Read Part 1 of From Idea to Product – The 2022 Life Planner here.
The 2021 Digital Life Planner gave me the perfect template to develop what would become the physical 2022 Life Planner product. All designed using the Keynote app on my iPad {or accessed through iCloud on my laptop}. As I played around with designs I started asking for feedback from friends and family then created a 2022 Life Planner Testing Group on Facebook to run ideas past and get feedback on design and content.
By August 2021 I had a pretty good basis and felt ready to start offering pre-orders on Etsy with the aim of an October launch. This may have seemed early but in hindsight was the best {slightly impulsive!} decision I made as actually the process of getting my digital product to final print took A LOT longer than I had originally anticipated!
With encouragment, support and accountability from my business coach, friends and family I tackled barriers head on – nothing was going to stop me from getting this long awaited product finished and out onto the market!
The first main obstacle was finding a printer. I was keen to use a local company {literally 5 minutes from our home!} but after a slow start it became clear they couldn’t deliver what I needed. At this point I already had pre-orders coming in and time was starting to tick along. The same day I realised my first choice of printers couldn’t deliver I researched online UK printing companies – all of which had prices higher than my retail cost – until I came across bookprintinguk.
I put in a quote, ran the figures and spoke with their team online to ensure timescales etc. would work with my October launch date {by this time we were well into September} and hit the confirm button. A couple of protoypes, amendments and changes to materials later and I was finally happy to place my first bulk print order. Around the same time I purchased personalised stickers, thank you cards and business cards from Vistaprint and pink tissuepaper, padded envelopes and magnetic bookmarks from Amazon.
By November the first bulk order had sold out apart from a few copies I set aside for as a demo, giveaway prize in collaboration with Oh So Melty and Beads Bows and Buttons {coming soon!} and stock for a Christmas market in early December. I am now about to order a second batch ready for pre-Christmas deliveries and already have 5 orders to process from this secnd batch. I have also started showing the demo and handing out business cards around local businesses and sending out PR copies to influencers I know and love on Instagram. Feedback so far has been really positive and {although I have been using a prototype for myself} I’m really looking forward to starting 2022 with my own {literally!} new sparkly planner!
Next steps
So what’s next? There has definitely been learning steps along the way and things I would do differently/better next time around – including properly researching and actually having a strategic, marketing and launch plan – rather than just following my nose BUT at the same time I’m proud of myself for taking action, navigating challenges and ultimately making my “little” idea a reality.
Plus I have plenty more ideas in the pipeline including starting work on the BH&H 2022-23 Academic Planner….. Stationary lovers watch this space!
Find out more about and order your own 2022 Life Planner here!
Coming up
I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s Blogmas post. Come back or subscribe to receive the next post of the Blogmas 2021 series directly to your inbox.
Day 3: Me, my mind and I – the why behind the 2022 Life Planner
Ellie
Order your 2022 Life Planner now here!
Business Health and Home 