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What do you do when distributors keep saying no and social media isn't getting your patterns in front of the right people? In this solo episode, Tori shares the story of Joyce - a pattern designer and client who built a growing pattern business by going straight to quilt shops with smart research, personalized outreach, and a willingness to put the actual product in people's hands.

Tori walks through Joyce's step-by-step approach: how she researched shops by studying what they featured (not just what they sold), wrote short introductory emails that led with value instead of credentials, sent full pattern sample packs rather than just cover photos, and built real relationships with shop owners at trade shows and in person. Tori also breaks down the three tiers of pricing — retail, wholesale, and distributor - and why understanding the math matters before you pitch.

This episode is especially for newer pattern designers in their first couple of years who are hearing "not yet" from distributors or struggling to gain traction on social media. If that's you, this is a reminder that there's a proven path forward — and it starts with doing the homework most people skip.

This is the first of our new solo episodes! If you like this format, click the Fan Mail button below and let us know.

Companion Blog post — Tori's written companion post with Joyce's email templates and outreach tips.

Connect with Joyce at JMinnis Designs: https://www.jminnisdesigns.com/ 

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Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Solo Episodes
02:00 Marketing Strategies for Pattern Designers
03:57 Joyce's Journey: Overcoming Challenges
06:16 Research: The Key to Success
10:35 Crafting Effective Outreach Emails
16:40 Building Relationships and Personalization
19:55 Understanding Pricing Strategies

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Co-Hosts:

Tori McElwain @heytori.tech & https://www.heytori.tech/

Andi Stanfield @truebluequilts & https://truebluequilts.com/ 

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