From the desk of Mr. Monk

Consultancy with Rob Sharl and John Barratt

As I previously mentioned, I had a consultancy (coffee) meeting with Rob Sharl and John Barratt. It was very helpful and just what I needed because since Bal’s been away it’s been tricky to keep in touch with how I should be keeping myself for uni.

Rob basically broke down Font Lorry after ripping it apart. I mean this in a good way. He raised very important points;

• What the hell is Font Lorry?
  • Users get confused
    • And as a result, the bugger off
  • Too many buzz words!
    • “Online distribution platform for emerging typographic talent”
    • Wha?
• Design is great, but if you aint got the ‘big idea’ you aint got jack.
  • Gulp
• If I am to keep it as an open market-place there are going to be problems.
  • Shed load of up-keep.
  • It’s eBay.
    • Why don’t the users just sell via eBay
      • They do.
        • Shit.
  • I’ll end up with a shop full of crap.
    • Brings us back to ‘What is Font Lorry’
      • Look at my original brand values.
      • Do I want the crap to represent my brand
        • No.
  • Terms & Conditions could become a minefield setting limits.
  • In essence: I think I could be well out of my depth here!
  • Too many competitors that could do it better than me.

This was a real punch in the stomach. But it was needed. It was clear that I’d been so busy in my bubble believing my own babble that I had missed how flawed the overall business model is!

Business model?

You heard me, I have to stop thinking about this as a uni project. there is no close date on this sketch book. This will carry on, thus I need a solid business model.

So what is it. Well, John and Rob proposed a few snazzy ideas. As I was still smitten over the whole ‘helping students’ thing, they suggested compiling an annual of student typefaces. It might work. Lets do the maths; 50 faces, you like 4, you will use too. At a good price, this is pretty clever.

Then Rob mentioned ‘Apple’ (almighty Steve, how we love you). If we take the iPhone app store as an example then it seems to fit into place. He asked me this; “If Apple doesn’t make the money back to host the Apps, why do they sell them?”

Errrrrr…

“Because they make a loss to make a bigger sale. It pushes for a greater volume of iPhones. Thats where all the money is.

Nice scheme. People feel like they’ve got a bargain. Ha. Well I thought about how I could apply this to Font Lorry. Originally I had Typefaces, Merchandise, wallpapers and essays.

Apple does one thing; and does it well. I need to do the same.

So I’m dropping wallpapers and essays. Goodbye. I’m left with the font foundry and merchandise. You don’t need 3 chances to guess which one will draw in the crowds (it’s merchandise). This is nice. Fonts are expensive. Merch isn’t. The merch will drive the sales of Fonts. I can put prints using the faces in the merch store and then people wil want to use the face so they come back.

Now I was getting somewhere. One problem, theres loads of designer merch out there. How am I different. get this; I’m going to deal in exclusive limited edition typographic merch. Basically its all about impulse purchases. I don’t need to explain why this works!

Yes this requires investment, but it means that I get to hand pick every item in the store, which also means there will be no rubbish.

So there you go, Font Lorry is changing from a free-for-all student marketplace, to a bespoke typographic boutique dealing in exclusive products.