Remember Waterbeds?

Hey, check the internet, they’re still around. In 1985 they were big. The top and bottom waterbed sheets were sewn together at the foot, so they were really big too. Almost a laundry load by themselves.

Our smallish southern cut and sew factory client competed well in the bed covering business but waterbed sheets was a niche they had not penetrated. The large department store buyers wouldn’t give him the time of day. “We need something unique and there’s nothing special about two sheets sewn together” he said, “got any ideas?”  In less than three weeks we gave him the idea, name, logo and packaging concept that increased his sales by 35%. 

His response to our simple idea? “Why didn’t I think of that?” But what really blew him away was Macy’s stores buyer giving him an aisle kiosk for the exciting new “Button Ups” brand line of waterbed sheets.

Instead of a seaming them together, we suggested he sew buttonholes at the foot of one sheet and corresponding buttons on the other. You might think it was the mix and match tops and bottoms that made them an instant hit but it was the secondary sell point that really caught the female consumer – “May Be Washed Separately” clearly noted on the package cover. We designed it that way.

What could a fresh eye on an old problem be worth to you?

If there is a better way to market your company, we know it.

The Problem With Hog Hair

“The problem with hog hair is the awful smell when it heats up.” “Other than that,” he went on to say, “it is the best choice for high speed burnishing floor pads.” I overheard this at the Jan-San show. We were there in Chicago with our client. They manufactured the commercial cleaning pads he was talking about as did a half dozen others. For thirty years it had been a basic commodity in the trade. That was precisely the problem, commodity…along with the odor – especially noticeable in environments like medical centers. And that was the opportunity. Problem-opportunity, a perfect environment!

We gathered the client’s R&D team. Hog hair worked because of the texture and oily lanolin in the hair. “What if there was a similar product in the plant kingdom,” we asked? Our persistence led to coconut fiber, actually the strands inside the coconut hull. A few months later we introduced the coconut pad to the medical community. It was as good as hog without the smell and our client was the only one with it. Say goodbye to “commodity pricing.”

One final problem. Pasteurizing the fiber stripped away the delightful coconut smell. We suggested they add two drops of coconut extract to each pad when they packed them. “It will last long enough for the janitor to notice,” we reasoned, “he’s the one who will place the re-order anyway.” It worked. It’s still working.

If there’s a better way to market your company, we’ll know it.

Will 2009 Be a Good Year?

One of our favorite clients is a very engaging person who always looks for the positive. His Christmas cards this year reads:

(Cover)  "Will 2009 Be a GOOD year?"

(Page 2)  "Some say they will believe it when they see it."

(Page 3)  "Some say they will see it when they believe it."

(Page 4)  "We say it is all in where you place your believe. Merry Christmas."

Thanks Greg for helping us remember that life isn't something that happens TO us but something that happens IN us. In these challenging economic times we can still choose to find optimism.

Happy New Year!