“Constructively” trashing our style
Here’s the email (word-for-word), that I woke to Saturday morning:
Hello. I just thought that seeing as you’re aspiring for a successful online baby boutique that a potential customers comments might be of interest.I am currently looking for gifts for about three different mom’s to be….. At first glance my thoughts are as follows: The “baby fabulous” logo and colors are unappealing and not high end “boutique” enough IMO…a little gimmicky to be honest, the blankets are great but could be featured and showcased so much better - colors are not as great as they could be, sizing for the “tea” onsies is immedietely a turn off…. why not just go with typical sizing that everyone’s familiar with? You’re losing people with that despite the sizing chart…. people don’t like to have to click any more than they have to. That made me not want to buy. Your graphic onsies are unappealing as a whole…… the graphics themselves look cheap and “run of the mill”. Again, not near the “boutique” level that I gather you are trying to reach.
Sorry if this seems harsh, but judging from your blog…. you need honesty and frankness. The only other thing that I can say is that you seem to doubt yourself WAY too much. Set your sites, take critisism constructively and just DO whatever it is that you’ve set your sites on. There’s nothing holding you back. You’ve got so much of it together, but you still doubt yourself every other step…. it will take you twice as long to get there at this rate of insecurity and doubtfulness. The ultimate goal will never be acheived unless you truly believe it can be a reality and you just get it done!
Of course, receiving an email like this sets off a bunch of emotions, but I’ve opened myself to critisicm all my life (from talent shows and creative writing courses to editing for the college newspaper), so no big deal. The thing is that there is a difference between constructive criticism and unconstructive criticism.
Here’s the good critique I can twist out of this email:
- It would be great if you could have better product pictures.
- It would be great if you could offer more color and print choices for your blankets.
Otherwise, if you don’t like our style, walk on by. We’re not aiming to please everyone, and we have no grandiose delusions that our style would be the first ever that everyone loves.
As far as doubting myself too much, I strongly agree and disagree. No one who “holds themselves back” could’ve designed, developed, and launched their own products. Not to mention that within one year of business we have a strong customer base, celebrity clientele, and we can boast of numerous positive product reviews on television, in national print publications, and online. And that is all within our first year of business. It’s true I beat myself up for not doing more all the time, and I always believe I can go stronger and longer and do it better. This is why we’ll succeed. But I also believe it’s important to pay attention to my spirit and my family and spend time with them - in the end, it’s going to be the memories that matter, not how fast we sky-rocketed to success. So I forgive myself too for not getting more done all the time.
I share my doubts and struggles on this blog because those are the type of things that I feel are the most useful to share and what it helps me the most to vent about. It’s also a part of this blog that makes numerous people reach out to me and say “me too!!!” - (which, btw - I can not tell you how much that means to me- even if I can’t get around to answering all of you right away). Because I’m doing this alone too - learning as I go - and it’s so GOOD to know that others struggle too.
I’m REALLY not into putting on a false face for the world or showing only that side of me is strong and confident, - that me that walks into boutiques and sells my own products, that meets celebrities face-to-face with the full belief that they will LOVE our stuff, that me that knows I’m the best or I wouldn’t be attempting this at all. It’s more important to me to share the reality of being a first-time entrepreneur, and so this blog naturally centers around the hard parts of this venture and the mental struggles (and thus strength) it takes to keep going.
PS. I HAVE to add that those “unappealing” graphic onesies and tees she mentions have absolutely been selling like mad!
18 comments October 19th, 2007