Handmade Holiday Cards

How can I get my own handmade and designed greeting cards in stores?

I have started my own business and I plan to open my website and start selling my wonderful handmade and designed cards by myself within the next 6 months to 1 year when I have enough designs and cards handmade. (Very modern, stylish, and vector ) Any ideas on the best way to approaches doing this? Whats the best way of contacting the companies/stores? Thank you. :]

Public Comments

1. Offer them a deal that no other card manufacturer would offer. Give them your first 10 cards and tell the store that they can keep 90% of the proceeds. Every other card manufacturer charges 80% of the retail cost of the card. The store makes 20% (gross). Selling your cards will make the stores 90% profit. If the 10 cards sell quickly, the store will enter into a long-term contract to buy cards from you. You lost money on 10 but you will get "discovered". Go in person to each store.
2. I'd say to design a few, and create a nice portfolio. Then present some to some card companies. See what they think, and go from there. However, in order to offer directly to a store, would require their corporate to be able to manufacture your designs, and print bar code for sale at store locations. So, presenting the company with a nice stylish portfolio layout would be best there(styleboard or board presentation). Advertise, promote, and present like a small kiosk/booth and sell them that way. You want to invest some time though, and money with business cards and booth rental, that include your web site's address, and your contact information. That way, you can present those to your buyers, at say a festival, crafts event, etc. Maybe this could also help you: http://desktoppub.about.com/od/publishcards/SelfPublishing_Greeting_Cards.htm