[nabentre] Introduction

Tue Dec 13 05:42:39 UTC 2011

Hello Robert,

If you've been following this list for a year, you'll know that we come in
all varieties.  There are entrepreneurs here who do network marketing.  We
have travel agents, internet marketers, and a variety of other sorts of
businesses.

Some of us market primarily to blind/vision impaired people, but most of us
do not.  However, through our involvement in the National Federation of the
Blind, many of us will be happy to share what we've learned that might
assist with your marketing challenge. 

First, you've covered some of the obvious bases.  On that score, I'd urge
you to read several articles about MaxiAids that have appeared in the
Braille Monitor.  Go to www.nfb.org and look for publications, then for the
Braille Monitor.  Alternatively, just search Maxi Aids in the search box
provided and you will be taken directly to the Monitor articles.

You might also want to contact Future Aids, the Braille Book Store.
www.braillebooks.com It's a Canadian company run by two brothers, both of
them blind.  They have a reputation for offering a wide variety of products
at a fair price.  They have an entire selection of products for people with
low vision.  Their customer service is first rate.  

The Materials Center of the National Federation of the Blind might also be
interested in offering some of your merchandise.  I can't speak for anyone
there, but you can make contact by phoning (410) 659-9314 and following the
prompts for the Materials Center.

If you look on www.nfb.org, you'll note contact information for NFB state
affiliate presidents, committees, divisions, and groups.  You mighte want to
let leaders within the Federation know what you have to offer.

Having said all that, I truly believe your best source of customers will be
outside the usual channels for reaching blind individuals.  Most of the
people with severe vision loss who have not embraced the label "blind," are
over the age of 65.  Have you considered contacting magazines with a high
proportion of older readers?  I'm thinking here of the American Association
of Retired Persons and similar organizations.  There are also numerous web
sites specializing in providing information to older individuals.

I'm certain that there is an association for Assisted Living facilities.
Assisted living housing caters to older people who are experiencing serious
health challenges but still desire to retain as much independence as
possible.  Most cities of any size have at least one such facility, and many
have several.  By contacting them, you could let activity directors and
other staff know about your products.  Thousands of residents have serious
vision problems but absolutely refuse to self identify as blind.

The American Association of Homes for the Aging and the National Nursing
Home Care Association also could be a rich source of customers.

The Beteran's Administration has a program for reaching out to veterans who
are losing eyesight.  They call their staff who do such work VISTA
coordinators.  You can find Vista people at most VA hospitals.  You could
also contact the regional rehabilitation centers that the Veteran's
Administration has set up to help in the rehabilitation of blind/vision
impaired veterans.

Many religious denominations have set up services to provide Bibles and
other religious materials in alternate formats.  I'm a Catholic, and I find
Xavier Society for the Blind very helpful www.  xaviersocietyfortheblind.org
I know the Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran Church, and
many other groups produce Braille, large print, and audio materials.  Some
of these organizations have news letters and might be willing to include a
notice about your company.  While you're thinking of publications, make sure
you remember "The Braille Monitor," which is the Federation's magazine and
has the largest circulation of any magazine in the field of blindness.

Every state has at least one library for the blind.  Librarians are famous
for searching out helpful information and would love to include information
about your products in the list of resources they keep on hand to offer
their borrowers.  Many libraries for the blind have periodic news letters
that they send to borrowers.

I hope that helps in the marketing of your products.  I'd also welcome you
to get to know the National Federation of the Blind in all its richness and
positive energy.  Sometimes people who still retain a fair degree of useful
vision feel that a blindness organization isn't really for them.  From the
things you mentioned in your email, your personal experiences are those of a
blind person.  When it comes right down to it, we who are blind/vision
impaired are more wedded to the distinctions amongst us than our sighted
neighbors.  To most of the world, we're either blind or nearly blind.
Anyone who isn't sighted is a bit of a mystery to our neighbors.  I'm afraid
that those who have remaining eyesight often face a more difficult job of
educating than those of us who are totally blind.  The Federation helps in
so many ways, not the least of which is putting the experiences we face into
perspective.  If you have not already done so, you might want to get to know
Federationists in your state.  The NFB national convention, to be held in
Dallas in 2012, is an unbelievably enriching experience.  If you can manage
to get there, I promise you a very enriching week.

I hope this beginning list of ideas is the kind of information you're
seeking.  I'm sure others on the entrepreneur list will have more
suggestions.  In any case, welcome to active participation on the list.

Mary Ellen Gabias

-----Original Message-----
From: nabentre-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabentre-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Half-Blind Press
Sent: December 12, 2011 8:57 PM
To: nabentre at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nabentre] Introduction

Hello,

My name is Robert, and I've been following this list for a little over a
year now.  Up until now I've been listening, reluctant to weigh in on
topics, because I haven't really had a lot to say.  But as the holiday
season gets into full swing, I decided it was time to introduce myself and
get some feedback from other Visually Impaired Entrepreneurs.  

Unlike many on this list I do have a moderate amount of usable sight
although I've been legally blind since birth.  I was "main streamed" as they
say, however, that did not improve my chances for good employment and
self-sufficiency as it turned out.  Over the years, I have experienced a
substantial amount of discrimination, as well as, verbal and physical abuse
from classmates, co-workers, employers, and family.  I was even made to feel
unwelcome at churches, stores, and restaurants.  So it was, out of necessity
and concern for other legally blind individuals that I found myself forced
to embrace being self-employed.  Maybe you could make the argument that my
entrepreneurial streak went back to my lemonade stand days as a kid, but if
so, it was only to train me to recognize other opportunities, other niches.
Now, after waiting 25 years for someone else to market better quality huge
print stationery products, I find myself owner of Half-Blind Press, a
business that does just that, manufactures huge print stationery products
specifically for those who are legally blind.

Unfortunately, while my products are in Independent Living Aids and MaxiAids
and available thru a number of low vision stores, it is clear that we are
not reaching enough people who are legally blind.  So, my question to
everyone is threefold: 1) How do you market to your clientele?  2) Do you
market specifically to and in the low vision community?  3) As someone who
is blind/legally blind how would you like to be marketed to?         

Thank you for your time and I wish everyone on this list a happy and safe
holiday season.

Warm Regards,

Robert 

-----------------------------------------------

R. M. Dunn

Founder/CEO

Half-Blind PressTM

PO Box 16730

Tucson, AZ 85732

520.250.4547

Fax: 520.269.7862

www.halfblindpress.com <http://www.halfblindpress.com/> 

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