Ordinary Mommy
Aug. 18 10
How cute are these few-of-a-kind and one-of-a-kind pieces from Ordinary Mommy? All of Faith’s designs are original, and each item is hand cut and completely hand stitched. No adhesives.
Exclusive Discount: Papernstitch readers receive 10% off regularly priced items everyday- enter the code “papernstitch” at checkout. Discount not applied to shipping.
Visit Ordinary Mommy now to browse Faith’s over 200 product collection.
Sweetnature Designs
Aug. 16 10
Spruce up your kitchen with these cheerful tea towels from Sweetnature Designs. Each towel is pre-washed and hand screenprinted with an original design using water based ink.
*Scroll down for exclusive Sweetnature Designs discount…
Special Discount: Receive a 20% discount on your entire purchase when you mention “papernstitch” in the message to seller box at checkout.
Visit Sweetnature Designs now to take advantage of this great discount.
More from Olive Manna
Aug. 12 10
If you frequent this blog, you are probably no stranger to my favorite packaging supply shop, Olive Manna. Natalie Jost (mother and maker behind OM) updates her shop so frequently, I just can’t stop talking about all the great new items I find there. This week, I am smitten over the hand-stained / hand-dyed pieces: clothespins, buttons, jute string, and wooden tags. The colors are so beautiful!
*Scroll down for a special offer from Olive Manna.
Special Discount: 10% off for all papernstitch customers at Olive Manna, every day. Use code PNS at checkout. AND US customers, spend $50 and Natalie will refund your shipping.
Visit the Olive Manna shop now to take advantage of this special offer.
Weekend Links
Jul. 30 10
Just a couple of links and discounts to share today before heading out until Monday. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend…
-If you have trouble getting through your to do list, here are four words that might inspire you.
-Why biting your tongue is good for business.
-Music lover? Learn how to duplicate your old records through a casting process. Great weekend project!
-Spending money to make money for your small business.
Weekend Discounts:
Jill Lauren: 40% off of everything at Jill Lauren. Hurry! Sale ends July 31st (that’s tomorrow).
Ordinary Mommy: Buy three (3) items get one (1) of equal or lesser value FREE At Ordinary Mommy. No code necessary. Refund via Paypal. Shipping fees still apply. Not valid on custom orders. Sale ends August 2nd.
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Image c/o Audrey Hepburn Complex
Why Biting your Tongue is Good for your Business
Jul. 28 10
I know most of the things we read about bringing success to our business includes being forthcoming with ideas, thoughts, etc. And then implementing said ideas, thoughts, etc whenever possible. And that is true. BUT that’s not what I want to talk about today.
Today, I want to talk about how to handle those less-than-satisfied customers that you may have from time to time. While they may be rare (hopefully they are), they can also be a deciding factor in making or breaking your business. How is that possible? People who are unsatisfied with a product or service spread the information like wildfire. Why? Because they are mad, and they want other people to know about it. Simple as that.
So, how can you turn a negative customer experience in to a good one? With excellent customer service of course. But remember I said you should bite your tongue, right? What I mean by that is, think before you speak. Often times, if you receive an email from a dissatisfied customer, chances are your initial reaction is a bit defensive. “But I spent three hours making _________. How could they say it is of poor quality? They don’t know what they are talking about.” Or however else you may rationalize these things when they come up. You don’t want to say that to your customer, no matter how irrelevant you feel their claim may be.
This is what I would recommend. Take some time to compose yourself. Its hard not to take things personal when something goes wrong. That’s why our natural reaction is to get defensive. Don’t. Take a few minutes before writing a response. And once a draft has been written, press SAVE not SEND. Walk away and come back to it later. Make any necessary changes and remove anything that could be labeled as snarky.
Basically, you want your response to be as short and as pleasant as possible, while addressing all of the customer’s concerns. Remember, you don’t want people blabbing to their friends about how much you and your products suck. And if you say something rude, in writing no less, it will come back to bite you in the ass. Guaranteed. So, if you are at fault say so. If a customer wants to return an item, refer them to your shop policies, and give them an answer as to whether or not the return will be allowed. Same goes for a refund.
And lastly, make a kind gesture. Some people will agree with me on this one and some won’t. But I personally believe its important to extend a hand to anyone who is unhappy with your products or services (within reason). Try offering a discount off their next purchase; a partial refund; or even free additional merchandise if you feel inclined.
Bottom line. Make your customers happy, even after they have had a “bad experience”, and they will always come back. And that means success for your business.
Have you ever had to bite your tongue around a customer?
*image c/o TaraLynn
Neck Candy
Jul. 27 10
I cannot wait until things start to cool down around here, so I can buy one (or three) of these Necklush accessories.If I lived anywhere but Florida, I would wear one year round. They are part necklace, part scarf, and completely awesome. Handmade and handprinted in Brooklyn.
Special Discount: Use the code “lovethelush” at necklush.com for 15% off your next Necklush order. Now through 8-1-10. *Discount code will only work at necklush.com (not etsy).
You can visit Necklush on etsy and at necklush.com to view the entire collection.
Giveaway: Leaping Gazelle Wind in your Face print
Jul. 20 10
Summer is in full swing and all I can think about lately (besides the heat) are flowers, flowers, flowers. And as luck would have it, we have a gorgeous flower print from Leaping Gazelle to giveaway this week, entitled Wind in your Face. One lucky winner will receive this original, signed 8 x8″ fine art photograph, ready for matting. Printed on archival, acid-free matte photo paper. All you have to do is enter below for your chance to win!
You can enter up to two times and there are three ways to enter…
1. Subscribe to the papernstitch blog by clicking here and then leave a message in the comments that says “subscribed”. **I’ll know if you really did or did not subscribe, so let’s play fair. 2. Tell us what room of your home you would hang this print if you won. 3. Twitter or blog about this giveaway and leave a link in the comments here.
Giveaway will end on August 3rd at 11:59 pm eastern time.
***And as an added bonus, Leaping Gazelle is also offering a special discount for papernstitch readers: 20% off all exhibition prints shown here. Just mention papernstitch in the notes to seller at checkout and the difference will be refunded asap.***
