Proverbs 31:16,18, 24, 31 Marketing
Our wife of excellence’s skills have reached a point where she is ready for marketing her goods. She has great business sense and gets into even more.
We are continuing our exploration of this amazing woman. She is priceless, has honed her skills in the kitchen and the textile works from beginning to end, and is now ready to move into the business world. She will actually be able to expand into new fields because of her persistent practice of her original skills.
The wife of excellence recognizes, after much practice and perfection of her craft, that her handiwork is of excellent quality. I would not doubt that she has other women come up to her in the market and ask where she acquired some of her clothing. When she tells them that she made it herself, they probably ask she would be willing to make something for them if they paid her for it.
This was most likely the first indication to her that what she has made could be sold in the market. If she is anything like most of us women, she was hesitant at first because she could still see flaws in her work. It would have taken several people to inquire and nudge her towards putting her wares in the market. After all, she was only doing the things a wife did for her family.
Her eyes are finally open to the quality of her work. First, she accepts a few of the requests that come her way on their own. Before long, there are more orders coming in as the friends of her original customers see her work. The work is manageable since her children have grown by now. ALL of them have learned from her and some are now helping with the regular household duties.
“Mom, why don’t you make several items and take them into the market place. I’m SURE they would sell. Maybe some robes, dresses, and even scarves” encourages her daughters. So she does.
When she started sewing for individuals, setting prices wasn’t that difficult. She would receive an inquiry, quote a price, and if the price was agreeable, she would deliver the goods. Now she will be required to do marketing research. She hasn’t shopped for clothing for her family in MANY years as she has always been able to provide for them with her own hands. Price, what is selling, sizes that go fastest, and color choices are all now very important for her to know about. She also needs to consider commission for the sellers, inventory, and overhead when setting her prices. It’s critical for her to have a handle on the business end of this endeavor or she could wind up bleeding money.
We don’t know where she got her ‘business education’ but we are told that she was successful in placing her merchandise and very profitable. She is so profitable that she gets into another line of business. She takes the profits she has made from selling her clothing and scarves and buys a field. This field she turns into a vineyard. This isn’t a vineyard that she turns over to her husband but one she manages herself.
The purchase of a field wasn’t something she did on a whim. She carefully considered what she wanted to do, what it would take, and the best place to do it in. Unless her husband was already a vineyard owner, she had to do a lot of learning to make this newest venture profitable.
It seems there is nothing this woman cannot do! She is somehow able to balance family, business, and more (that we will look at next time) with great skill. She has made a name for herself with her works WITHOUT abandoning the role of wife. Her husband’s status at the gate grows because of her hand. And her work is praised in the gates of the city; the place of highest esteem.
I will not even pretend I can compete with this woman in this area!!! I have grown my talents to the point that I am sometimes asked to make things for others. I willingly make things for my children and grandchildren. I have sold a few items over the years but I have no idea if I priced them right or not. I would probably be hemorrhaging money if I were to open a business with what I know.
My mom occasionally sold things she made from home. Her formula was to multiply the cost of the material by three. This way she felt she was getting a fair price for her time and effort. I usually give a price that I think I would be willing to pay if I were buying it. And it’s kind of hard for me to use the ‘supplies x 3’ method because I pull a lot from supplies I already have on hand. I’m not the business person! I’ll tell you what I do tomorrow instead, as it fits better with our next topic on this woman.
Father God, thank You for allowing me time and money to practice the skills You have given me. THANK YOU for my mother who was my biggest teacher. I NEVER would have risen to the places I am without her firm foundation. Thank You also for my daughter’s skills, which are beyond mine in some areas, and her willingness to give her mother pointers or help when needed. Thank You for the encouragement I have received over the years to keep going too.
AND thank You for YouTube, where I can learn a lot of new things. I know You didn’t create YouTube but You placed me in this time in history where I have it as a resource. I plan on continuing my learning in many areas, including finding ways to bless others. Oops, that’s a spoiler alert for tomorrow.
THANK YOU that I can talk with You without feeling that it has to be some formal formula prayer. You understand AND created my humor. I love using that gift from You to help my husband too. Just yesterday he commented on it and said how much he loves my sense of humor. I don’t know HOW I would survive without it!
