Archive for April, 2008
I just learned about twitter today. Do you twitter? It’s basically a social networking site where you can provide up-to-the-minute updates of what you’re doing. As a business it’s one of those sites that could become important , making it a good idea to reserve your business name as your username. Kind of like domains, it’s all up-for-grabs, so get it while it’s free.
We signed up in about five minutes, to reserve our biz name as our username. You can do the same by following this link to twitter.com.
If you’re launching an online boutique, you’ll learn quickly that SEO is very important. It’s also an ongoing process. One of my friends at mompreneursonline.com posted a link to this great SEO cheat-sheet:
http://www.seomoz.org/blog/the-web-developers-seo-cheat-sheet
From personal experience, I’ve come to believe that two things are crucial in building your online boutique:
- Constant updating - whether it’s via blogging, new images, or constant little improvements to spacing, layout, content, colors, backgrounds, fonts, etc. - it’s important to always work on improving your site. We have an ongoing spreadsheet (which we actually need to revisit and update) that works to track all the changes we want to make to the site. We use google spreadsheets so that I can add to it from anywhere and web design can update it from anywhere.
- Perseverance and hard work - it takes time to build traffic, to get a good number of impressions, to build a valuable pr campaign, and on and on. It won’t happen over night, but it will happen if you I keep at it! ! ( I’m definitely writing this as more of a reminder to myself than anything!!)
Click here to view our latest (and only) twitter update!
April 30th, 2008
Isn’t everything a mixed blessing? Business is going so great that we’re really growing. Growing is painful. I remember reading some book way way way back when I first started about “growing your business”. I was REALLY curious about how I was going to make this happen - as if it was a real concern (little did I know it’d be years before I’d have to worry about that one!). But here it is - it is actually happening in real life. It’s a great, great, great thing - but I’m really scurrying to figure out how to make it all happen.
I know that we need more help. We’re even picking up more help - especially with production and sales. But the worse part is that I keep talking myself into getting “just a few more” things ironed out perfect before I seek out the help. I have to get over this glitch or it’s going to kill me. I have to be ok with where we’re at and just ask for help. I am lining up the jobs that will be easy to train on and pass off and I’m lining up the next level of suppliers. So, see, I’m working through it - even though I feel like a deer in the headlights.
I let my stress get the better of me today and had a totally uncalled for outburst. Shame on me. Lame of me. I even thought I had prepped myself for the day - I certainly prepped my daughter when she got out of school: “Mommy has a shipping deadline today and I’m already behind, so I’m going to need your patience for just a little bit.”
I didn’t make the deadline. WHAT?? I always make it. Even if I’m flying out the door at the last minute - I make it. But not today. And it cost me a pretty penny b/c it was a rush order that we promised would be there. It will be there, it just cost us for express shipping. Oh, and side-tracked my daughter’s homework for the evening.
I’ve landed a guest blog column on a business magazine site (ha ha that won’t make me busier) and since I owe them content, my first column will be about the real effect having our own businesses have on our families. Believe me, everyone in the family sacrifices to make it happen - but everyone reaps incredible benefits too.
***Have you checked out the forums? Sometimes I’m not able to get around to answering emails as quickly as I’d like, but I’ve noticed some of you are helping each other and asking questions on the forum. This is fantastic!!!
April 23rd, 2008
I’ve been getting a lot of questions about making cold calls. I think this was one of the most daunting things for me - before I got the first one under my belt. When it comes to making cold calls, it is one of those things I wish I had started earlier.
Here’s what you need to be successful when walking into a boutique without an appointment:
- Your sales kit!!! - Your sales kit should consist of your samples, line sheets, PO forms, and terms & agreement forms (new account form).
- Brochures / Product Literature to leave behind
When I first walk in, I walk up to the register and ask the person in front of me if they are the owner or buyer (as I write this, it occurs to me that it might be better to first introduce myself): “Hello, (smile smile smile) - are you the owner or buyer by any chance?”
If the answer is yes, I introduce myself and ask if they have a minute for me to show them a few of our items - as I’m asking this, I’m already pulling out the first item. My thinking is to capture their interest.
If they seem hesitant about time, I keep talking and saying “we have really unique ______ that would be great fit in your boutique. Would it be more convenient for me to make an appointment”
By this time, they have the sample in their hands and 8 out of 10 times will say “that’s ok, I can take about 5 minutes to see what you have…”
From there, I handle it like a normal appointment, showing product and sharing the benefits of carrying our line in their store.
If the owner is not in, the sales rep will usually share the owner’s name and the day and time the owner will be in the store. I’ll make a note and try to return at that time for another cold call.
One thing that helped my confidence walking into the boutique was getting a sample bag that I love. Sounds silly, but it’s true.
Let me know if you have any questions.
April 19th, 2008
Sales, sales, sales. I’m learning that I might actually like doing sales. I get a rush when I manage to really pick up the phone and make the calls I need to make. Oh, believe me, there is this whole big ordeal going on in my head before I make the first call each day. I can get myself completely discombobulated, but I’ve found that I can talk myself down with the good ol’ fashion fallback: “What’s the worse that can happen? They’ll say no? So what?”
I mean really, SO WHAT? There are so many boutiques out there that represent opportunity, it’s ok if a few say no. It’s a numbers game, you know.
The one thing that I can’t get is how in the heck I have better luck dropping in unannounced, aka “cold calling”, than I do making appointments? Today, I even had an appointment and got stood up (UGH!). So I stopped by a couple of other boutiques in the area, caught one of the owners in and was able to show my line. I would say I catch the owner or buyer at least 7 out 10 times when I cold call. And I almost always do some cold calling when I’m out for appointments, to capitalize on the trip.
I’m happy it’s the beginning of the month and I have fresh sales goals. I’m doing my best to consistently focus on sales everyday. Does anyone have tips for how they maintain a consistent schedule every day? The only way I can get one to work out for me, - that incorporates all I do with the kids, sales & marketing, and all the other little bits of all the rest of the business tasks - is to wake at 4:15 in the morning. Which isn’t to say I keep to that everyday, but really, it’s the only way to make it work when I figure it out on paper!!
April 3rd, 2008