An Ink Spot of one’s own….

Taking on an entrepreneurial spirit and making an online design business a reality is a challenge. With so many design professionals and technical upgrades out there, competition is paramount. But how you choose to forge ahead and create an ink spot of your own is not as difficult as it may appear. Here are some tips on how The Merry Bird…pen, ink and design began.

Get out there….

Utilizing the web was the first step at bringing my online business, The Merry Bird…pen, ink and design to fruition. Blogging, building a website, and most important – offering customized ink works and building a product line to present to buyers, vendors and customers online and off is key.

Become an expert in the field….

Reading Just Creative Blog is part of my expertise development. Yes, brown nosing is too! Reading, reading and reading some more… keep up to date on what’s going on in the technical arena as well as industry trends. Socialize with like business owners and swap idea’s. Attend local shops and shows (like…The National Stationery show at the Javits Center in NY!)

Fly around the world wide web….

Regular, social networking is easy and fun to do. So I fly into social networks such as Myspace, LinkedIn, Ryze, and other online venues. It is here that networking with entrepreneurs and others got the word out about The Merry Bird…pen, ink and design business. Now, my ink spot is in the works! The Merry Bird is recognized in some circles and is beyond the “unknown business” realm.

Find target markets….

Customers are everywhere, but the ones that are drawn to The Merry Bird…pen, ink and design are those that like something “real”, nostalgic or customized. Mothers to be, Brides, and women between the ages of 25-50.


Ask for referrals…
Once business is in flight, I always ask my customer for a referral. This definitely opens opportunity to propel into a new custom job.

The Merry Bird…pen, ink and design has been an online business for two years and I can officially say I have an ink spot of my own! How about you?


Kristine Sheehan
The Merry Bird…pen, ink and design
http://www.themerrybird.com/
http://www.the-merry-bird.blogspot.com/

PRESS RELEASE

Fly around this season with Merry Bird Holiday Tags!
MAY 2008, Trumbull, CT -- The Merry Bird…pen, ink and design flies in to start the holiday season this July 17th through July 19th at the Christmas in July Sale at http://www.womenbizowners.org

Personalize your holiday gifts with a Merry Bird gift tag. http://www.themerrybird.com With a distinct pen and ink, stippled style, holiday tags are a beautiful token of “holiday cheer”. These hole punched tags come with a gold or silver cord attached and are purchased either flat, hand trimmed “die cut” or folded. Motif choices are : Gift, Skate, Soldier, Santa Bag or “Holiday House” tags -- all 2 x 4 in size and custom printed. Tags come in a cello 8 pack and are reasonably priced at $5.50 per pack.

Coordinate your holiday tags with fifteen (15) holiday cards/envelopes, beautifully presented in a gold box, with Merry Bird ribbon to give as a gift or mail out to your family and friends. The July holiday card line includes: Soldiers: Merry Christmas/Happy Holiday, Santa’s Bag, Bells: Can you hear them ring?

Note cards, holiday tags and custom stationery are available to purchase and shipped to you with a click of a paypal button. All Cello wrapped and Boxed Note cards are standard size 4.25 x 5.5 folded.

Vendors and buyers are welcome to contact The Merry Bird…pen, ink and design at info@themerrybird.com to receive a “buyer flyer” to view cards and place holiday orders.

Eco-friendly products going mainstream

12:00 AM CDT on Wednesday, April 9, 2008
By MARIA HALKIAS / The Dallas Morning News


Attention, tree huggers: Your values aren't so exclusive anymore.

Earth Day 2008, on April 22, marks a paradigm shift in the social consciousness of America as mainstream retail makes it easier for consumers to live a greener lifestyle.Merchandise that appeals to the environmentally conscious no longer requires a trip to a specialty store but is as close as the neighborhood shopping center. That means all the trappings of a green lifestyle are also becoming more affordable for middle America.

Move over President's Day and weekend early bird sales. Shoppers: Prepare to hear the new mantra as the mall turns green this month.

