Things that make you go hmmm
Lisa Casinger -- Kids Today, 3/1/2008
Quite often we get caught up in our daily routines and it’s hard see things objectively. We go through the motions, do things the way we’ve always done them, look at them the way we’ve always looked at them.
Every once in awhile we need to step outside our zones and gain a new perspective.
Attend a new trade show. Jami Myers, owner of Jami B’z went to the NYIGF for the first time this year; she’s been in the business for more than 16 years. Check out my blog for Jami’s thoughts on the show.
I covered my first Toy Fair and textiles show recently. You’d be surprised at the trends you can find at both; it changed the way I view these categories.
Stepping outside your zone could also involve attending the Kids Today conference, or any other industry educational event. Even if you only learn one or two new ideas and make three or four new contacts, the experience is worth it.
Gaining a new perspective can also come from something as close to home as your kids or grandkids. If you’re a manufacturer, show them your product; talk with them about it. Retailers? Bring the kids in the store and see what they gravitate towards.
When I brought the February issue home, my daughter Heidi thumbed through it. She loved the “Harry Potter” cover, as she called it. She now wants to visit FAO Schwarz and she wants Powell’s Little Miss Matched furniture.
