When a design from Uniquely Yours was selected as one of the three winners in the competition run by retailer House of Cards for The Ladder Club attendees last year, the company’s co-owners Maccine and Graeme Hall had no idea about the journey this would take them on. Maccine’s sympathy design was one of three selected to be made into cards (by Home Counties retailer House of Cards) to be stocked in its six branches for a whole year (starting in February). Three quarters of the way through this 12 month commitment by House of Cards to stock the three winners’ designs in its shops (with the retailer having paid for the production as well as given prize money), Uniquely Yours’ sympathy card is currently ranking 6th best seller out of the 15 sympathy designs stocked by House of Cards branches.
“We are absolutely delighted by the sales and this has really given us a boost to extend the range to eight cards which includes With Sympathy and Thinking of You,” says Maccine. “When we first booked to attend The Ladder Club seminar last year we had no idea that making the long journey from Durham to Southend would result in us launching our business, winning a competition and exhibiting at PG Live. What a journey and this is only the beginning. The sales results have definitely given us more confidence in our designs and we can’t wait to see where the future takes us in the greeting card world.”
Miles Robinson, partner of House of Cards said “We wanted to do something to support newbie publishers and so came up with the idea for the competition, but we have learned a lot too along the way – like how much is involved in publishing cards. I think we will continue to concentrate on retailing!”
