Cool Website for Trend Watching
I have to admit that keeping up with the business is difficult enough without trying to keep up with the new & upcoming trends. Whether it’s trends in styles, manufacturing systems, or consumer buying - it’s hard to keep up. Lucky for me, another mompreneur posted a link to a great trend watching site - which just happens to have a very timely article right now on “manufacturing locally”.
Oh, that’s us! We’re “Made in the USA”. The article is worth skimming over, if not reading in it’s entirety. The trend watching site looks like it’s a great trend resource, an easy click away, for us busy entrepreneur’s.
I have to say I felt a sense of pride when I read the part of the article where it says:
“(STILL) MADE HERE encompasses new and enduring manufacturers and purveyors of the local. In a world that is seemingly ruled by globalization, mass production and ‘cheapest of the cheapest’, a growing number of consumers are seeking out the local, and thereby the authentic, the storied, the eco-friendly and the obscure.”
We are not competing on price. We are competing on quality, materials, and style. And, I do believe that it’s taken a longer time to kick start a company that is based on high-end products, because we’ve have to build the brand up enough for people to believe that our products are worth the higher price point. But we’re getting to the point where we have to do less and less convincing and more and more people are buying.
The three big “drivers” for consumers seeking out the locally-made are:
- Social / Eco Responsibility
- Status
- Support
So, if you are manufacturing locally, considering how you are meeting the needs and desires of your target consumer in the above areas. I can say that one of the big drivers for me personally to manufacture locally was to provide jobs here. It’s not like we can take credit for any great number of jobs yet, but our personalized blankets provide work for hard working moms in our community, so it’s a start. I also have control issues, and the thought of having our stuff made in massive quantities far from my peering eyes gives me hives. Not really, really, really - but I’m not wanting or ready to go there.
So it’s refreshing to read an article that confirms the consumers are willing to believe it’s worth it to buy stuff that is made locally..and it also confirms my belief that quality and good service will make a difference in the long run.
Add comment June 16th, 2007