Recently, I learned about a very interesting small business in New York City called Schizophrenic.NYC. It was founded by Michelle Hammer who happens to have Schizophrenia. She founded her company to spread awareness about mental illness, specifically Schizophrenia in the New York homeless population.
Hammer has an interesting idea to sell. When she sells her product, it is so much more than just a T-shirt or a mug. As such, she really utilizes story telling as her main selling strategy. She will set up a stand on the crowded streets of New York, and when someone stops to see what she’s selling, she will talk to them about mental health as opposed to the T-shirt. As a result, customers are more inclined to buy a T-shirt because they know they are supporting a larger cause.
Hammer also has to manage misconceptions. However, it is not Michelle who is the one making assumptions. She has had customers in the past yell at her because she “doesn’t understand Schizophrenia”. Hammer has to be patient, and find ways to clear up this misconceptions. By being patient and asking good, open-ended questions, she has found success in clearing up assumptions.
Overall, this was a really interesting story to read. It was awesome to see how an entrepreneur is using sales techniques to make a difference in a unique way.
BoweryJE22
Selling is being creative. This is an awesome example of people being creative and adapting to their surroundings. I like to imagine sales as a creative venture this blog proves this.
This is very cool! Selling can be very difficult, but if you have a good story that people can identify with… Stories sell! Great to see the creativity in this endevor.
I will say it, I am a sucker for a good story. I think that is a pretty universal thing though. This business is so cool because mental health is an automatic topic of conversation that is truly pressing and important. Making people aware of this and selling at the same time has to be difficult but so amazing.
This is a really interesting business idea, and especially love the creative approach taken by Michelle Hammer