Good morning
@Tanu1234 from Oz,
Thank you for your very kind words.
How do we handle competition?
When I key in the search term ironing board cover/s into Google Australia, I'm told there are 19 million results that answer to the search term.
I have always operated in a very intensely competitive marketplace. Anyone can make an ironing board cover. And then sell it.
I have several advantages over everyone else in my market niche.
I have a background in direct marketing. So deeply understand the value of a database.
Because I worked Saturdays as a sales assistant in a department store from the age of 13 until the age of 17, when I left for university, I also intuitively understand that the customer I have in hand. And nurture as a friend and ally. Is more valuable to me than a customer who orders once. And never hears from me again except to ask them to buy again.
From the first sales I made in 1994 for my Fitz Like A Glove™ Ironing Board Cover. Either from mailorder ads in newspapers and magazines. Or from the 60,000kms a year we travelled for 14 years exhibiting at shows. I collected. And saved. Addresses. And later. Email addresses.
Using Australia Post. We mailed direct to customers until 2009. Frequently. And we made so many friends with my chatty newsletters. Brochures. And just plain down home messages to them that we love you and want to stay in touch.
In 2009, I stopped mailing because of the expense. And started emailing. The same messages. With the same frequency.
I developed a loyal customer base because I had the desire. And the skills. To devote to this labour intensive activity. I am not aware of anyone else in my industry doing this to the finite degree that I do. People want to do less work. Not more. In their business.
I also am a BIG user of the telephone. I am always struck by the surprise - and delight - I receive from customers/prospects who email me questions. And telephone them with the answers. No one uses the phone anymore other than to text. But to me. There is no replacement for the human voice in consolidating relationships.
Why don't people copy us?
There are several reasons why.
People copy a product because they think they can make it cheaper. And reap bigger profits by offering a copy at a lower price.
Our ironing board cover is difficult to make. And labour intensive. It's made with love and care in rural Australia by men and women who have a disability.
It can't be made cheaper in China. I've had people tell me they've priced it in China. And can't get a price low enough to compete with us.
We also keep our profit margins low. So it's not economically feasible to copy us. And make a bigger profit. Which is the main reason to copy a product.
When we started, we were thrown out of 3 sewing companies which employed able-bodied staff. To sum it up. The cover was a pain to make. Fiddly. We were too demanding. And no one wanted to work with us.
Why doesn't a competitor take it to another company who employs people with a disability? Because of the time it takes to train a person with a disability to do one task well. And only one task.
There are about 14 different men and women who have a disability who work on our products. Each person doing only one task. And then handing it over to the next person who's trained to do the next task.
We also have the slogan "Made with love and care in rural Australia by men and women who have a disability" locked up tight.
Our story - with our slogan - has been written about in every major publication in Australia. We've been featured on TV programs. Radio programs. In several countries. And will be featured on an international lifestyle program sometime in 2019. Filming was in September 2018.
Ironing board covers are a commodity product. No one thinks about them as anything important. You pop one into your shopping cart in the supermarket. Put it on your board. Complain about it. But go back and buy another cheapie.
We've dragged the humble ironing board cover out of the commodity bracket. And firmly placed it into the cult status bracket. For about a half a million people. All done with love. And care. For my customers.
There are roughly about 4 million ironing board covers sold every year in Australia. I don't want all those customers. I want the chosen few who appreciate quality. Are prepared to pay for it. And superb service. And who want to develop a relationship with me!
So I'm not encroaching on the territory of the cheap. I'm happy to let them have that market all to themselves. Therefore, I'm not seen as a threat to them.
To be truthful. Ironing board covers are low tech. Not glamourous. Associated with drudgery. Ironing is a hated chore. There are other market segments which are much more attractive to enter.
People still shake their heads in wonder that I can make a living out of ironing board covers.
Not many people are prepared to put in the labour of love that I do to create a thriving business out of something people hate doing.
I hope this answers your question
@Tanu1234. And thank you for reading my story. And being interested in what we do.
I wish you all the best. And hope to hear from you again. ~Carol❤