'What is my purple cow?', they asked.
'What is a purple cow? I deal in sheep!', I replied.
Wendren filled us in... Seth Godin, probably most well known for his "Purple Cow' book in the US, is the inspiration for this blog post. Seth believes that all successful businesses have a "remarkable" asset - like a purple cow in the middle of a field of Jersey cows, something that stands out and makes us unique. This purple cow can be a product, an ethos or a service and is something that we should work hard to maintain.
'Oh', I said. 'Now I'm sure I have something, regardless of scale in it's success... I'm not sure I know what it is though?' and off I went to ponder it... crossing my fingers that there was something to write about!
How did I get on? Well, I know what I'd like it to be... my ethos, but the measure of it's sucess is in eye of the beholder, the customer... so while I can clearly gauge a product or a sevice that I do well with the ethos idea is somewhat harder to gauge... especially if you are an on-line business... you don't see the customer... so I guess I will go on what feedback I have had and my vision of what it is to me.
There are many fibre and equipment suppliers in the wool industry, both here in the UK and overseas and while some may have better colour selections, prices, or product ranges as a whole many of them stick generally to retail. Very few offer sidelide services that make them more than just a supplier. I'm hoping my purple calf (still growing up, you see!) is my learning centre. With particular focus on my social network/community sites for feltmakers and spinners (http://workingwithfelt.ning.com and http://spinningweb.ning.com). The customers who I have spoken to have been very complimentary about the sites.
I guess what will turn these calves into true sucessful purple cows, will be how I can turn the site into a selling platform without interferring in the community spirit... afterall I am a supplier first and foremost!
Sara x
http://www.sarastexturecrafts.com/
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This post was part of a blog Merry go Around, where I have got together with some friends to talk about a similar subject on the same day... a nice way to meet people!
Jenny at Jenny Karlsson design http://designjennykarlsson.blogspot.com/
Wendren at Wren http://thewrendesign.com/
Sara at Sara's Texture Crafts http://sarastexturecrafts.blogspot.com/
Charlotte at Fancy Picnic http://fancypicnic.blogspot.com/
Lily at Lily Pang Art http://lilypangart.blogspot.com/
Marianna at Florcita http://florcitasart.blogspot.com/
Agathe at Le Bar du Vent http://lebarduvent.blogspot.com/
Fabienne at Easterya http://easterya.blogspot.com/
Ruth at Birdland Creations http://insidetheartisan.blogspot.com/
