Playing "Secret Agents"

Lanyapi.etsy.com

Today, I took a lesson from my preschoolers to heart and stepped into the role of a "secret agent" (sans oversized magnifying glass). Of course, I was really only window shopping, but as I visited several area stationary stores to review their wedding product offerings and asked the same questions of any interested customer who had an upcoming wedding to plan, I did feel a little bit like the female spy in any James Bond movie. I was cool, calm and oh so conversational. And I have to tell you - I learned A LOT: from the names of paper and stationary suppliers to the types of products that are hot with brides today to the brand of imprinting equipment they use. Nothing the salespeople wouldn't have shared with any other savvy customer, really, but I have a feeling if I'd waltzed in and announced that I was the owner of an up and coming stationary business and was here to snoop for ideas, I might not have been received as warmly. Of course, I have no plans to drive anyone out of business - if anything I hope to have my line stocked in their stores someday. I can't afford to attend the National Stationary Show (my dream destintation!) and I feel like I've bled the internet dry of any useful information regarding getting started in the stationary business so undercover research was the next logical step. Not only was it WELL worth my time, but I had FUN!