Making Woopie

Despite the enormous influence of Apple in showing the world that technical and digital could be beautiful (as well as effective), many publishers continue to underestimate the importance of craft and design in everything they produce. Just take the mishmash of content on most publishing platforms as a case in point.

Digitally Enhanced

Our featured business Woopie was established in 2012 when web developer Stewart Curry wanted to design a digital magazine and discovered that the tools available were print rather than digital focussed. Undeterred, Stewart and his business partner Martha Rotter set up Woop.ie to help publishers produce elegant digital magazines that look great on any device.

You've Got The Look

When a new product or service comes on the market the challenge as always is to persuade customers to change from what they were doing to trying something new. They need to see the beauty and benefit of what they can now do versus what they were doing before. Currently the Woop.ie website undersells the beauty and elegance of the finished product but a simple 'before' and 'after' section would quickly illustrate what can now be beautifully and easily done, thanks to Woop.ie.

Over To You

Can you think of ways Stewart and Martha can present the elegance and beauty of their product through the website? Listen back to the show on Kickstart Your Business and tell us what you think.

We'd love to hear from you

(Kickstart Your Business is broadcast live on The Right Hook on Newstalk106 in Ireland each Thursday at 6.40pm)

A Little Goes A Long Way

It's not often the Irish take on the French and win so we savour the taste of victory when it comes our way. Last February, a small Irish organic cheese co-operative brought their French brie to the Salon De Fromage and before they put their foot on the Aer Lingus flight back home, their cheese was sitting proudly on French shelves.

Say Cheese

The co-operative in question is the Little Milk Company, last night's featured business. Managed by Conor Mulhall, the co-operative was formed three years ago by eleven Organic Dairy Farmers spead throughout Leinster and Munster. Their award winning cheeses are hand made and hand turned using traditional cheesemaking techniques.

Making The Connection

What makes an organic and hand made product so special is the loving care and attention put into producing it. The website as it stands does a great job promoting the product itself but more can be done to connect the product back to the farm and farmers who make it. As Gerard suggested, some well chosen images of the farmers will help us as customers to 'put our hand out and reach into the farm', connecting us with the producers and ultimately the product itself.

Over To You

Can you suggest ways Conor can create that all important sense of connection through the website? Listen back to the show on Kickstart Your Business and tell us what you think.

We'd love to hear from you.

(Kickstart Your Business is broadcast live on The Right Hook on Newstalk106 in Ireland each Thursday at 6.40pm)

Hitting The Right Notes

Many people would like to play a musical instrument, but are put off by the prospect of the long hours required to reach any level of proficiency. A one-fingered version of 'Three Blind Mice' is about as much as most of us can muster before we lose interest.

A Virtuoso Performance

This week's Kickstart Your Business feature DecPlayPiano.com will have you playing a tune - using both hands! - in as little as an hour. After a career divided between corporate insurance and internet marketing, musician Declan Cosgrove developed  a new online business based on his 'rapid results piano tuition method'. Only in business since late last year, already two thousand people have learned to play the popular but difficult-to-master instrument using his innovative and successful method.

Hitting The Right Note

Whilst the promise of easy-play piano is appealing, Declan needs to make this more a social or group activity rather than a solitary pursuit. During the show, Gerard recommended that Declan take his playful approach to teaching the piano one step further and introduce the element of fun as early as possible and think more in terms of a game to play (which leads to playing great music) rather than a lesson to learn. Think friends and family challenging each other to a play-off at a party!

Over To You

Do you agree with Gerard? What advice would you give Declan to help bring the fun element of playing to the fore in his marketing material? Listen back to the show on Kickstart Your Business and let us know what you think.

We'd love to hear from you.

(Kickstart Your Business is broadcast live on The Right Hook on Newstalk106 in Ireland each Thursday at 6.40pm)

Blanket Coverage For HappyNest

Parents, do you recall the joys of trying to cover your energetic baby in their cot, who insisted on kicking off their blankets instead of settling down to a cosy sleep? Or battling to keep baby wrapped up warmly in their push-chair without catching an errant blanket in the wheels?

It's In The Bag

This week's Kickstart Your Business feature, HappyNest may just have all your problems covered. Christine Carolan, founder and designer of HappyNest, decided to launch her own range of babywear after her own experience of trying to keep her babies safe and warm, and so the swaddle bag and baby bag were born, designed to keep babies as snug as bugs in rugs!

The Real Difference

Christine has designed a baby product that is quite different from what's on offer in the baby market at the moment but as Gerard pointed out during the show, Christine needs to illustrate that real difference through both the visual and written messaging on the website. As Christine explained to George, the swaddle bag allows the very small baby to feel the same security and warmth they felt in the womb and that is exactly the type of information that needs to appear on the website.

Over To You

Can you suggest ways that Christine can illustrate the real difference in her products on her website? Listen back to the show at Kickstart Your Business on Newstalk.

We'd love to know what you think.