Read how one mom “Did it” with one of Bizymoms Bizyletter Career Kits
Liz: Lee-Ann, can you tell us a little about yourself and your family please?
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Lee-Ann Anastasakos |
Lee-Ann: I am a stay at home mom with two children ages 12yrs and 1yrs and I have a wonderful and very supportive husband. Previously, worked in administration for the Provincial Government. I enjoy being at home with my girls and love to be here when my 12 yr old comes home from school.
Liz: Have you had any other home businesses in the past?
Lee-Ann: No, I have never had another home business in the past. I have however, looked at several different types of home businesses and have been scammed by a couple. It really made wonder if there was something out there that was really legitimate.
Liz: What caught your interest about the Bizyletters Career Kit? Was it what was included, the website...
Lee-Ann: What caught my eye originally was the fact that there was ongoing support and a REAL help feature by people that actually respond to you, not some automated phone line. The kit itself was very interesting to me because it had everything you needed to get started basically it was “Turn Key”, I had to purchase a little bit of paper and a few stamps but that was it.
Liz: Why the interest in the Santa Letter Business?
Lee-Ann: I thought the idea was incredible and everyone I have spoken to can't believe that there isn't more of that type of business out there. I Love to work with children and there is nothing more satisfying than a parent telling me how much their child loved their letter and how the kids would feel when they received their special little gift.
Liz: Was it hard learning the business? From when you bought the kit, how long until you had opened your doors for business?
Lee-Ann: Well, the business itself was very easy after I read the ebook through and through. You can't just flip through the pages and hope to get started you have to actually read the information or you aren't helping yourself. I think I sold my first letter roughly 1-2 weeks after I bought the kit, I was really ready to get started but organization was the BIG key.
Liz: What kind of results did you think you'd get from selling the letters?
Lee-Ann: At first, I was a little skeptical of the kind of response I would get but then I started getting emails from friends and then family telling me what a great idea this was. Then I started getting orders from friends of friends and people that my family work with. It really was a little overwhelming but I kept a calm approach and things smoothly went into place and I couldn't be happier with the final outcome of the Christmas season.
Liz: How did you start to market the business?
Lee-Ann: For the most part I used family and friends. I sent a mass email to them all and asked that if they knew of friends and family that had children if they could pass the email along. That email had my website – www.bizyletters.com/kidskeepsakes.html, email address and a flyer type look about it, so I will assume that was advertising in itself. I also have a friend who owns a daycare center who handed out flyers to all of the parents. I also had my 12 yr old deliver flyers door to door and paid her $5.00 for each neighborhood she delivered to.
Liz: What did you learn about marketing the business?
Lee-Ann: I learned that you should never underestimate your family and friends. There is a lot of potential markets out there you just have to look a little. You can't sit at home and expect clients to come right to your door because it will take a little bit of effort on your part.
Liz: What type of feedback did you get from your clients?
Lee-Ann: I had amazing feedback from my clients, they really enjoyed the personalization that I did with their child's letter and some of the letters I added more information to them and they became two pages long. I had one client tell me her son was skipping all the way back from the mailbox telling her that he just got a letter from the North Pole. Quite comical really but wonderful feeling for me.
Liz: What are your plans of selling Bizyletters throughout the year? What holidays are you going to promote and sell?
Lee-Ann: I actually plan on doing Easter as my next big holiday and then from there I will be stopping by to visit a few dental offices to see if I can put some flyers there for the Tooth Fairy. Then I suppose it will be time for Halloween to get started and I have a few wonderful ideas for that season already.
Liz: What's the one thing you feel most proud in regards to the business?
Lee-Ann: I feel the most proud of the responses from the parents who are telling me what a wonderful job I am doing and how happy I have made their child or children. I have one mom that has 3 girls and I gave her a deal financially (it is tough with 3) and she was so thrilled with the letters as were her girls that they took their letters to school with them and they could concentrate on nothing else after reading them. That to me is worth it all. I am in business to be able to be home with my children and to try to make money to enjoy the time home with them, but when you get responses like that the money really doesn't matter at the moment. I also feel proud that “I Did It “ and I did it on my own, there is no greater feeling than success.
Liz: What's are some of your tips and suggestions to other moms wanting to start this type of business?
Lee-Ann: Take your time and look into the business fully before you make any decisions. Make sure you read all of the information provided and ask questions if you aren't sure. The worst mistake you can make is to not be ready. If you know you are ready and you have the time and are organized to be able to make it work, then go for it. With any of the Bizy Kits they all seem to be great but not every one of them suits every person. I personally enjoy the Bizyletters but may not enjoy some of the others, it is personal preference and it is up to you to make it work.
*If you'd like more information on Bizyletter Careers Kits visit: http://www.bizymoms.com/cart/careers/bizyletters_join2.html
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