#082 Product photography, Channel C shoot, friend's book publication (24/12/2023)

Photo: On-site shooting of this week's product advertisement

Welcome back to this week's journal! As we approach the end of 2023, I wonder how your year went. After a year of hard work, it's time to treat yourself well. Remember to rest and recharge so you can start the new year with renewed energy. It's cold, and my fingers aren't very nimble, so I'll just write a little something. I really wanted to come back to Re Quilt Winter 2 (seriously, I'm not kidding. I don't need to sell anything here, because this is my little corner, and I think the people here are interested in learning more about Re Pillow Co., not just trying to buy a product).

Okay, let's get back to the main topic.

Product photography

This Monday, we booked a professional model/KOL (I think that's what it's called?) for some product photography. One problem Re Pillow Co. has always had is that we have very few product photos; we always end up using the same few, and the quality is generally mediocre. The reason is simple: all the product photos are taken by myself at home using my phone. Firstly, my equipment is inferior to theirs, and secondly, my photography skills are lacking. The lighting is also just ordinary home lighting, like a table lamp, so the results are really poor.

Therefore, we made an appointment with someone this week. A professional model/KOL and a professional photography team took our photos. They were very kind, as they are a friend of one of our colleagues. During the shoot, they helped us try out many different poses and filmed many different product usage scenarios and methods. We also sent almost all of our product lines to them to try, because the weather is getting colder, and I believe that products really need to be used before you can truly appreciate them. Otherwise, if someone asks them, "You're promoting Re Pillow Co., so what do you think of their products?" and they can't answer, that would be unacceptable. They especially praised Re Quilt Winter 2 and Re Bedding, so we are truly grateful to them.

This batch of photos should be released next week/the week after.

Channel C releases a new album.

Last month, we received an invitation from the YouTube channel "Channel C" to host a "Christmas Food and Fun Special," where they would introduce some local shops to viewers via YouTube . The format would be similar to two girls taking viewers on a tour of different places in Hong Kong. They asked if we were interested in participating and introducing our shop. When I heard that girls would be involved, I was immediately interested because Re Pillow Co. always only has me on camera, which is terrible. Having girls might attract more viewers. So I agreed.

This video was just released this week, and we're in the last two minutes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X88Fvsr8pqU

Friend publishes book

My friend Ringo Li recently published a book called "Don't Bow Your Head, or Your Sales Will Drop," which mainly discusses some key principles and techniques for doing business. Of course, I had to buy it to support him (definitely not because I wrote the foreword).

Ringo is almost 20 years older than me. After graduating, he tried working for others, but later decided to start his own business because he felt it wasn't right for him. He's been running his business for 20 years, doing many different businesses, but in recent years he's become more famous for SEO (Search Engine Optimization). I met him a few years ago through a friend, before Re Pillow even existed. When I first started Re Pillow, I felt that he was a senior who had already walked the path I was on, and I often read in books about "finding a mentor." If you find someone who has already done what you're doing, they can guide you and save you a lot of trouble. So, I was quite bold and asked him questions, and he actually answered them. That's how we met. He's an extremely kind person.

I won't go into too much detail about the book's contents here, but personally, I think Ringo's book is a breath of fresh air in a market saturated with courses and books on "how to open an online store," "how to do business," and "how to make money online." First of all, every page is filled with very practical and realistic examples, and he genuinely wants to guide people in the right direction.

If the core message of this book is to say that "there are no shortcuts to success, try to see things from the user/customer's perspective more often, go the extra mile for them, be more considerate, try to do things better, and truly help them with their needs," then you can make money. Thinking about it this way, it's actually a very common and realistic principle. I believe in it myself.

Assuming you find a way to... Speculation Making money by selling or engaging in gray-area deception won't last, and honestly, it will leave you feeling uneasy and unable to sleep soundly at night (at least that's how I feel). Being honest, doing your best, and genuinely helping others is the best and most sustainable approach. Therefore, I believe there are no shortcuts to success; it's all about taking it one step at a time. Of course, because it's so difficult, you might not even reach the end and could fail, but at least you've tried.

That's all for this week. The weather is really cold, everyone please take care.