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Refresh Your Product Range For 2012

by on January 11, 2012 in Business Building

Rainbow Splatter Cake - Pinterest

{Guest post by Isa Marie Seminega of Noisette Marketing}

The New Year is the perfect time to assess your product range and develop new products for the coming year. Out with the old and in with the new!

But where should you start? Here are some questions to ask yourself when considering refreshing your product range.

Do you still love each and every product you sell?

Over time we can fall out of love with things we create. There are lots of reasons why this can happen, maybe you have made so many you are sick of the sight of them or you might just have new ideas you want to try. If you don’t love what you are making it will be harder to promote them. It’s easier for your customer to fall in love with the product when your passion for it shines through. If you have some best sellers that you are fed up of making consider outsourcing the production so you can concentrate on making what you love.

How did each product perform?

Look at your sales figures for the last year. Which products were popular? Which one struggled to sell? Once you build a picture of each product’s performance you will be able to use this data to inform your decisions over whether to keep selling them. But don’t just jump into retiring low selling items! Some products might just need tweaking or your maybe your marketing didn’t quite work in getting across the benefits to the customer.

Are they still profitable?

The cost of materials is constantly changing especially gold, silver, natural fabrics even shipping supplies and postage costs. Revisit your pricing to ensure that each product you continue to make will still provide a profit. If not, it’s time for a price increase.

Can you make the design better?

Over the last year you will have been exposed to so much inspiration that it may be worthwhile to revisit the design of your products. Can you simplify the design or pattern to make it easier for you to produce? Or maybe you had customers asking you to add a specific feature to your items? Now is the time to tackle design improvements.

Does your new collection compliment your older products?

It can be tempting to go in a whole new direction but keep in mind your current range and what your customers want. If you want to add something new try to tie it in with your other products. For example if you sell knitted hats; a stationery range featuring phrases and jokes that knitters would love would still be relevant to your target market. It could even increase the amount they spend in your shop as it would compliment your current range.

Once you have detoxed your product range you will feel so much more refreshed, organised and ready to approach the New Year in confidence!

Isa Maria Seminega is passionate about empowering creative entrepreneurs achieve success authentically and on their terms. Alongside marketing and brand consulting she also runs Noisette Academy, a blog and learning community for creatives. Connect with her on her Website, Blog, Facebook & Twitter

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A Narrow Niche or Creative Confusion?

by on January 10, 2012 in Business Building

Ink + Wit Stamps

{Guest post by Allisa Jacobs.}

 

Product development can be a messy and baffling area for creative entrepreneurs. It might be tempting to hone in with laser-like focus on a specific item.  Or perhaps it’s difficult to reign in the creativity and you end up making dozens of various creations. Either way, developing a solid product line is an integral aspect of your business.

You might be asking yourself, what’s so wrong with zeroing in on one item or making everything I can dream of? Well, in both scenarios you’re spinning your wheels. If you’ve created a super narrow niche, you are forced to spend a lot of time marketing, networking, and connecting in effort to try and find that teeny tiny elusive group of buyers.  And if you’re busy making everything- than you’re busy doing just that – making – which means you’re overlooking specific market opportunities.

Ink + Wit Cards

Creating a successful product line requires a delicate balance of exploring design options while focusing on select markets.

A few points to consider while developing your products:

  • Develop your products before you identify your market. Often, entrepreneurs get it backwards. They think, “what can I make that people will buy?” Oh no. This is a sure-fire path towards confusion. Instead, focus on making what you love and consider, “who will appreciate my products?”
  • Niches are great, but leave room for growth. If you’re one of those makers who has fine-tuned a specific item, you’re actually in an excellent position. In all likelihood, this means you’ve connected with what you really enjoy creating and may even have insight about your target market. But consider leaving the door open for parallel or complimentary items which allow your brand to grow. For example, let’s say you paint custom pet portraits. Instead of solely relying on buyers to purchase this one-of-a-kind piece of art you may want to consider offering their portraits in different form or creating non-custom prints of pets too.
  • Just because you can make it doesn’t mean you should. This can be a toughie. I know once the creative juices get flowing it can be hard to stop. But you must. Really. You may be able to sew car seat covers and aprons and adorable felt toys and blankets and men’s wallets, but please, don’t. Making every single thing means that your brand gets diluted. Think of how much more powerful your brand could be if you focused your items to a more cohesive group.
  • Calculate Profitability. As you consider what to make and include in your product line it’s imperative to calculate (yes, get out the calculator!) the profitability for each item.  For sustainable success it’s imperative to know your profit margins of each item. This may help you decide what to pursue and what to let go.  It’s tough, I know. We don’t like numbers messing with our creativity. But you’ve got to look at your products from all aspects, profit included.

