Five Questions with Jen Heamer

1) As the spring season ramps up, what’s exciting for 2022?

We had tremendous, triple digit growth with our garden center customers in 2021. The weatherproof outdoor décor category is just booming for them. For ’22 we have added more of our signature product, Porch Boards™. We have over 400 styles now, from beautiful spring designs right through every season. In addition, we’ve added another 500 new weatherproof décor items!

2) Of all those new products, what has jumped out so far?

Without a doubt, our Plant Pokes™ — a huge hit. They’re perfect for IGCs too. They’re 4” square signs with stakes that make any plant a gift. They look great in window boxes and gardens too. They come carded for hanging and we have free displays, so they’re very easy to merchandise. We started out with just a 15 SKU display, added a counter spinner for 24 styles and by popular demand, we’ve just introduced a floor spinner for them! At an MSRP of $9.99 and a cost of $3.75 they drive profits as well. Our larger Hang-Out signs have been a big hit too. There’s just so many products!

3) What’s driving the weatherproof décor trend?

We know consumers are spending on their outdoor surroundings, that’s proven, and we’ve been making signs for a long time. When we realized that there were no truly weatherproof signs out there, we saw opportunity. We went to a local nursery with our first Porch Boards™ prototypes, asking them to try them on consignment. They had almost no other décor product, but the manager said “sure — put ‘em over there.” That very weekend, they sold out! Since then, we’ve been adding new sizes and designs non-stop. It only makes sense — consumers are spending more time in the yard and in the garden so why not decorate and express themselves outside, just like they do inside the home?

4) So your products are truly weatherproof?

Absolutely! We use a special composite material, UV-stable inks, and galvanized hardware so our products can be used outdoors and look great, year after year! We’ve seen imitators that use MDF or raw wood — they fall apart quickly! Our signs are used in the garden, walkways, flower beds, porches, and patios so being weatherproof is not an option, it’s essential!

5) What has made you a leader in outdoor décor?

Besides proven sales, two very important things: First, there are no shipping charges for our product! That was something we started in 2021 to help our customers get through the pandemic and it’s been so popular, we decided to keep it going in 2022. Also, we are made in the USA! We are SO proud to make our products here — “home grown” you might say! So we aren’t waiting for the slow boat from anywhere. We can ship USA-made product quickly with no freight charges — that’s a winning combination!

For more information: mywordsigns.com