Putty Firm Realized the Folly of Sticking With Just One Market
Dran Reese built up a good-sized home business manufacturing and distributing a putty product that secures collectibles and fine glassware to prevent breakage during earthquakes. But when she and her husband, Dean, wanted to take their product nationwide, they faced a problem. How do you sell an earthquake safety product in areas without earthquakes? They learned to create a need in consumers’ minds. Dran Reese was interviewed by freelance writer Karen E. Klein.
I developed QuakeHold eight years ago out of personal necessity, being a collector who had valuables broken through carelessness and earthquakes.
When I got pregnant with my son and decided to start my own business, I remembered I had always wanted to make an adhesive for collectibles. I did lots of research, wrote a 50-page marketing plan and had a chemist develop a wax product similar to what museums use to secure their artwork, only more consumer-friendly.
I sold my car to finance the original inventory. Then my husband and I spent weekends promoting the product at home and at antique shows up and down California. We took our baby along and put him in a playpen at the back of our booth.
When the Northridge quake hit, we became a cult product. I had to start flying pallet-loads of the putty over from the Malaysian manufacturer. Home Depot and all the major home and garden centers started calling us.
Since then, we’ve developed three products: wax, putty and gel. They are carried in retail stores throughout California, Oregon, Washington and Japan. We also sell furniture straps, water-heater straps and disaster-preparation supplies.
We didn’t do much business outside the earthquake belt, except for sales to museums. Then we realized we hadn’t really tapped into the $9.4-billion market in limited-edition collectibles--glassware, figurines, plates, ornaments, dolls and other items that are both expensive and breakable.
Children, pets and housecleaning can be just as hard on these fragile items as any temblor. We knew that if we could educate collectors about this problem, we could offer our product as a solution and open up a whole new market.
So we came up with a national marketing strategy and a new name: Collector’s Hold Museum Putty. Market research told us this audience wouldn’t respond to earthquake threats, while the reference to museums gave the product instant credibility.
We started advertising six months ago, buying mailing lists and sending postcards to national glass organizations, collectors’ clubs, manufacturers and retail stores. Next year we will appear in five mail-order catalogs that cater to the home, gift and collectibles markets.
Early next year, we will launch an extensive advertising campaign. We’re going to advertise in 15 collectors magazines that each have 40,000 to 80,000 in circulation. The ads and a new brochure we’ve developed talk about a collector’s biggest fear and show a broken angel figurine. Our expert advice shows consumers that if they buy our products, they won’t ever have to worry about broken valuables again.
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AT A GLANCE
Company: Marlyco Inc., Trevco QuakeHold Products
Owners: Dran and Dean Reese
Nature of business: Manufactures and distributes safety products.
Location: 129 E. Colorado Blvd. Suite 111, Monrovia, CA 91016
E-mail address: trevco@earthlink.net
Web site: https://www.quakehold.com
Founded: 1990
Employees: 8
Annual revenue: $2.5 million
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If your business can provide a lesson to others, contact Karen E. Klein at the Los Angeles Times, 1333 S. Mayflower Ave., Suite 100, Monrovia, CA 91016, or send e-mail to kklein6349@aol.com. Include your name, address and phone number.
