Packaging News You Can Use

Tired of searching the web for packaging information? Me too! That’s why I pulled all my packaging resources and packaging expertise together in one place.

It took me thousands of hours to compile just the information you need to get started packaging your product. In the case of you packaging pros this is a great refresher course.

Simply put The Do It Yourself Packaging Workbook is a packaging guide you can’t be without.
So all you entrepreneurs, inventors, small businesses, WHAM’s and packaging professionals take a peek at
http://doityourselfpackaging.com
or you may ask for a copy of the Table Of Contents.

If you are still not sure think about what you will save in your time and effort to find out how to package your products all for a nominal price.
It’s at least worth a look.

I just became a guest blogger for In Women We Trust- Women
marketing to each other.
Read my first post: Is there such a thing as Green Packaging?
http://tinyurl.com/6noe2y

Finding appropriate packaging is not the only challenge to
launching a product line. If you’re a cosmetics company these
days, you must be aware of a draft law now pending in the House
Energy & Commerce Committee. The FDA Globalization Act of 2008
would change the way cosmetics are regulated in the US. If the
draft law is enacted in its current form, it would literally kill
of small and woman-owned cosmetics businesses.

Among the provisions in the draft legislation are:

• annual registration fees of up to $12,000 for all cosmetics
  companies, even if all you manufacture is a single bar of soap
  and even if you are a very small company
• stringent and burdensome reporting requirements that would make
  it impossible to run a small business
• requirements for compliance with one-size-fits-all
  manufacturing guidelines that small businesses cannot possibly
  comply with

The provisions represent onerous barriers to entry, will stomp
out competition and minimize consumers choices when it comes to
their personal care products.  It will also decimate businesses
that women have started and run successfully because the playing
field, at least up to now, has been a level one. This legislation
would change all of that.

The Indie Beauty Network (IBN) is leading the charge to oppose
the draft law. In meetings earlier this week at the Food and Drug
Administration and on Capitol Hill, IBN’s president and several
members put the small business position forward in the hopes of
convincing legislators to amend the draft law to make sure that
small businesses are not decimated by the law.

IBN’s blog post with video and Petition to oppose the law is
here, and you can sign the Petition by leaving your comment,
city, state and zip at the blog:
http://www.indiebusinessblog.com/indie_business/FDA_globalization
n_act_of_2008/index.html

Our July 24, 2008, IBN sent a letter to the Congress persons on
the House Energy & Commerce Committee:
http://www.indiebeauty.com/media/index.asp

At a time when small businesses are most vulnerable, especially
those run by women and families who are fighting to stay off
unemployment lines, IBN and many others believe that this
legislation is the wrong policy and the wrong law at the wrong
time.

I’m one of the most “connected” people in packaging.
Are You? If your not sure check me out.
http://www.linkedin.com/in/packagingdiva
If you are Twittering follow me at http://twitter.com/PackagingDiva.
You can also invite me to be your friend on Facebook.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=647157849

Networking is what its all about and I have one of the best!.

Special Mention:

Joe Angel from Packaging World Magazine asked me to mention that
Greener Package Website and Sustainable Packaging Awards Competition
are launching in the fourth quarter of 2008. Check out
http://www.greenerpackage.com for more details.

Many of you are starting to prepare for the upcoming holiday season.
As you know, I am a big fan of using public relations and publicity to grow your business.  It sure has helped my business grow!
But public relations can be expensive.  So why not do it yourself?
My friend Margie Zable Fisher has just updated her popular Do-It-Yourself Public Relations Kit.  The third edition contains 13 pitch examples you can use, case studies, how to create a Unique Selling Proposition, media interview tips, how to create and implement Special Events, online P.R. including blog and Web site P.R., how to handle a crisis, and much more.
To get a free chapter of her Kit, which explains how to create a Press Kit, visit

http://www.profcs.com/app/?Clk=2486979.