WONDERFOLD

PROBLEM:
How might a broke designer like myself find a means of bolstering my drawing and design thinking skills to make a monetary donation for homeless women and families in NYC?

SOLUTION:
Greeting cards, sold online in time for the holiday season.

HERE’S HOW:
I took note of my challenges and opportunities.

Here’s what I had

  • Generous friends/family who could afford small donations

  • Digital illustration skills and software

  • An active social media account

  • A diverse set of followers from various background and locations

  • Holiday spirit

Here’s what I didn’t

  • Enough of my own money to create an impactful donation

  • Time

  • E-commerce and marketing experience

DEVELOPING THE PRODUCT:
The design was centered around bringing the highest value to the customer. It has to be more than just a folded piece of paper.

My product should be like this

  • High Quality: Feels and looks worthy of the price

  • Timeless: Usable from year to year

  • Special: Limited edition, belonging to a community

  • Non-denominational: Available to users (senders and recipients) of all cultures and religions

My users should be feel this

  • I supported a worthy cause

  • I am now part of a community of generous people

  • I am financially able to make an impact for others in need

  • This product is complementary of my identity

MARKETING THE PRODUCT:
Marketing was centered around the capabilities of Instagram and the likenesses of my followers:

I brought my users into all parts of the process, getting them invested in the project and priming them for sales.

I found the best way for conversations to start was through IG reactions – 😍🔥😂.
If I could make a user laugh, I could get a sale.

I tapped into meme culture, and posted new content every day to further build my audience.

RESULTS:
Goals surrounding sales, timeline and customer satisfaction were met and surpassed!

304 cards were sold, yielding $2,871 in sales. This generated $2,002 which more than doubled the original goal. All shipments were received on or before December 23rd and all deliverables were provided on time.

Customer feedback proved that customers were happy with the product and felt proud to contribute to a community that gives back to women in need.