Marketing Home Products

Last week’s International Builders Show in Las Vegas drew a lot of attention to the home and building industry, the housing market and economy. I was fortunate enough to sit down with the Carey Brothers and Rebecca Cole as they broadcast their national radio show “On the House.” Their radio segments gave listeners an insider’s look at the show, including the newest products and popular trends within the industry. Listen here for the scoop! (I chime in about 1:40 into the clip)

http://www.onthehouse.com/whatsnew.php

In today’s world where living a green life is all the rage and eco-friendly is labeled on every other product in the store, more and more people are looking for ways to sustain the earth, whether by shopping for groceries at the local farmers market or printing business cards on recycled paper. It’s no surprise that sustainable design has become the norm both professionally and personally. Major companies are joining the bandwagon, marketing products that are not only eco-friendly, but also perform better, saving time and money (think high efficiency washers and dryers). The catch is that consumers can lead the green life they seek while also saving precious money on their utilities. And, some of these products offer tax credits. What more could you ask for?

http://knackstudios.blogspot.com/

In a professional setting, especially in marketing and advertising, many clients are opting to print business cards, brochures and other collateral on papers dedicated to the environment. Neenah Paper offers a great line of papers called Neenah Green that promises to make clients feel like they are really making a difference. With papers that are FSC and Green Seal Certified, 100 percent Post Consumer and more, Neenah Green boasts a tagline that speaks volumes—“Effecting Change One Project at a Time”—and will make any client jump for joy if they are at all interested in changing their carbon footprint…even if it’s just something simple like printing business cards on paper that is manufactured without chlorine. Plus, Neenah does all of the hard work by providing a downloadable presentation containing a great list of terms that explains each of their green papers and certifications and how they benefit the earth. Green really has become easy.

Beyond just giving back in the workplace, eco-chicks (and fellows) may also want to fill their homes with locally grown produce, repurposed furniture and ethically-made jewelry. There are plenty of products to satisfy their needs. Knack Studios, a home furnishings design studio based in Greenville, S. C., offers repurposed furniture and found objects restyled to fit in with a modern, urban lifestyle. Barb Blair, founder and owner, has a superior eye for detail and a real talent for seeing an old, and sometimes broken, piece of furniture’s potential. With hours of sanding, painting and gluing, Barb can transform any item into a lovely work of art. In a recent blog post, a beautiful light fixture is pictured. Made of metal, the faint hint of rust and peeled paint pair perfectly with glass teardrops from an old chandelier. Barb reveals in the post that the light is made from reclaimed garden fencing. It doesn’t get much more eco-friendly than that.

Bario-Neal is another company committed to ethical practices. Based in Philadelphia, Bario-Neal makes jewelry that is handcrafted from reclaimed metals, ethically sourced stones and low-impact and environmentally conscious practices. Its jewelry is quaint, simple and often pretty, however, much of what they create has a rustic and industrial flair. From a knotted ring to lace hoop earrings, Bario-Neal is far from flashy, mixing brass with recycled yarn and often using rough diamonds for engagement rings. The best part is its packaging. Jewelry comes in recycled glass bottles and muslin bags, and fine jewelry and engagement rings come in wooden boxes. Imagine opening a package that is 100 percent committed to the earth. What’s more is that one percent of Bario-Neal’s proceeds go to the Association for Responsible Mining.

There are certainly other ways to live green: solar panels, organic foods, buying locally. Your dogs can even wear recycled collars made from old belts. What does living green boil down to? Most of the rave of having an eco-friendly existence isn’t about the label, but about feeling good by helping sustain the earth. I know that when I shopped at my local farmers market, it made me feel great. Consumers are moving in a new direction, and industries are following them, changing the way companies develop and market their products.

What are you doing to live green?

Handmade gifts have always been both charming and meaningful. Although the popularity of mass-produced and manufactured items is still the norm, a new trend has emerged that returns to basics: crafting, DIY (do it yourself) projects and handmade items, as well as traditional forms of art, including sewing and knitting. The popularity of this craft phenomenon has revealed a tight knit group of artists and designers who are seeing big success as small business owners.

What’s so great about handmade? Consumers are attracted to one-of-a-kind pieces to give as gifts to friends and family or as furniture to fill their homes. The difference being the exclusivity and uniqueness—something you would never find in Pottery Barn or Bloomingdales. Plus, customers are blown away by the intimate customer service from the designers themselves. Who knew you would actually speak one-on-one with the person responsible for their design? With this new trend comes plenty of resources for anybody interested in establishing themselves as an artist, including books detailing the process of turning a hobby into a business and an online market for artists and consumers to buy and sell goods. It’s easier than ever to bring an idea to reality.

Etsy is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of handmade. I discovered it on a whim as I was looking for unique dog tags, and I haven’t looked back. Since then, I have enjoyed discovering new artists and reading new content in the community section. Sellers number in the hundreds of thousands and span the globe from more than 150 countries. Etsy was founded in 2005 by Rob Kalin, Chris Maguire, Haim Schoppik and Jared Tarbell. Their mission “is to enable people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers.” Considering the success that Etsy has seen over the past four years, they’ve succeeded. One of the most important aspects of the site is spreading the word that success is attainable. Many sellers have quit their day jobs to sell on Etsy full time. That says a lot, especially in this economy.

One of the best books out there for making a business with handmade crafts and the one most recommended by Etsy sellers, is Craft Inc.: Turn Your Creative Hobby Into a Business by Meg Mateo Ilasco. Having owned a successful wedding invitation business and currently owning a housewares and gift business, Ilasco knows the ins and outs of starting and operating a business and what it takes to actually succeed. Beyond the glamour and superficiality, Ilasco touches on the more difficult and realistic aspects of starting a business, from obtaining a business license to sourcing materials and vendors. Plus, the personal stories from real artists and designers will not only inspire you, but teach you how they overcame challenges in their own business ventures, from selling products for too little to what marketing techniques didn’t work. Ilasco’s book is something that every designer (at any level) should own. You will refer back to it again and again.

What does all of this handmade stuff mean? Faythe Levine, director of “Handmade Nation,” a film documenting the emerging arts and crafts community, thinks that there is no end in sight for the growth of handmade. “I think that there are a number of reasons why there has been a resurgence in craft and handmade, including people appreciating things made by hand, wanting to take time with family and friends making things in groups and the empowering feelings one gets after finishing a project,” she said. “I think that there is no end in sight for the community, and the contagious feeling people get from seeing each other’s work will push our movement forward.”

And that’s just it. When you find an item that just agrees with you, the urge to create just takes over.