PART IV: Journal Entry DECEMBER 10, 2002
|
Follow the PenAgain Updates: |
Hello PenAgain Fan -
We apologize for the infrequent newsletter broadcast. You are probably aching to know what's been happening. This installment should prove an interesting read, and, if not, feel free to tell us what you would like to hear about next time.
The following is a chronological update of what's what at Pacific Writing Instruments, Inc.:
The PenAgain launched officially in May at the National Stationary show in New York. We had a great showing - we caught some funny looks from the big shots, filled our rolodex with industry contacts, and felt like we woke up a sleeping industry.
We have since refined the look and feel of the PenAgain by designing a two-tone model with a translucent top and white base. We've named these new pens, 'The Pacific' and 'Forest'. We don't know if it's the new look or perhaps just word of mouth, but we attracted a wide variety of new and interesting eyeballs around the globe, including a Slavic web site or two (such as http://www.toster.ru/720). We're not entirely sure what some of them are saying about us, but they have nice photos of the PenAgain posted. We figure that any public mention of the PenAgain is good for us, even if we don't ship there yet.
Though the summer months were basically slow and dry, the market began to heat up for us toward the end in ways we never could have predicted. In September, Newsweek called us out of the blue requesting the PenAgain for a photo shoot to be used in an article titled 'The Briefcase of the Future. Here are the tools and toys every tech savvy road warrior should keep on hand.' Right on their heels followed Wired magazine and soon after came the Palo Alto Weekly and then an impromptu mention on KGO radio. We've also been mentioned in Giftware News, Pacifica Tribune, and the Mustang Daily in San Luis Obispo, California. The most recent mention was a short feature on a cable TV show called 'Radical Sabbaticals' that aired December 8. We've hit all media in one capacity or another: magazines, newspapers, web sites, radio and television.
We've recently been interviewedby Inc., and SELF, a woman's magazine. These are expected to come out in January or February. We are also slotted for a spot on a Montreal-based television program called 'La Revanche des nerds (The revenge of the Nerds).' We'd rather position our invention as a product for the masses, but vengeful nerds is probably a large and viable target customer base for us given the difficult tech market here in Silicon Valley.
As a result of all the press and attention, we have sold truck loads of PenAgains. And the feedback coming in is helpful, sometimes downright shocking. Some people become angered that we're altering the traditional pen form. Many send us compliments on the concept and the design. We have heard from teens, adults and several elderly customers. Some of the comments have been true testimonials to the premise that the PenAgain has highly valuable ergonomic benefits.
One elderly gentleman wrote us a very short, simple, yet very powerful hand-crafted letter:
'Dear Sirs. I have not been able to write with a pen for over 3 years due to severe rheumatoid arthritis. My son bought me this PenAgain of yours for fathers day. This is one of my first letters. I hope to catch up on many more. Thank you.' - DH
Some of the e-mails have profoundly affected us and given us a new drive to make this business succeed:
'...Thank you for completing my order. For your information, I just returned from Israel, having visited the wounded affected by terrorist attacks. I happened to have one of your pens with me and gave it to a young woman whose hands were burned and fingertips amputated by a bomb blast in the restaurant where she worked. She was very appreciative.' - HI, M.D.
We intended to change the way people look at pens, but this kind of support was never expected. It's an amazing feeling to know that your business is actually helping people in real ways.
