FROM THE POET's PEN
In 1994, as a poet I had an idea. Probably not a new idea, but it was new to me. There was one of my poems that I new had some depth to it and I knew it was as good as “Foot Prints In The Sand.” What sparked this idea was walking through a new store called “Kinko’s.” On their walls they displayed some decorative paper. I envisioned my poem printed upon some of that paper. So, I typed it up and then had it transferred on to one of those decorative prints. Next, I walked out on the street just a few feet away from the shop and ask a man if he would like to read my poem. He said, “Sure.” I handed him a copy. He read it. Then I said, “you can have that copy for $1.00.” He just reached into his pocket and pulled out a $1.00, and gave it to me. I started that afternoon with 5 copies on decorative paper. 2½ months later I had grossed $1,000.00 in just the sale of that one poem. And that was just one-on-one direct sales. I knew that I had something. I got busy working with other poems I had written as well. In about two years, not only had I saturated my local market, but my efforts sparked other poets in my area to do the same. So, my local market played out so to speak. I knew that if I could somehow enlarge my market, I could do well just publishing and selling my writing. Another poet from Natchitoches, Louisiana heard about my business of selling my poetic works and sent me a letter enquirring of me as to how I do it. She also asked me if I could handle hers. Below is a copy of the text of the letter I sent her in return in September of 1997.
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ORIGINALLY WRITTEN SOMETIME IN 1996
First of all, Bob’s Poetry Shop is, at present, merely a business name in which I conduct business using my poetry as the basis of a product line. I’ve created most of my product line through using the equipment and the materials housed at places like Office Depot, Kinko’s, etc…; and utilize the services of the same. For large orders I utilize the services of a local print shop.
It all started with one poem entitled, “Two Buds,” which I developed into a decorative frame-able print. Then I went door-to-door commercially selling copies of just this one print. After 2½ months, I had sold over 1,000 prints of that poem, one print at a time. That market test was a huge success; so I started developing more poems into the same type of product, and found that they also began to sell. Then I found I could sell laminated prints of the same. Now, I’ve published a book, and my newest product line is calendars and bookmarks.
Right now, I’ve been operating a licensed business with virtually no overhead (no building, no machine maintenance, no electric bill, etc…) for the last year. I’ve actually been selling this product line for more than four years now. Don’t get me wrong. I do have plans to build a shop that would house two computers, a laminator, a binder, and sufficient storage space to operate a publication and distribution business. At present though, the physical shop is merely a dream, a goal that I’m reaching for. Right now it is just a part time business; because I also work a full time job at KFC here in Alexandria.
So far, my most profitable method of distribution has been direct sales; although I do have some books in stores such as Books-A-Million, white Steeple books and Music, King’s Emporium, and the Baptist Book store. I am also planning on using the Internet as well. I’ve tried distributing the poetry of two other writers in the past; but I’ve found that the biggest problem I have is tracking. I am currently not set up to tract sales sufficiently to produce or sell another author’s work. As soon as I am set up, I plan to do just that.
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