Ink + Wit Gift Wrap

Whether your shop is stuck in a narrow niche or in a state of creative confusion, hopefully you can find balance to develop a solid and successful product line.

Share with me in the comments… Do you have prefer specific product lines in your business or a hodge-podge of your creative talents?

Allisa is the dreamer and designer behind the Allisa Jacobs line of handbags and accessories. She loves the process of making from sketch to finish. She also enjoys sharing her entrepreneurial insights and wrote an e-book, Rise & Shine, to help others develop their creative small businesses. Connect with her on Etsy, Facebook, Twitter & her Blog.

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Creating A Buzz About Your Product Launch: The Do’s

by on December 12, 2011 in Business Building, Marketing

{Pinterest}

If you missed part 1 of this post, make sure you check it out here! Today Lakshmi is going to continue on with some more great tips & info about what TO DO to create a buzz about your new biz or products. Be sure to take notes or bookmark this post!

In my last post I talked about the importance of getting people involved & excited about your business or product launch & what you definitely should not do to launch something. Today I’m going to share what you should be doing to get things going!

YAY !

Below are some things I did and am currently doing to make my launch take off. A lot of it happened organically. It worked for me because it felt natural & I did what felt right to me.

The key is to do what is close to your heart. Even though these are the steps that I took to create a buzz about my new biz, you need to pick what feels right to you and add-on or modify it to suit you & your needs.

1} Sneak peeks

As I kept painting up a storm, I would give sneak peeks of my work. I had conversations going on twitter and email with my online friends about it. I got a lot of support when I felt a bit unsure about myself. I liked that people were interested in what I was doing and it was only possible because I formed a connection with them. I even got suggestions for colors & if a certain look was better than others. Be sure to involve people in your creative process.

2} Quantity

Since this was the first collection for my new shop, I knew from the start that I had to have at least 25 items for a launch. It would fill up the first page of my Etsy shop & I couldn’t go for anything less than that.

When you decide on a launch, be aware that people are looking for a good amount of products to go through. You provide them with the luxury of browsing and selecting what they like. Think about when you go into a shop – virtual or real – shopping for clothing especially – you walk around the whole store before you decide on the one product or piece you really like. Give your customer a reason to walk into your store. Give them choices. Give them quality AND quantity .

3} Theme of collection

While this may not be relevant to a wide range of products, it applies to but is not limited to clothing, art or jewelry.

Deciding on a cohesive look for the collection was crucial to me from the start. I knew that I was going to paint with fall/autumn colors and have themes related to this season. It is my favorite season of the year. It was autumn in Australia when I started painting. It was my inspiration.

While I did sneak in a few paintings that didn’t fit the theme, it didn’t really affect the overall collection. It is the sneak peek to my next collection , in many ways.

Name your collection. If you don’t plan on giving it a generic name, like Autumn collection, my new collection, etc., make it interesting and it will get people interested in what you have to offer.

4} Photography

I’m no expert at photography. I am still learning to use my camera. That’s precisely why I kept my photo shoot plain, simple, and well-lit. I took photographs from different angles, close-ups and bent every which way to get a good shot! In the future, I may definitely experiment with styling.

But, if you are good with the camera, try to style your product shoot with complimentary color themes or contrast it to get your product to pop . If nothing, a plain white background works wonders. Stick to maintaining a cohesive look between the product, styling and props. A good example of creating a buzz with clean, stylish product styling is Bridgett’s whale suite collection from Perideau Designs .

