I been asked this many times over the past 5+ years. How did I get started? What do I use for printers? What software? What computer? I could tell you all of that, but it really wouldn't matter. In truth, my way of doing things probably wasn't the best way. I jumped in, head first, pocketbook second. There wasn't a ton of information on the internet and there certainly wasn't this explosion of social media until the past two years. I went through printers that were complete garbage because there weren't the stationery forums there are now to warn me off of them. I think I counted the other day that I've bought well over 15 printers. FIFTEEN! I wussed out buying Adobe because I hadn't the foggiest clue what a vector was, so I spent money on other software that's great for getting started, but kills you in the cost of upgrades. I've blown money on print and web ads that completely seemed like a good idea at the time and netted absolutely nothing.
I could warn you off everything that I've ever done that hasn't worked for me, but here's the thing. It might work for you. I have no idea how you're planning to run your business. Do you want to be local? National? International? Do you want to print in-house? Do you know your printing terms? The truth is that there's no easy answers in running a stationery business. But there's a wealth of information on the internet. Let's Talk Stationery is a great resource for beginners. Tons of talk about printers, software and the like. If you're more seasoned looking to connect with other pros and delve deeper into the industry, Paper Peeps might be the place for you.
And if you find yourself wanting to e-mail a particular company, please be upfront about who you are. It seriously not hard to find you on the internet with a little bit of creative googling. Many stationers, including myself, have been "shopped" by other companies starting up, who fish for information in dishonest ways. It's so easy to find information. Just research, research, research. Go into it with a plan and you'll do all right.
Oh- and one more thing- which I quickly learned my first year. It's stationERy ("e" like envelope), not stationARy (which means to not move).
Well put. I've found that I've made mistakes along the way, but I've learned a lot from my vendors. They have a wealth of knowledge that has helped me to manage backend costs. Simply talking with other stationers helps to keep me on track too. Plus it's great to look up to all of you who've been so successful at what you do!
ReplyDelete