Five Things I Have Learned In Running My Wedding Stationery Business
There are so many elements that feature in running a successful wedding stationery business. There are of course, some practical elements but there is no single one “thing” that will get you there. Not all of these will be super-obvious, but they have helped me enormously in my first few years of business, and form part of a multi-strand strategy that is crucial to the foundations of my business. It has also helped me ensure I have sown the seeds for the years to come.
Know your worth
It is so easy when you are starting out to under-charge. Have you ever found yourself saying “oh, I’ll just charge X amount this time so I can get experience doing it”? Well, stop that! We are all of us always learning, and you are doing yourself a disservice in not charging your worth.
How would you feel if you got a referral and they expected the same rate? It makes it a much tougher mountain to climb. I am a firm believer in charging your worth and sticking your guns. If your potential client doesn’t bite, then they are not the right client for you. Which brings me onto…
Find your niche
There are countless stationers out there, but really that is no bad thing. It means there is pretty much something for every taste. But a super valuable lesson to learn is that you can do anything, but you can’t do everything. I made the decision very early on that I wanted to focus on letterpress, and only letterpress.
After all, there are a lot of digital designers infinitely more skilled at what they do than I am, but they don’t have my knowledge and expertise in letterpress printing. And even within that, there are so many styles that you can do. Your brand will stand out a lot more if you become known as the stationer who creates [insert your USP here].
Remember who you are selling to
This will also help with finding your niche! Work out who your ideal client is: what they do for a living, where they go on holiday, the kind of brands they like. Once you know this, you’ll instantly have a clearer idea of both the style of stationery to create, and how to talk to them. It’s a no-brainer.
Your competition is also your greatest support
Do not be afraid to befriend other stationers. On some levels it may sound counter-intuitive, but some of my best business support has been the letterpress and calligraphy community. There’s a “been there, done that” approach to issues, and they understand your business in a way that no one else can. My little gang will often bend over backwards to help a fellow stationer in need, too. Remember, these friendships need to be earned, though. When messaging fellow stationers on Instagram, take the time to introduce yourself and engage with their work on a regular basis before you ask anything of them.
A quick note on the competition: It is very easy to get FOMO or imposter syndrome when following other stationers, but remember: they are not you. They do not have the skills you have, and the things that make you special. While I have a lot of stationers in my network, it is only those whom I admire and have a relationship with, not anyone who makes me feel inferior or bad about myself. Positive friendships only!
You are only as good as the work you produce
As stationers, we are always growing. We constantly learn new ways to manipulate our design tools, and try new printing techniques. We find cardstocks and suppliers we love, and along the way also a few we wouldn’t use again. One stationer’s favourite supplier can be another’s nemesis. I don’t get on with a particular 100% cotton paper that a lot of letterpress printers swear by, but I’ve also found some I truly love.
Experimentation is a wonderful thing: investing a little money on creating sample designs will teach you a lot about the process, and I can guarantee that when you look back on your work in a year from now, you will never fail to be amazed by how much you have grown.
If you would like to grow your stationery business, I offer a number of mentoring options ranging from short and sweet to work through a particular issue, to longer and more immersive sessions.