From a Family Tradition of Invention to Polly Foot Primer
Written by Mary Welch Thursday, August 12 2010
Snapshot: Christina Klein
Christina Klein has spent a lifetime dreaming of products and how to market them. Since the age of 7 when her Barbie Perfume Maker launched her first entrepreneurial efforts to her current marketing consulting practice, Klein’s life has been full of creativity, product design, invention, brand marketing, and more.
The great-granddaughter of inventors and composers, Klein is following family tradition with the launch Polly Foot Primer.
Here is a quick look at her vital statistics: 12 years in technology and consumer marketing; owns and operates two businesses; founder and executive director of one nonprofit fund; inventor of five products; plays three musical instruments; aunt to six nieces and two nephews; has traveled to 19 plus countries; owns more than 100 pair of shoes. Klein and her husband technically reside in Seattle , Wash., but spend most of their time on an airplane traveling for business.
Womenetics: Tell us about your background?
Christina Klein: I’ve spent the last 12 years in marketing and brand development. The past few years, I’ve owned my own marketing consulting firm with a client list that includes Microsoft, Expedia Inc., and Novartis Diagnostics.
Womenetics: How did you come up with the idea for Polly Foot Primer?
Klein: On a business trip to Mexico City in 2009, I determined to wear my favorite Dries Van Noten Betty-Boop-esque satin pumps for a full day. I concocted a primer from ingredients in my beauty bag that I hoped would spare my feet from pain or blisters. Boo-boo free 16 hours later, I had the inspiration and recipe for Polly, http://www.iheartpolly.com.
Womenetics: How did you create the product?
Klein: Polly is made from all natural ingredients like aloe, grapeseed oil, and beeswax. To create the product, I hired an organic cosmetics manufacturer to help me develop the formula. Once we had the formula, I hired a fantastic freelance designer. She helped me develop the packaging. Voila! Polly was born.
Womenetics: What is the love affair of women with shoes?
Klein: I think women typically have a love affair with shoes because they make them feel beautiful, confident, and sexy. The right pair of shoes can make or break your outfit and can give you the confidence to walk into any room and command attention. And of course, shoes never discriminate – even on those days when nothing else in your wardrobe seems to fit right, your favorite shoes always will. Additionally, I think shoes offer women an opportunity to be unique and creative without feeling over the top. A great pair of striking red heels with a conservative black Jackie-O dress can really change the way you feel.
Womenetics: How does Polly Foot Primer work?
Klein: When applied topically to the usual areas of irritation: tops of toes, sides of soles, backs of heels, Polly acts as a greaseless barrier between your foot and your shoe. Simply swipe on Polly where your shoe rubs you wrong and you can enjoy those shoes without discomfort for hours.
Womenetics: Who’s Polly?
Klein: Polly is every woman. She is a shoe fanatic. She is adventurous and loves to travel the world, explore new sights, and meet new people. She is stylish, chic, and hip; while at the same time can rock a pair of Puma trainers with the best of them.
Womenetics: Why haven’t major companies like Dr. Scholl’s come up with this idea?
Klein: Great question. There are some competitive products currently on the market, however, if I were to put on my marketer’s hat, I would say that they are not positioned or marketed effectively for this purpose. Every woman needs Polly to help break in a new pair of shoes, break out a pair that’s been hiding in the closet, or simply to make it through the day without a boo-boo.
Womenetics: How are you marketing the product?
Klein: I feel one of the most effective marketing tactics for a small budget is public relations. Through effectively reaching out to the press and influential bloggers and websites in the beauty and fashion industry, we’ve been able to start building momentum and driving demand for Polly.
Given that Polly is a unique product, there is quite a bit of education that needs to be done about what Polly is. For that reason, we developed a 60-second animation that effectively communicates the value proposition and how to use Polly in a fun way. That animation is posted on You Tube and on the Polly website.
Womenetics: What has been you biggest obstacle to success?
Klein: Time. I currently work full-time running my marketing consulting business so I can continue to support my family. Finding enough time in the day to devote to moving Polly forward is a challenge. My mantra to that end has been “just one thing.” If I can do just one thing a week to help move Polly forward, I feel like I’ve accomplished something without compromising my goals for the product.
Womenetics: Do you have any more products coming out?
Klein: Yes. The only one I can mention at this point is a product extension of Polly: Polly Sport. Polly Sport can be used anywhere on the body to prevent friction and is targeted toward female athletes. There is nothing more irritating (literally) than a sports bra that rubs wrong or more uncomfortable than thighs rubbing together during a 10K run. Polly Sport will be a direct competitor to other products on the market targeted at athletes.
Womenetics: How did you get funding and how do you intend to fund further growth?
Klein: To date, Polly has been completely self-funded (Remember my “day” job? The extra hours are my “pennies for Polly.”) Additionally, I’m negotiating a deal that will help increase my sales and distribution while minimizing direct costs.
Womenetics: How important is a celebrity endorsement?
Klein: Celebrity endorsement would be fantastic but is not critical to Polly’s success. What is more important to me is when current customers send me a note telling me a story of how they tried it and were pleasantly surprised that it actually works. One customer used it on her 5-year-old daughter when she had to break in a new pair of dress shoes. Now her daughter refuses to put on any shoes until she puts Polly on first. I love that. Every story on my website is a testimonial from a Polly customer.
Womenetics: How many pair of shoes do you own?
Klein: My husband would kill me if I answered this honestly.
Mary Welch is a freelance writer for the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Dawson Times, Plan Your Meeting magazine, and Atlanta Business magazine. Previously, she held many positions with Leader Publishing, including editor-in-chief of Atlanta Woman, editor of Business to Business magazine, and editor of Catalyst magazine. As editor of Business to Business, she assigned, edited, and conceptualized a series that was awarded Silver in the 2005 GAMMA Awards for Best Series. Welch was a reporter for the Atlanta Business Chronicle for eight years and freelanced for publications including Glamour, Advertising Age, South, Georgia Trend, and Oz. From 2000 to 2003, she served as vice president of media relations for Bank of America, during which time she authored Forever Green: A History and Hope of the American Forest with Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell.