Through skinning our knees a few times, winning some big deals, making the right moves, and capitalizing on good fortune, we have slowly become experts at the art of the deal. This has happened mostly through experiences within the different stages of the product development cycle. We've become well-versed in a variety of business arts including all of the following:
- Packaging Deals
- Fundraising and Investments Deals
- Distribution Deals
- Manufacture rep deals
- Overseas manufacturing Deals
- Licensing Deals
- Tradeshow Deals
- Private Labeling Deals
- Retailer Agreements
- Shipping and Post Office Processes
- Guerilla Marketing
- Vendor Relations
- The power of good PR
- The ultimate power of Great Customer service. (I.e. 'If you mess up just make it better. Period. Customers will never forget it')
We are now finishing up our final large-scale manufacturing tooling. Thenext generation PenAgain will have an even more streamlined look, easier refill replacementand awider variety of colors. In addition, we will have our final release of the new retail packaging; this will enable retailers of all types to sell the PenAgain from catalog vendors to international retailers. If all goes well, we should be able to offer a dealer locator on the web site sometime early next year so that you can track down the retailer nearest you. At the moment, we do have a few retail sites we are using to test the PenAgain:
- Edwards Luggage 7 Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto, CA 94304 (650) 325-3308
- University Art 267 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301 (650) 328-3500
But, before you get bored with the details of the business, here's a great closing anecdote in our adventure that you might find funny...
So, Colin often listens to Dr. Bill Wattenberg on KGO on Saturday and Sunday nights (10pm to 1am) before he goes to bed. Dr. Bill is a well-respected physicist, according to many, a talented inventor and an opinionated talk show host. He often talks about simple solutions to complex problems. Dr. Bill has a powerful reach of over 1 million loyal listeners throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Anyhow, since Dr. Bill encourages creative problem solving and inventiveness, Colin thought it would be a good idea to send him a PenAgain, just for the hell of it. About a week later on a Sunday night around 10:30pm, Colin checked his e-mail as usual before he went to bed. He was surprised to see his inbox full of hundreds of 'New Client Order' notices he receives whenever someone orders a PenAgain online. The last time we saw this surge in orders was when Newsweek hit the shelves. Our customers indicated on the order form that Dr. Bill on KGO was the reference.
We were ecstatic about the mention on the air. Though, unfortunately, we never got a chance to hear what was said about the PenAgain on the air.
Well, here's the best part...
Flash forward a few weeks later; Sunday night; December 2; 10:30pm; Colin checks email one last time; catches up with his partner Bobby on the phone; finishes his beer; puts wife and Dog to bed; flicks the radio on to the Dr. Bill show; turns out the lights; gets ready for a nice relaxing sleep after a great Thanksgiving weekend.
Suddenly, right at that magical point just before one slips into that nice floating dream state, a woman calls into the radio show and asks in a strong European accent, 'Dr. Bill, you had spoken of a new kind of pen that looks something like a pair of pliers. Can you repeat the web site for me?'
Colin suddenly perked up in a tizzy. Dr. Bill engaged the lady, discussing what a great little invention 'that pen' was and how he gave one to a friend that really liked it and such. For the life of him, he could not remember the name of it or the address of the web site.
Colin started running around the room in the darkness scrambling for the phone. Dog and wife looked on in wonder, though they had seen a Colin 'tizzy'many timesbefore. He punched phone buttons unsuccessfully, fumbling to get the right number. He stopped, shook off his sleep and then dialed Dr. Bill.
After only 2 tries, Colin got though to the radio show screener and pleaded his case to be put on air. He desperately explained that he really was the inventor of the pen that Dr. Bill was just talking about and could answer the woman's question. The lady on the other end of the phone must have heard this desperate tone before and granted Colin air time with Dr. Bill.
She said, 'All right then, you'll be on next. Be ready when this last caller hangs up.'
Only moments later, Colin was on the air talking with Dr. Bill about the PenAgain with listeners all over the West Coast tuned in. Dr. Bill not only let Colin speak but then proceeded to ask several questions about the PenAgain and how it worked, the refill specs, pricing details, etc. It was the first major accidental media interview, and it was live, no less. Dr. Bill was then kind enough to repeat the web site address one more time. Sleep did not come easy to Colin that night.
The real punch line is that orders then came streaming in at the fastest rate yet. Hundreds of orders from the show came in throughout the day, even several days after the broadcast. Thanks, Dr. Bill.
We wish you all a very safe and happy holidays.
From the founders of Pacific Writing Instruments
