A TINY TALE:

HOW A CLIENT, A BIT OF SUPPORT, AND A DEADLINE CAN LEAD TO PROGRESS.

In 2010 I was proposed to in a very romantic manor. This led me to create the wedding of mine and my now husbands dreams. It was clear early on that saying I do would not be the end to my new found wedding obsession. 

You see I was lucky enough to be a ‘Real Bride’ on Rock My Wedding and I loved it! I loved everything about planning our wedding. It was my life for a year and a half. So shortly after my return from honeymoon Doris Loves was created I had my first client who hired my handmade mismatched chair covers. All was exciting.  But the wedding blues hit in. I didn't want to look at the wedding blogs that had become a part of my everyday life. I didn't want to see all the great ideas that I hadn't used. So I let it side. Life got in the way. Something tragic occurred to us.

Doris Loves wasn't even on my radar.

BUT then…

…a series of interlinking events occurred: Out of the blue a lovely lady called Verity got in touch and inquired about hiring my temporary tattoo station. So a quote was sent her way. Suddenly the brain began to tick. Conversations were held between my husband and I. Before we knew it, we were designing a brand new tattoo station. Around the same time a chance meeting had happened between Helen from Doily Days and myself. She appeared to take an instant interest in Doris Loves and gave me some exposure on Twitter and Facebook as well as using one of my photos in her Love Sussex Weddings article. The bug had well and truly bit this time.

So what next? My confidence was well and truly up. I needed some new and bigger exposure. So I started to investigate wedding fairs. Belles Events stuck out like a gold sequin in a bag of dull black buttons. So after a few emails I had signed up for not one but two events. The first was in February, Belles Bridal Boot Fair. So there I had it, the missing piece in my excitement bubble: A DEADLINE.

I went from designing to making a new tattoo stand. Then a range of brand new lit up signs, some branded stationary and a wedding fair stand.

I started to use Twitter and Facebook. I updated my website.

So in a little over a few months I have gone from about 13 followers to over a two-hundred on twitter. From no bookings to three. From no exposure to an article all about Doris Loves on The Bijou Bride and mentioned on Rock My Wedding and well you reading this…

Is there a lot more to do? Yes. I’m only at the start of this journey. The first wedding fair went well but there's two more just around the corner. But I think I might be on to something and to say I’m excited… well it wouldn't really cover it!

Passion has returned, as has creativity. So I wanted to share this tiny tail with you all. For two reasons, that is that this tail is important to read from both sides.

A. that telling a small business that you like their ideas or hiring a small business could really end up leading them to get even a little bit bigger!

B. that if you are a small business don’t give up, and more importantly remember folks can’t tell you they like your business if they don’t know about it. Set up your Facebook page, link it with your Twitter feed and use it. Put the word out about your business, book a space at your local event fair. Make friends with other suppliers. It’s A LOT of work but well worth it.

  

BUT most of all DON’T LOSE YOUR PASSION. Because well it might just lead to something you love…