Organic cotton bath towels and sheets and Arizona jeans made from recycled denim are available at J.C. Penney. An eco-friendly tote bag designed by Fossil Inc. is among the products coming to Macy's, and next month Target will stock its first eco-friendly, limited-edition designer collection.

Product manufacturers from Coca-Cola to Keds sneakers to Dell computers are pushing recycled materials and ways to offset your carbon impact.

With Earth Day's roots dating to the 1960s, consumers have seen plenty of eco-friendly fads and trends over the years.

Is the timing right to broadcast this marketing message?

"This time, it's a shift," said Mary Brett Whitfield, senior vice president at TNS Retail Forward. The firm surveyed consumers in November 2006 and last January on various brands and retailers and their commitment to social responsibility.

Consumers said that issues such as reducing waste and supporting recycling were more important to them in the most recent poll, Ms. Whitfield said.

Even as the economy weakened between the two polls, consumers said in January that they were willing to pay a little more for a product that met some aspect of social responsibility, such as being energy-efficient or packaged to reduce waste.

Those consumer attitudes are making niche products more widely available, she said.

"What's happening now is not about mainstream America becoming more green; what we're seeing now is making green products more mainstream," said Raphael Bemporad, principal and co-founder of BBMG, a market research firm that has published a new report on the conscious consumer.

About 60 percent of Americans already identify themselves as socially responsible, he said. The most dedicated 10 percent are willing to be inconvenienced; the next 20 percent share the same values as the most dedicated but are less likely to make trade-offs; and the next 30 percent say they'll switch if performance, quality and price are delivered.

Companies are figuring out more ways to go green and save money at the same time. In reality, Wal-Mart got on board with the ultra-concentrated detergent in smaller bottles because it cost less, but if Wal-Mart does it, consumers take notice, Ms. Whitfield said.

Wal-Mart's campaign to get Americans to replace their light bulbs with more energy-efficient curly fluorescents has also had an impact.

In its January poll, Retail Forward asked consumers which retailers they believed were committed to sustainability and social responsibility initiatives. For the first time, Wal-Mart jumped ahead of Whole Foods Market, she said.

In BBMG's poll, Wal-Mart ranked third, behind Whole Foods and Newman's Own.

Although eco-friendly awareness has gone mainstream, the dangers that manufacturers and retailers face with such claims is that they can't just be buzzwords, Mr. Bemporad said.

"That means more skepticism, and authenticity is more important than ever," he said.

"There will be a huge backlash if marketing claims and how a company behaves don't match."

Honey Moon Thoughts For The Bride and Groom

Make Your Own Slideshow | More Slideshows

"Ring Them Bells!"

Wedding Season is right around the corner!
Walk down the isle in style and don’t forget to make your guests know it by sending a custom invitation that says it all!

June 2008 The Merry Bird will showcase its Annual custom, pen and ink Bridal Stationery Line. Find new ideas that will not go out of fashion! Allow The Merry Bird to fly in and decorate your invitation with a quality and uniqueness you can only find with The Merry Bird. Enter your bridal info here: http://www.themerrybird.com/wedding.html
Have your own idea? Let The Merry Bird take it and bring your dream invitation to fruition for you. Let’s “Ring them bells!”

And The Winner is.....

The Merry Bird...pen, ink and design
presents winner :

Huckleberry

Owner: Lynne Flood

Runner Up

Benny

Owner: Dan Johnson

Honorable Mention

Kira
Owner: Helen Onulak

Special Thanks to Contest Judges:

Lisa Guarino of:

and

Ginger Marks of DocUmeant Designs
http://www.documeantdesigns.com/

Leaping Doggies! Who Won?

Leap over to http://www.the-merry-bird.blogspot.com/ on February 29 to see

which of the adorable doggies in The Cutest Merry Bird Dog Contest won the prize

for being too cute in pen and ink!

Pick your favorite doggie in the window and see if the judges agree!

http://www.themerrybird.com/contest.html