Silly old sea dog sews a new trick 

Silly old sea dog sews a new trick 

Turns out you can teach an old dog new tricks, after all. 

With a factory closure meaning that Alison Ballard, owner of Silly Old Sea Dog, couldn’t deliver pre-ordered dresses to her customers she had to think fast, adapting to changing market conditions.

Alison said:

My factory is currently closed because of COVID-19 restrictions, which left me in the position where I only have one future pre-order dress sampled and I’m feeling unsure about marketing this as I ask for payment on order – I’m asking a lot from my customers, as I cannot guarantee delivery dates. 

An idea previously dreamt up but never acted on sprung to Alison as the “perfect isolation” activity. She continues: 

I had thought about sewing kits as a Christmas product before but never got around to launching them.  My kits allow people to make my products, but for themselves. I have a lot of return customers that love the brand, so this gives them an excellent opportunity to feel part of it.

The changes that Alison has put in place for her business becomes part of a growing trend nationally to provide ‘kits’ and do-it-yourself tools allowing people to keep active and to learn a new skill whilst at home. 

Alison concludes: 

I am pleased to be busy; having a reason to get up in the morning is what I need at the moment. My kits have also been ordered as gifts to let friends know you are thinking of them.  I’m going to keep working on new kits to introduce to customers, as well as some videos for different crafts they can try at home. All of this will keep me busy and keep my social media active and interesting.

If you’re thinking about how to pivot your business in response to changing market conditions, get in touch, we have a series of webinars and a team of Business Development Managers who could help. Email hello@unlocking-potential.co.uk.