It seems like a whirlwind. It was just a couple months ago I was standing on the beach flying my kites when someone came up and asked "are these kites for sale". Who knew, at that moment, it would turn into my business? Not me.
I had several weeks of people coming up and chatting about the kites I was flying. All of those conversations included "are you selling kites"? It was great to see such an interest in kite flying and to chat with all those people about the kites I had, and what kite might be right for them. I realized there was obviously a demand for kites and the wheels in my head, rusty as they may be, started turning.
There is one kite shop in our general area, but I have lived here 20 years and never knew it was there. I think, like most people, I order most of my things online. Especially in this crazy year with Covid floating around, we tend to stay in more and order online more. With that in mind, I set out to open my online kite shop. It's been a lot of crazy hours since then trying to get all of the legalities set up, the website built and all 1200 products loaded into the store. Speaking of those products, I really had no idea what I was getting myself into and how much it would all cost. Fortunately, I have one vendor who has a program to drop ship which allowed me to offer a lot more product without having to carry the inventory. That's a big deal.
As it's almost time to open the shop, I want to take a moment to thank all the people who have supported this new store. They didn't purchase items early, but they showed their support for the new business on social media. As you know, social media is a HUGE part of any business these days. In less than a week, we got over 200 people on the Facebook page, some on Instagram and some on YouTube! That's great! (especially considering I haven't even posted a video on YouTube yet) I know that those numbers will continue to grow as we open the business and grow the number of satisfied customers. I do spend a good bit of time working on the posts for our social media and try to come up with things that not only show off the wide variety of products we are selling, but also have some fun. I hope you enjoy my attempt at amusing posts. And please, if you haven't already, "LIKE" the Coastal Kite Company page on Facebook and Instagram or subscribe to our YouTube channel. That seemingly small task can really have a tremendous impact on wether a business succeeds or fails. And... If you're feeling especially helpful, or like one of the posts you see, SHARE it with all your friends and help us spread the word.
Once again, thanks for supporting the business even before we open. It means a lot to see people spreading the word about Coastal Kite Company. Just wait till you see all the great kites, accessories, whirligigs, wind spinners and more! I think you'll enjoy the collection we've assembled for you. And if you don't see what you're looking for on the site, let me know. There's a lot of items we have access to that just didn't make it on the website... yet. Speaking of that, you'll want to check back regularly because we will be adding new products as we go. If you SUBSCRIBE to our email list, not only will you get 10% off your first order, but you will also keep informed about what's new and exciting in the store! We won't send you thousands of emails a month, just enough to keep you in the loop about what's new and exciting with Coastal Kite Company.
It's back to the grind... time is ticking and I have a lot left to do before opening day!