Apart from creating a buzz about your photographs , your product & its styling become part of your brand…

5} Get the word out

It’s important to make this personal. I contacted my online friends – other creative biz owners – to help me spread the word about my new shop and collection. All I was hoping for was that people would tweet and mention it on Twitter and their Facebook Fan page. I got that and more !

I attribute it to my friendship with these lovely ladies who helped me out in more ways than I was expecting. I didn’t approach in a self promoting kind of way. I approached each of them just like how I would approach my friends in real life, if I needed help in any way. And they responded.

6} Blog it!

At the time I was launching my new shop & collection, I didn’t have my blog up and running. But that probably will be your most powerful tool to create a buzz if you have a loyal contingent of followers.

Your blog is your journal. You get to decide what goes on it and when. Use it to your advantage and use it wisely! Word from the wise – With great power comes an even greater responsibility!

I wouldn’t recommend bombarding readers with shop news or launch news all the time. It has to be done in a very subtle manner. Give them something to look forward to without being in their face. It’s alright to be a tease without over doing it. While there is a diaspora to the notion of self promotion, if done tastefully, your people will look forward to your launch.

And on the day of the launch, THEY will do all the work for you by spreading the word.

All of this is possible, only if you genuinely form a connection with your readers and online peers.

How do you form a connection? Well, baby, that’s a whole different animal!

Many amazing posts have been written on this subject . This is my experience. I hope it will help you if you are planning to start a new business or planning to launch a new collection. What are your thoughts and what have you done to create a buzz about your work?

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Creating A Buzz About Your Product Launch: The Don’ts

by on December 9, 2011 in Business Building, Marketing

{Pinterest}

I’m super excited to share a great, informative guest post with you all today about launching your business or your products to the public! Lakshmi has been a loyal reader of my blog for some time now & she just revamped her business, changed it all around, & relaunched it with great success. She’s here to share some of her tips {do’s & don’ts} about getting some hype going about your new biz or products!

Let’s face the truth. The list of things to do before you start a business is fairly long, but today I am going to give you one more thing to think about before you go about your business!

I’m going to talk about creating a buzz around your product launch.

Apart from the obvious check list, what needs to be done before launching your business or a new product is vital to create a buzz about it.

There are plenty of resources out there that talk about this .

After my interview with April Bowles-Olin on Blacksburg Belle , I got emails from people saying they liked my tips, especially on launching my biz/collection, so I thought I should do a more in-depth post on this subject. A few things may seem repetitive from the interview, but bear with me…

When I was running Doodle Kreations, I never thought about launching a collection of sorts. I illustrated what I liked or what I thought would be liked and put it out there. I never generated any interest from peers or potential customers before I did any of it. It works for some people, but it didn’t for me.

People liked what I posted in my shop and they liked reading the inspiration behind an illustration on my blog, but that was that.

When I decided to re-think my creative pursuits, the one thing I promised myself was that I would things differently this time. I mean strategy wise.

NAY!

Let me first highlight the DON’Ts  for any new biz specifically. If you are new on the scene and people don’t know you, I recommend you don’t do the following.

1} Don’t approach a blogger and ASK to be featured. It almost always doesn’t work . Bloggers are busy people . They really like it if people GIVE them something to work with. Yes, they are looking for interesting items, but what they are looking for is a really good STORY behind the product.

Who is behind the shop? What is your inspiration? How is your product different from the ones on the market? What can you offer your customers besides your products? Can you offer a D.I.Y project for their readers? Maybe you have a great business/marketing tip that you’d like to share – like I am doing right now. ;P

Getting a feature is great. But, if you offer more than just your product, it will be beneficial in the long run. It helps people to get to know you. People learn from you and your experiences. Even if there is one person with whom your story strikes a chord, it could develop into a lot more.

2} Don’t endlessly Tweet, Facebook or blog about yourself. No one really likes someone touting their stuff ALL the time.

3} Don’t be unsure of yourself. You don’t have to please others to fit in. Be yourself. Be confident about what you have to offer. If you chose to start your biz with a certain idea or product, don’t  jump into it on a whim. Be sure you have had some expertise in the area and you are good at it. Flaunt your skills and strengths in a classy way.

