Completely OT: Any advice for an entrepreneur???

So my friend and I have created a customizable magnetic menu planning solution that we call StickToIt! Magnetic Menu Planner. We have had some success selling by just doing ads on Facebook and have gotten really great feedback about it, but we really want to take this thing to the next level. How else will I pay for my plastics?!? :) Anyway, we've been hand making them and are now in process of having them manufactured. I'm really passionate about the planner because one thing I know about my weight loss process was that planning and preparing were key to my success and this makes it super simple to plan meals, vitamins, water, even exercise.

So now that you have a little of my back story, I wanted to ask if there are any of you out there who have launched a small business (or a big business!!) and if you have any advice at all for us on how to grow our baby. Our ultimate goal is to get our online business really going and get these things into stores. I know that success in sales is sometimes just getting it into the hands of the right person, so if any of you know the right person, send them my way!! 

Thanks for any and all feedback.

Denise
sticktoitplanner.com (shameless plug)

 I have always found that a great way of getting a new product out there is to get a booth at a local show.  You need to pick the right type of show environment but what you want is for maximum exposure to a fairly large group of people or to a decent size number of your target audience.  You'll get alot of feedback from customers, hopefully make some sales, and make contacts.

When doing a show it is important to wait to judge the success of the show for at least 6-12 months.  Many leads and contacts can be generated from a show and they dont all bear fruit until later.

I owned my own retail and wholesale companies for over 20 years.  I had booths at major trade shows but found that small booths at local events generated cash, info, and contacts.  Church or school fairs, clubs, holiday fairs , charity benefits and dinners often allow small settups.  

Just start thinking out of the box!

We did one show that we thought was so spot on with our target audience and literally did not sell one planner. Not one. Yet we've had customers in Australia buy our planner online--go figure. The show we did was at a huge consignment sale and set us back a pretty penny, but after thinking about it realized that perhaps folks seeking out super bargain basement discounts weren't in the market for an add-on like ours. We did get some good feedback and made some decent contacts, so it wasn't a complete loss. We will figure it out I'm sure--like you said, just have to start thinking outside the box--and NO giving up.

Thanks for the input!

My Dad and Mom have their own businesses.. They work all the  time.. Marketing is key.. I think you should contact OH and have a table to sell your planner

There is definitely something to think about--business owners tend to work--a lot. Hoping we get big enough for that to be an issue!! :)

You mention a table--is there an upcoming show I haven't heard about? 

Thanks! 

Why not do the cruise thats been advertised..