Episode 120 - Managing Multiple Brands with Laura Richey

Juggling multiple brands as a small business owner can be tricky. Listen to how Laura Richey manages marketing, aesthetics, and customer service with her paper art brands.

You have a fantastic new paper idea. It’s innovative. People are going to love it.

The only problem? It’s a little off-brand for you. It relates to your paper flower business, but it’s different enough that you’re not sure if you can market it all together.

You might need a brand new brand.

Next problem? How in the world do you manage more than one brand?

In our latest episode of Paper Talk, we chatted with Laura Richey of Pucker Up Paper Lips and 2 CLVR Designs. On top of her paper flowers and lip sculptures, she has also started creating paper portraits. Her art is all related, but appeals to different audiences and needs to be handled accordingly.

Here’s what you’ll learn when you listen to our conversation:

► Laura’s paper journey and how it led to sculptures and portraits.
► How to get found by big brands who want to work together.
► How to source paper despite shortages and shipping problems.
► Laura’s process for frequently checking in with customers to ensure they’re happy with the end product.
► How to tell when it’s time to pay for marketing or other outside help.

As a little sneak peek, here are three things to get you ready to branch out with multiple brands.

Be Prepared for Opportunities

As we chatted with Laura, we noticed a thread running through her work. She is a cardstock paper artist. She has over a decade of experience working with that medium. That expertise is invaluable when opportunities arise.

On the episode, Laura explained how Pucker Up Paper Lips took off. Without spoiling the entire story, her circumstances changed, opportunities arose, and she had the experience to be prepared to seize the moment. The paper lips were still related to what she is skilled at (working with cardstock), but different enough to warrant a new brand.

“Why can’t I do that with paper?” - Laura

If you’re waiting for your break, or you feel like you’re stuck in a rut, keep innovating. Keep learning new things. Better your skill set. You want to be as prepared as possible for when an opportunity does come up. Otherwise, it doesn’t really matter if you get a chance if you’re not ready for it.

Be Available in Many Places

With three brands comes three audiences. Some of those clients will overlap. Some come from more niche markets. Even within a single market for one brand, customers are individuals. As Laura pointed out on the podcast, some people are more comfortable with emails, others with Instagram DMs, etc.

If you’re looking to expand your sales, then you need to meet people where they are. Your paper art should be in more than one place on the internet, and you should get your work physically in front of people.

To find the best places to be, you should understand your target customer base. On the episode, Laura discussed how her clientele differs for her various brands. Listen now to better understand who you should be seeking out.

Get Outside Help When Needed

Laura shared that she is now working with a PR company to better market her businesses. This wasn’t an easy decision for her to make, and as we discussed, it isn’t the answer for everyone.

Sometimes, however, you simply don’t have enough time to run your business, or you don’t have the skills for a particular need. That’s when it’s time to hire someone. You of course should be mindful of what you’re spending, but if you do this well, you’ll keep making money even while outsourcing some parts of your business.

“Taking a leap with your business is definitely something I recommend.” - Laura

Listen to the episode to hear Laura’s very sound reasoning for why she decided to work with a PR company, and how to know when it’s time to hire someone to help your small business grow.

Also, here's the PDF format for THE WHY WORKSHEET that you can download for free.

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ABOUT Laura Richey:

Hi, I'm Laura. I started my business during the Covid pandemic in mid 2020. I needed a business that was flexible and that I could manage during online schooling and taking care of my son, who has ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder). I created the Paper Lip business from the ground up. I have seen so many amazing makeup artists doing lip art that I thought, why can't I do something like that in a form of lip sculpture? Pucker Up Paper Lips was born.

Learn more about Laura Richey by following her on social media:

INSTAGRAM: www.instagram.com/puckerup_paperlips and www.instagram.com/paper_portraits_2clvr_designs

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/ByLaurax0x0 and www.facebook.com/2clvrDesigns

WEBSITE: puckeruppaperlips.com and www.2clvrdesigns.ca