Embroider With Bee's Innovative Use of Custom Stickers in Her Branding
Embroidery…
What goes to your mind when you hear or read this word?
Does it sparks creativity and gives you excitement? Does it also make you think of possible embroidery designs or new patterns of stitches?
Embroidery can be your best hobby, pastime, or source of income by making it a small business.
“According to Market Watch, Embroidery is another way to personalise clothing apparel, fabric, or other materials using a needle to apply yarn or threads. Its global market size in 2022 was valued at USD 2729.09 million and is expected to increase at a CAGR of 13.11% during the forecasted period, reaching USD 5715.94 million by 2028.”
The covid-19 pandemic over the past three years has made a great pivot globally, mandating people to stay indoors. It becomes mentally excruciating because of the uncertainties and unknowns of what will happen next.
It leads people to continue doing their favourite crafts, discover new home-based hobbies, and venture into online business. And some find themselves doing embroidery to keep them sane.
This is where Embroider with Bee was born.
About Embroider With Bee
Bianca (Bee for short) is The Founder of Embroider With Bee, based in Christchurch. She creates intricate pieces of hand embroidery, designs and stitches original works, mainly inspired by nature and promoting positive mental health. Bee also teaches embroidery through patterns and workshops and accepts custom requests.
You can find her on Instagram for a simple design @embroiderwithbee and her online shop: embroiderbee.felt.co.nz
A little background before and after she got into embroidery...
Bee learned to knit, stitch, and embroider at a young age. She felt as though embroidering is her calling. Her mum and grandma are both crafty people. Growing up and watching them create crafty projects such as hand-made collectable teddy bear sparks her curiosity, especially when travelling to doll and bear shows with them.
She incorporated her skill into school projects and gave her loved ones a customised gift with a touch of embroidery. Until the first lockdown in New Zealand last July 2020 happened, her business Embroider With Bee was created.
At first, she wanted to be a Graphic Designer, so she studied Bachelor of Fine Arts major in Graphic Design and Bachelor of Arts. She did not pursue it, thinking that Fine Arts was not for her. So she focused on a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communications and graduated in 2020. She works in an office pursuing her career while side hustling on her small business.
Bee thinks that office work does not suit her. So she decided to take a leap and follow her heart's desire. And that is to make her small embroidery business full-time at the beginning of 2021.
The skills she learned while studying at university became helpful in her craft. Graphics design allows her to make designs and choose suitable colours. Her background in media and communication has come in handy in social media for online marketing strategies.
Fast forward to now, she is progressing in her craft and continues to be the best version of herself as an embroiderer and entrepreneur.
This is what she says when asked what would be her advice for those who want to start a crafty business…
"Just rip the bandaid off and start. It’s super easy to just ask yourself a whole bunch of ‘what ifs’, and the best way to learn is by doing. I launched myself into it by complete surprise, because the Arts Centre Market had a student special on stall prices, and it looked like fun. And here I am now because of it! It’s easy enough to do craft as a side hustle, so you don’t have to throw yourself in completely and quit your day job, feel free to dip your toes in and see where it takes you."
How the Innovative Use of Custom Stickers Help Her Branding Strategy
Incorporating custom stickers in her business has been helpful in her branding tactics. To dig deeper in this section, let us find out how stickers become handy as part of her branding elements.
Boost Brand Recognition
A recognisable brand plays a crucial role and helps customers remember your product, especially your brand name. This is where Embroider with Bee incorporated custom stickers as part of her branding elements. She understands the number of embroiders around, so the competition is tough.
Being able to create a mark in this industry helps boost brand recognition. Bee uses a sticker sheet with her stamped logo design. Plastering them in every product packaging will inform the customers where the parcel is coming from even before they unbox it.
Personalised Packaging
Giving your customers a unique experience when interacting with your brand can help build an emotional connection. One way to do that is by personalising your product packaging. It can set you apart from the others, plus a recognisable brand.
Bee understands this very well, so she ensures that her product presentation represents well on her craft. She uses stickers for brand recognition and includes thank you business cards cards with personalised messages.
Word-of-Mouth Referral
A happy and satisfied customer cannot resist not to share the best experience they have with your brand with their friends and family. Custom stickers can start a trend, spark conversation, and ignites word-of-mouth referral.
It is a cheap marketing tool, proven and tested by many small or large businesses to work. It helps introduce your product to other unaware customers about your brand’s existence.
Offline Marketing
While online marketing strategy remains at its peak when looking for potential leads, never underestimate the power of offline marketing. Traditional advertising and print marketing tools never go out of style. Stickers have been around for many decades already.
Plastering stickers anywhere is great offline advertising that does not cost much. Their versatility makes it easier for you to use them as promotional stickers, customised packaging, freebies, giveaways, or a portable mini billboard.
Cost-effective
Stickers are a cost-effective tool used in a marketing campaign or for personal use. This tool has helped Bee in her branding because it also gains impact on her product presentation. It is best to consider the expenses and their effect before you invest in any promotional tool.
Ensure that your design is reflective of your business and brand personality. Stickers and other kinds of advertising tools serve as your business representative. It can make or break your business depending on its perceived value.
Conclusion
Embroidery is a profitable business and an excellent home-based hobby that is good for your mental health. You can check Embroider With Bee's social media and online shop for embroidered products or want to attend her workshop.
And if you are looking for a marketing campaign tool or for other projects, we can help you bring that vision to life with our custom-printed stickers.
