Customer Service

Customer Service is something more than it sounds. Often the face of your business, customer service is marketing, sales, and customer relations all rolled into one. Especially in a small business.


The importance of a good, helpful, friendly, understanding customer service team is understood by many businesses, but seems to be a faltering point for others.


A mistake is an opportunity. A success is an opportunity. Every time a customer comes in contact with your customer service team, you have an opportunity to build on or create a positive relationship. Many positive relationships is a community, and a strong, organized, like-minded, happy, and motivated community is something very powerful and sustainable indeed.


For 20 years MIDORI has treated customer service as one of the most important values of the company – to great effect. It is surprising to see large, even global companies, leave good, simple customer service behind. Some seem almost eager to do so – looking only at the bottom line rather than the affect such a decision may have on their community.

New York International Gift Fair Recap of Opening Day, Sunday August 16, 2009

After overcoming a poorly-planned half marathon, which dissected Midtown Manhattan and most routes from its Hotels to Javits Center, the Gift Fair opened without a hitch. Once exhibitors and attendees managed to wind their way through (and ultimately, under) the labyrinth of NYPD barriers and marathon runners, the August Gift Fair was underway.

A few Highlights

A new booth design - Anchored by innovative Ribbon Fixtures designed to vanish into our classic MIDORI black curtain backdrop, this year’s MIDORI booth stood out for its brevity and simple beauty.

The 6’ tall, 36” wide fixtures allowed the quality and sheer beauty of the colorful Ribbon they supported to truly shine. An edited showing of the MIDORI Ribbon and Handmade Gift Wrap collections, creative displays, and a thoughtful layout all helped contribute to visitor interest. Amid the sensory overload of a packed and vibrant show, a simple, clean booth design was a welcome, refreshing, and eye-catching sight for most.

The attitude – Bright, optimistic, playful, and eager to bring wonderful products to shops and design studios this Holiday season, Gift Fair attendees appeared excited to find MIDORI in a new booth space (#2457) and it was fantastic to see old friends, as well as to meet new ones.

Thinking on our feet - A customer's flip-flop broke under the pressures of rigorous first day action. Fortunately, her shoe gave way in our booth - Mary Ellen Kauffman, the MIDORI Rep for New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, snapped into action. Below is a photograph of what followed:

The customer was able to secure the tired and broken flip-flop using a cutting of MIDORI Organdy. By looping the ribbon around her sandal, wrapping it around her toes, and tying it to her ankle, she was able to continue her opening day at the show!

MIDORI at the New York Gift Fair August 16 - 20, 2009

The New York International Gift Fair is next week, will you be there?

MIDORI® has a new booth location, 2457-2459, and will be unveiling a new booth design, a new Ribbon line, and additions to the popular Gift Wrap and Icon lines.

Fun, educational, and frantic at times, the summer NYIGF should be an exciting middle-point to what has been an interesting year in our industry. Here at MIDORI, we view the upcoming show as a great opportunity. There has been an abundance of change in the marketplace, and we are eager to demonstrate how we have strengthened our commitment to our value proposition, and re-focused our design eye.

We look forward to reconnecting with those of you coming to the New York show. Please stop by to say hello and experience the new MIDORI booth and introductions in person.

And as always, we want to thank you for your business throughout this challenging year and the nineteen before it. We are grateful for each one of you, regardless of whether or not we will see you at a show this year.

MIDORI Update on the MAY 2009 National Stationery Show

MIDORI Update on the MAY 2009 National Stationery Show
New York City -- May 17–20
One big highlight of the National Stationery Show for us was our Crafting Unique Wedding Favors presentation on the opening day of the show. We discussed the DIY trend and demonstrated two simple, inexpensive DIY projects. We partnered with Violet Brandwein, Senior Buyer, Kate’s Paperie. We were told to expect up to 50 people, but we had well over 90 people show up!

Christian Fulghum, Vice President, Midori, Inc. made a few brief remarks to welcome everyone and share some details about the origins of our company. He noted that MIDORI was a company founded by a single mom during a recession, and added that while none of us can control the economy, we can control how we respond to the challenges we are all facing, and the attitude we take towards adversity. Violet spoke briefly about the current retail environment, and cultivating the DIY customer.


Next, Sales Coordinator, and former teacher, Heather Davis, helped our audience through the two “unique wedding favor” craft projects we had prepared. It was truly wonderful to watch a group of adults break into smiles and laughter as they did something most of them probably haven’t done since they were in Kindergarten. The success of our simple craft presentation shows us that people are always eager to learn how to make something distinctive and beautiful with a few simple high quality elements. The instructions for both of the favors we demonstrated are now available on our website this summer in the Ribbon Ideas section (CD holder and Gift Wallet).


Our new offerings, found in the “New” section of our website, here, were popular at the show. Our Skull Wings Gift Wrap was an eye-catcher and some at the show dubbed it “Rock-and-Roll wedding” worthy. Also new, the Masquerade line drew a lot of appreciative comments and generated intrigue even at a show famous for its love affair with skinny ribbon.

