Small Shop Resources

April 29, 2022

Where are all my small business friends at? I have built such a strong connection to so many other small shops on here where I seek and give advice. Cultivating community among makers has made some of the small business ups and downs easier.

Are you looking to bring your business to a new level? In this blog post, I will be walking you through some of the companies we source our branding needs from and sharing our discount codes and connections so you can save money and time! (post includes some sponsored and affiliate links.)

First thing you need to do get started is open a Shopify account and begin your website! Yes, there are plenty of ways you could create a website for a lower price, but by using my link you will receive a credit to help get you started! I used Duda when for the first 6 months of our business but trust me, the features that Shopify offers you will save you so much time and keep your business automated! I wish I had just started with them to begin with. You can also sign up with Etsy and get 40 free listings, just send me an email! I will warn you though, Etsy has lots of fees.

Your next step is upgrading your tape. When we started we still weren't sure about box sizes so we started small with a big impact with branded tape.

When we first started out, we were re-using amazon boxes/packed air from our friends and family and clear plastic tape. We were wrapping our products with tissue paper, bubble wrap, air pockets, you name it. Although the aesthetics of the packing was missing, we learned so much about our needs and how to launch ourselves forward into the full branding experience.

We want our customers to be as excited to receive their parcel as they are to open it and complete their nursery dreams with our nursery name scripts.

We use Sticker Mule for all our packaging tape needs. They take your order for custom products in seconds and get your products in days. They offer free proofs, free artwork help, free shipping. Click the link to save $12.50 on your next order!

We started with one black and white roll to match our business cards and now have expanded to multiple rolls of our branded coloured taped. The more rolls you purchase the better the savings are.

Next is our business cards. We ordered business cards before we did anything. We started with the standard 3.5 x 2" horizontal black and white, one sided card. We would write a quick thank you note on the back. Are they necessary? No, a handwritten note can be placed on any paper/card and is just as appreciated.

We have now moved to double sided square branded colour 2.5 x 2.5" business cards with our QR code on the back and we also use 4 x 6" double sided postcards. This is where we have a static thank you note on the back and we hand write the customer's name at the top.

Business cards are expensive, but with Vistaprint, you can always wait for a sale. 30% off is great, but there are those golden opportunities to get 40% off. Wait for one of those to explore new branding options.

Lastly, after a few months in business, we ordered 1 size of box. It was very intimidating because we know our name scripts can be up to 30" long and 9" tall, so we had to get a very large box. Then there is the ECT (edge crush test) to consider. We choose the smallest quantity, 250 boxes. But after a while we realized the box we got was far too big and not suitable for our needs/costing us on shipping fees. We have free shipping in Canada and the USA so we needed to scale down.

That was when we were referred to Gerrity Corrugated. Our account manager, Rob, has been wonderful to work with. We now order 3 different size of boxes. Gerrity allows you to order small quantities of 250. However, they also offer bulk discounts for larger quantities, which once you have narrowed down your needs, can take advantage of the savings and begin to order 1000 count quantities.

Now let's talk social media, truly what keeps me the busiest with our small business. I use Later for all our social media scheduling. By using the link here, you can get up to 10 free extra posts!

I hope this gives you a few new ideas on how you can get your business started and where you can expand too!