Keep It Unique Keepsakes

www.keepituniquekeepsakes.com.au

1. Tell us about your business

Unique, personalised jewellery and keepsakes celebrating the ever-lasting beauty between mothers and babies. We offer you Mother jewellery, name necklaces, ultrasound keepsakes, baby announcement cards, personalised wooden letters and cushions, Sunrise photography gifts, baby astrology and more. We also feature a baby loss section for those that have suffered miscarriage, pregnancy loss, stillbirth or infant loss. Here you’ll find a beautiful range of personalised keepsake jewellery, memorial jewellery, (including urn jewellery) heart-felt memorial books, poems, grief and loss resources and memorial ideas.

2. When and why did you start your business?

In 2006 I lost my firstborn son. He was 9 weeks old. My partner and I have gone on to have two more boys, both of whom are thriving after safe and healthy pregnancies. My three boys have touched my heart in ways I never could have imagined. They are the inspiration behind Keep It Unique Keepsakes. During Christmas 2008, after months of researching, planning and website building, I was ready to offer the world a little piece of my soul.

3. On a personal level, what have you achieved with your business?

So much satisfaction and fulfillment. It's hard to explain, but when you're giving your all to something you're so passionate about, it gives you such a contented feeling.

4. What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in growing your business?

Getting our name out there would have to top the list. With a zero advertising and promotions budget in the early days, I listed with every free online directory suited to my target market, sorted my website with great keywords and just learnt be patient and to take everything slowly but surely. Consistency is the key and continually updating website content is also important.

5. What activities have been successful in promoting your business?

Pay Per Click ads for sure. Although it's taken me many months of trial and error to come up with a successful ad! Oh, and Mother's Day promotions! I have yet to try Social Media Marketing, but I don't think I can hide my head under the sand any longer.

6. What activities were less successful for marketing your business?

Advertising in local papers. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with local papers, I'm sure they are a goldmine for many small businesses, however I have a very niche market and I believe to have an ad placed in such a generalised publication meant it just disappeared into no-mans land.

7. Name your favourite thing about your business

Bringing some comfort to those families who've also lost a baby or child. My heart always breaks when I create a baby loss order for someone... but at the same time I'm glad I'm here to help - even if it's only in a small way.

8. Who or what other businesses or business people inspire you?

All those beautiful, insanely busy, genuine, hard-working, multi-skilled, successful and amazing Mums who work from home. I take my hat off to you!

9. What are your plans for the future of your business?

To keep on growing. What else?

10. Share your best business tip with our readers.

You don't have to struggle on your own and your goals and dreams don't all have to come to fruition at once. Slow down and enjoy the journey. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day.

Visit us at: www.keepituniquekeepsakes.com.au