All in all, we had a great time at the show. It was great to chat with our friends, customers, and peers throughout the industry. We also enjoyed the opportunity to share our new additions to the MIDORI line as we continue to celebrate our 20th year by showing our gratitude to all of you. Do you have any show stories or note you would like to share? We would love to hear your thoughts and experiences about the 2009 National Stationery Show!


Your friends at Midori

Ribbon 101: Ribbon Accessories

A good friend of ours says there are two different types of MIDORI Ribbon. First, there are the elegant "black dress" Ribbon styles. Double-Faced Satin, Organdy, Dupioni Silk, and Luxe are examples of "black dress" Ribbon.


Just like putting on a black dress, wrapping MIDORI Ribbon around a gift adds creativity, love, care, and a fashionable air. a"Black dress" Ribbon is a statement in itself.


Beautiful, eye-catching, and classy, "black dress" ribbon is amazing on its own. But, add a Cartier necklace or Tiffinay's earrings to that dress, and the whole look is transformed! An already beautiful look is given a heightened sense of style, design, and care simply by adding what we have come to call an "accessory" Ribbon. A designer's touch; the statement of an artist...


Custom Tidings, Icon and Tidings, Doppio, Rayon Trim, and Garland are examples of "accesory" Ribbon styles.




Would you call a Cartier necklace trivial because it is an accessory? Not likely. A high quality, well planned accessory is as important to an outfit as the foundation (the black dress). Ribbon fits this analogy perfectly, as each style, color, width, and pattern used can transform and add value to a gift, project, or product.

midoriribbon.com is Tops!

Brides Magazine's article "The 75 Best Wedding Websites," April 2009, lists Midori Ribbon at number 28! Check it out now, featured on Brides.com.



MIDORI Ribbon and Handmade Gift Wrap has many uses for all those involved in wedding planning, from the "DIY Bride" to the finest florists and stationery companies in the country. We are happy to see midoriribbon.com on the Brides magazine list and look forward to continuing to help brides, florists, wedding planners, and stationers alike find the perfect MIDORI Ribbon and Handmade Gift Wrap for that special day!



One can visit retailers across the country and find MIDORI by the yard or sheet, as a piece of an invitation or sewn into a dress, or as a florists ribbon of choice. The versatility of the unique MIDORI line, a design and style oriented, high-quality line, is one of many resaones MIDORI is a top choice for brides.



Visit Midori Ribbon to see what we have for your wedding or wedding business! Tidings, icons, and custom tidings are a perfect and constant choice for brides. Our Handmade Gift Wrap, made with 100% recycled cotton, is a socially conscious and beautiful choice for invitations, place cards, and other wedding accessories. We sewn the Gift Wrap above into a stunning, original, and Do It Yourself ring pillow (pictured above). The upcoming April Midori Ribbon Newsletter will have an article on "DIY Brides" and the best ways to incorporate MIDORI in your (or your customer's) wedding.

We look forward to sharing more ideas with you soon! Become a fan on Midori Ribbon's Facebook fan page and follow us on Twitter to stay connected and tell us your favorite ways to use MIDORI .

Celebrating 20 years: We are grateful

Below is a short, meaningful article from our January, 2009 Newsletter We wanted to share this article with you as it speaks clearly and honestly about how we feel about our celebrating our 20th anniversary this year.

Enjoy!

It was twenty years ago today...

Looking back on the last twenty years, we’ve been feeling many things: surprised, delighted, and fortunate. Less than half of new businesses in the United States last beyond their first year. Very few make it to five years. This is a wonderful country, where it is easy to pursue one’s dreams, but it is also easy to fail. So when we think about starting out on a kitchen table in a little cottage in 1989 and winding up in our present offices twenty years later, the word which probably best expresses how we feel is: grateful. We are grateful.

Grateful to offer the best there is, with no excuses.

Grateful to work with people we respect.

Grateful to work with skilled artisans whose work we admire and treasure.

And most of all, grateful to have discerning, creative customers who appreciate what we do, who demand the best, and who test our imaginative and executive skills every day. Twenty years on, we are still here because of you. And for that, we are grateful.

Visit our new "Celebrating 20 Years" section on www.midoriribbon.com to view photos from the 2009 MIDORI catalog and help us celebrate our 20th anneversary!

Making a MIDORI Photo Part 1: The Creative Potential of MIDORI Ribbon

Yearly catalogs and supplements, monthly Newsletters, websites, and trade shows all require MIDORI product photos. Over the course of a year we take photos of MIDORI Ribbon in just about every use and shape imaginable. It is our job to show just how inspirational working with MIDORI Ribbon can be, and we tend to get pretty imaginative. It isn't hard to dream up uses for our Ribbon and it is one of the most exciting parts of what we do!

