is that a lot of people are really very kind. Here’s how things have been for me in an attempt to diversify my little business to stop it (and my sanity) from crumbling…
Come April I’m usually elbows deep in piles of place settings, with drying racks precariously balanced on boxes and stools around the studio. I could be writing beautiful passages of script for couple’s vows, making bespoke signage and commissions, or laying out those ever-changing table plans. April to October is peak wedding season and I love it, every job is different as every couple’s vision for their big day is personal to them. It keeps me on my toes, forges lasting relationships with my clients, and allows me to be really creative.
So when lockdown began here in the UK at the end of March, couples were faced with impossible decisions to make in regards to their big days, amplified with the uncertainty or scale of the pandemic which was largely unknown. Many postponed by a few months, lots postponed to next year too. Years of meticulous planning for the perfect day, which will happen but not on the date dreamed of for so long.
So, as a freelancer relying on on-the-day wedding stationery for the coming months, panic started to set in. Far from making me rich, this little business of mine usually covers the kid’s nursery bill and allows me to contribute towards the household bills. Oh and we can usually afford a few outings to soft play and kid cafes here and there (god I never thought I’d say I missed those places). Despite the panic, I eventually convinced myself it’ll probably be OK, it won’t last long, we have a little pot of savings if we need it, we could take a mortgage holiday, and luckily my husband has the ‘grown up’ salaried job. But it’s in sports marketing and events… suddenly the Olympics and other major sporting events are postponed, 1st of April approaches and furlough commences.
In spite of this however, the sun has been shining SO MUCH, we have an 18 month old son who is absolutely winning at life right now with two parents at his beckoned call all day every day. More family time has been amazing, but after a week or two of no new enquiries and very little news from my summer couples, I decided I needed to refocus my energy. My little business was my first baby and I couldn’t bear to see it fall flat after all the years of hard work. It allows me the flexibility to be a parent first and foremost at the end of the day, and I feel very lucky to have a job I really love.
Luckily I already had a small range of greeting cards and art prints for sale on my website, Etsy and Not on the High Street, which I usually find the time to focus some time on outside of the peak wedding months. After a week of wobbling back and forth as to whether I should even keep any of my online storefronts open, I came to the conclusion that my small volume of orders wouldn’t rest too heavily with an already crippled Royal Mail service, and any local deliveries could be done tied in with the weekly shop.
On the posting front, I discovered a Royal Mail parcel dropbox within a few minutes drive from our house, and began using Click and Drop on the Royal Mail website to buy postage for packages. The collection time is an hour later than my local post office too. I added a free delivery option to my website when spending a nominal amount, and most of my products on Not on the High Street already had free delivery too.
In terms of my product range, my greeting cards are always designed with multiple occasions in mind wherever possible, so I added a multi-card option to my website to allow customers to order a few cards at once, saving on the costs of the cards and also the postage. I also gave customers the option to have cards and gifts sent directly to the recipients so that they could avoid an unnecessary trip out for stamps or to the post box.
I feel incredibly lucky to have a handful of orders coming in every day, genuinely every time I get one I get a little buzz of excitement, wondering what it might be and who will get to enjoy something I’ve designed and made. I’m proud that I’ve designed everything I sell and almost all of my greeting cards and prints are printed here in my little home studio.
So it’s been a different start to spring/summer than usual, but when I began by saying people are really very kind, I’m led to believe so because of you all sending lovely messages of support to me, but mainly for such thoughtful greeting cards sent to one another. Whether just as a token to brighten up somebody’s day, let them know you miss them, or say thank you for a small gesture, it’s been pure joy to send your kind words directly to your loved ones, and also to pack and send to you to send on, knowing that some happy post through someone’s letterbox will bring a little spark to their mood in such uncertain times.
I’ll end by saying a huge thank you for your support over the past few months, it’s hard to know whether you will continue to shop online when the physical shops reopen in the coming weeks, but I’ll keep offering free delivery where I can and posting your orders as quickly as I can, and I hope you’ll continue to support small while the going is a little tough all round.