The document outlines a discussion on developing a home-grown brand, Misala, focusing on handmade bags and purses, and emphasizes the importance of professional branding and management in a craft business. It details the journey of the brand from its inception in 2010 to becoming an internationally recognized online creator with over 1,000 pieces sold. Key strategies for marketing, pricing, and overcoming challenges in the UAE's craft market are highlighted, along with the mindset shift required from a hobbyist to an entrepreneurial craft seller.

1. Posed for Growth
A d i s c u s s i o n o n d eve l o p i n g
yo u r h o m e - g ro w n b r a n d
Misala Handmade Bags & Purses 2013
Saturday, January 19, 13

2. Discussion Outline
About misala
Starting up a home-grown
brand
Think outside the box to grow
your business
Saturday, January 19, 13

3. About Us
2009: Relocation to UAE
2010: Michelle started her craft projects at
home, targeting the local craft fair
2010 Q4: Opened Etsy Store
2011 Summer: Store management
taken over by Sanford
2012 Opened online store at www.pinkoi.com
Saturday, January 19, 13

4. 1000+ Pieces sold to 40
countries
Retail stockists in US, Canada
and Australia
Saturday, January 19, 13

5. Saturday, January 19, 13

6. Building your Brand
from the Ground Up
Saturday, January 19, 13

7. Business Management is Crucial!
Treat and manage crafty business with professionalism.
Once you have started selling online, you are not an
amateur any more!
If you are only selling to cover your costs, you are not
earning your well-deserved wages as a designer
Add values to your creation by managing your
brand professionally
Saturday, January 19, 13

8. Branding Theory
Core: Product
1st Layer: Presentation /
Brand Perception
2nd Layer: Pre- and Post-
Sales Customer Service
3rd Layer: Advertising for
Brand Awareness!
Saturday, January 19, 13

9. Properties of a Good Product
Uniqueness
Appealing Aesthetics
Craftsmanship and
Quality Control
Created with Best
Materials
Saturday, January 19, 13

10. Professional Craft
Jargons Techniques
Knowledge
Is the Key!
Sharing Gaining
with Colleagues Experience
Saturday, January 19, 13

11. Be Original!
Respect the intellectual rights of other designs
so they will respect you!
Source: http://www.littleoslo.com/cnt/home/hello-kitty-%E8%88%87-miffy-%E5%92%8C%E8%A7%A3
Saturday, January 19, 13

12. Marketing is a study on human psychology
Customers visits a shop with a specific purpose. Cater
to their needs to find the way to open their wallets.
Finding
Inspiration
Wanna Spend! Buying a Gift
Bookmarking
My friend Cute!!!
will love this
Saturday, January 19, 13

13. A Simplified Flow of a Visit to your Site
Page Loads
No
Lovely Products
I’m
Leaving
Yes
Now!
Seller No
Trust worthy
Yes
Well.. will think
about it
No
Fantastic Price
Yes
Where’s my Credit Card??
Saturday, January 19, 13

14. Product
Selection
Product /
Brand Story
Logo
Proper English
Website
Trust
Seller Policy
User Feedback
Saturday, January 19, 13

15. Online Promote in
Social Net work
Advertising Person
Nobody knows the great stuffs you are making if
you were working as an isolated island. Be a
lighthouse instead!
Saturday, January 19, 13

16. Growing Beyond a
Garage Business
Saturday, January 19, 13

17. Crafty Business in UAE
Cons Pros
Not the best environment to Mysterious Middle East
foster creativity
A central position in the world
High small business start-up
cost Small, highly concentrated city
for every needs
Not ideal postal system
High living standard
Higher cost of living compared
with Asian countries
Saturday, January 19, 13

18. Strengths: Weaknesses:
Creativity is limited only by Unstable and
imagination; many ways to unpredictable income
market and sell what you
do
Opportunities: Threats:
High growth of the Being copied
industry worldwide
Another economic crisis
Market in UAE is under-
developed
Saturday, January 19, 13

19. Production Cost（Hourly Wage＋Materials）x 2 ＝ Wholesale Price
Wholesale Price x 2 ＝Retail Price
Designer designing a killer product deserves top designer wage
Handmade should never compete with mass-produced products in
price
Cater to smaller wallets with different price points, not low pricing
Discounting is a power secret weapon and should always be used
with a marketing strategy and purpose. It should not be used as a
short-term boost to traffic.
Saturday, January 19, 13

20. Sales fluctuates seasonally depending on your market segment and
geographic location
In general, slow months are from April till October and are the best months
to develop your foundations. Your efforts will be realized between November
and March and sales will flow through if you were doing it all right.
Marketing and promotion strategies should consider the needs of customers
in the festive days, often requiring months of planning ahead of time.
Logistics should also be arranged early to ensure prompt delivery
Summer JAN
Back-to-School Halloween Valentine’s Easter
Break
APR JUL OCT Thanksgiving APR
Christmas & New Year
Saturday, January 19, 13

21. Open Up Your Mind
Be aware of world news and have a thought about how
they can affect world economy.
Look globally and not just your local market
Stories of other successful people could help. Instead of
copying completely their strategies, incorporate and adopt
them into your business according to your specific needs
Saturday, January 19, 13

22. Case: American Apparel
Strategy:
Vertical Integration
Boost Local Employment
Cost and Quality in
Control
Saturday, January 19, 13

23. Case: Zappos
Strategy:
Custom Service Oriented
Free Shipping & Returns
Best Advertising is Words of Mouth
Saturday, January 19, 13

24. A craft seller is both a Brand Manager and the CEO of your own
business
Growing it beyond your garage requires changes in the mindset
from an individual to an entrepreneur. The fact that you can do
anything from your home does not mean it is not a serious full
time job. Instead, your own business will take even more time and
energy than working at a company
Invest for the long term; take a macro view of your full business
position. Be persistent and do not get discouraged by little things
Provide excellent service for even the most difficult customers.
Turn them into your most loyal fans
Saturday, January 19, 13

25. Additional Readings
Work Your Art
http://www.workyourart.com/
Mixergy
http://mixergy.com/goto/welcome/
Designing an MBA
http://designinganmba.com
Saturday, January 19, 13

26. Contact Us
michelle@misala.cc
www.misala.cc
Saturday, January 19, 13