Midori's goal, when she started MIDORI Ribbon 20 years ago, was to find a simple way to make everyday an occasion; to make the ordinary extraordinary! MIDORI's wide range of fabric Ribbon is as versatile and useful as your imagination can make it.

Above is the current homepage photo for midoriribbon.com that was also used in our February 2009 Newsletter. This photo is one of our favorites because of its simple, sophisticated use of Ribbon to enhance the scene.

Initially, we wanted to find a way to properly feature our newly introduced 1 1/2" width of Double-Faced Satin. For those of you familiar with photographing objects of different shapes and sizes, you know that what we see when setting up a shot and what the camera sees are two very different things. After some thinking, we found that using various widths of darker Ribbon in a stack made both the color and width stand out nicely in the photo.

Because we are always looking for ways to show, rather than simply tell, people unique and eye-catching ways MIDORI Ribbon can be used, we wanted to add subtle-but-exquisite detail. We used the 1 1/2" Double-Faced Satin again to make two luxurious roses, which we placed slightly beneath the middle point of the photo and to the left for an exciting burst of color. The Ribbon roses appear beautifully in the photo due to the deep, gorgeous color of the Ribbon and purposefully placed contrasting elements. We used darker colors most everywhere else in the photo to allow the incredible color of the Double-Faced Satin to show itself off.

By adding simple, provoking uses of Ribbon we gave our photo a heightened sense of drama. The bright flowing strand of Ribbon and the Ribbon roses captures the eye and excites the mind of the viewer.

We have never had to push MIDORI Ribbon when it comes to making a scene for a photo. In fact, the Ribbon has pushed us. The endless creative potential of fine fabric Ribbon has been our muse for 20 years running. We have made dresses, cakes, clocks, picture frames, flowers, necklaces, hats, home decorations, stationery, clothes, and much more with our Ribbon. Our creative customers and MIDORI Ribbon users around the world have done even more!

Visit Midori Ribbon's fan page on facebook.com for more of our past photographs and creations, as well as projects photos from fans (feel free to add your own).

midoriribbon.com also has Ribbon Ideas, a Customer Gallery, and a list of retailers who sell MIDORI Ribbon near you. Finally, keep up to date on MIDORI news by following us on twitter (twitter.com/MidoriRibbon).

We hope you have found something educational, inspiring, or just plain fun in the above post. If you have let us know! If you have not, let us know! We would love to hear from you and look forward to your feedback!

Next up:

Making a MIDORI Photo Part 2: Using MIDORI Ribbon in your Art and Creations

Step by Step Banding Instructions

Banding is a simple way to add a layer of beauty and thoughtfulness to a gift or decoration. Although it is a simple technique, banding is also an oft-used one. Banding can be used in a wide range of projects and you may find yourself using it without even thinking about it.

We show how to simply band a box or gift to provide an extra design detail below, but don't stop there. Banding is as much a tool of the artist as it is of the gift-giver!

Enjoy!

Supplies:

Length of MIDORI Ribbon

Box

Good ribbon scissors

Double-sided tape or glue

1) If the ribbon you are using has a front side and a back side, place ribbon front side down. Turn box upside down and center it on top of ribbon.

2) Check length of ribbon by wrapping it around the box and cut ribbon so that the ends overlap at least ½”.

3) Place a piece of double-sided tape or a drop of glue between overlapping layers. Gently tighten ribbon around box and join ends.

The technique of banding is one of the simplest ways to decorate with ribbon and offers a wide variety of creative possibilities. Clockwise from upper left: Layer ribbon using different widths in harmonizing colors; Use an adhesive label to both secure the ribbon ends and personalize your package; Band diagonally using one continuous piece of ribbon, then tuck in a feather, leaf, flower, etc.; Fray the edges of MIDORI Dupioni silk ribbon and attach complimentary buttons.

Visit www.midoriribbon.com and click on "Ribbon Ideas" for more step-by-step instructions!

Blogs We Read

Blogs we Read

As our first real post, we would like to share the blogging love!

It is our mission to provide beautiful products to inspire creativity in everyday life, and it brings us great joy to see MIDORI® become something special in the hands of others.

There are several blogs we look at early and often; some of our favorite bloggers are artists and designers who use Midori Ribbon and Handmade Gift Wrap in their creations, and others are just plain good reads.

We know you will find beauty and inspiration at the below pages, though they are just a few of our favorites.

Enjoy!

Your friends at Midori

vintageweave.blogspot.com

hollymathisinteriors.com

itsthestuffilove.blogspot.com

sweetpeawedding.blogspot.com

heavenlyhudrangeas.blogspot.com

photographybyamandasingleton.blogspot.com

urbancraftuprising.blogspot.com

bellainvites.blogspot.com

quiltsryche.com

designspongeonline.com

indiecraftdocumentary.blogspot.com

Welcome!

Welcome to I Love Ribbon! by MIDORI!

We just started our company blog and are working on our first post.

Thank you for your patience,

Your friends at Midori