Be sure to come back for part 2 of this post…Creating A Buzz About Your Product Launch: The Do’s

You definitely don’t want to miss out on what you need to do to create that big buzz!

If you have any tips on what NOT to do when launching a new business/product, feel free to share in the comment section below!

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Does The World Really Need Another…

by on December 5, 2011 in Business Building

image by Jay Hell on Etsy

You have this great idea or great product that you want to get to work on & you feel like you really have something to offer to people. Then you start finding out that someone’s already done it. Maybe not just one person. Maybe there are several, even hundreds, out there. Then you start looking at what everyone else has done & you start thinking that they’ve already done everything…there’s nothing left for you to do. It’s already great. What more could you possibly add to it.

No matter what your “another…” is, more than likely there are several already out there. And more than likely you’re going to have these same thoughts, but let me share some encouragement with you!

DO IT ANYWAY!

There. Now do you feel encouraged?

Let me tell you why you should go ahead with your plans & “do it anyway”.

You are unique. There’s no one else like you.

I was reading an article the other day about the mp3 player & how several people had the idea before Apple. They had even created mp3 players, but they never took off until Apple did it with the I-pod.

What did Apple do differently? A lot, I’m sure. I’m sure they used their name & influence. I’m sure they did tons of research to make the I-pod as attractive to their market as possible. And they certainly marketed it to the extreme. A must for getting anything out there & noticed.

So it goes to show that even the big names don’t always produce original ideas.

You are your own person. You have something to offer the world. Take what you do, your strengths, & use them to help others. It’s shouldn’t always be about making money off of a product. We should make things that solve our customers problems & help them in some form or fashion. That’s why people buy what they buy…it’s going to fill a need or want in their life.

You’re going to have something to add to the “another…” that no one else has done yet whether you realize it or not. You’re going to take something, figure out what’s lacking in it, & fill in that gap. Pour yourself into it & because you’re unique, it will be unique. It will be yours. It won’t be one of the same “another’s” out there. It will stand out…with some marketing work from you of course.

You have your own voice, your own way of doing things & that will resonate with certain people. The way you word things, the way you describe things, or even how you put things if perspective & define them will catch the attention of certain people.

This is way you should “do it anyway”

What “another…” have you been putting off because you feel there are too many already out there? Let me know in the comments below.

Don’t forget, if you need some help figuring out ways to make an idea or project your’s, my 30 minute coaching sessions are the perfect solution. We’ll look at some of the “another’s” out there & brainstorm ways you can put your spin on it that will benefit your customers!

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Why Being Indecisive Is Killing Your Creative Mojo

by on October 24, 2011 in Business Building, Time Management

image via Moon&Lion on Etsy

I started this little creative project a while back. I decided I was going to make a flag bunting to add some color & a decorative element to my studio. You’ve seen them, right? They seem to be everywhere these days & I’m jumping on the bandwagon. I think they’re adorable! So I checked out a few DIY bunting posts & I was pretty sure I could handle it.

I went to the fabric store & got the fabrics & supplies I needed for the project, came home, & got started. I cleared my space, got all my supplies ready, & prepped my fabrics by ironing them. Then I realized that I needed to make a pattern & before I made an actual pattern I needed to decide what size I wanted my little flags to be.

STOP!

Size? OMGoodness, I didn’t even think of that. Not a big deal though, right? Just pick a size, make your pattern, & get to it.

Well for me it wasn’t that simple. I spent {way to much} time thinking about where I would put it. “My desk or the wall? If it’s on my desk, it will need to be small. If it’s on the wall, it can be bigger.” By the time I was finished “deciding”, I was fresh out of motivation to continue. I’d already wasted way too much time on such a simple project, my kids were due to get up any minute, & I was just getting started. Frustrating!! So I decided that I’d pack all my stuff back up & work on it at a later time when I was in a more creative mood. Lord knows if I try making something & I’m not feeling it…it’s probably gonna suck!

Guess what? Yeah, I still don’t have a banner for my studio. Not because I haven’t been in any creative moods lately because I certainly have, but because I let my being indecisive kill my mojo or my passion for my project.

Have you ever had that happen to you? Sure you have! We do it a lot…especially as creative business owners, but I want to encourage you today to STOP taking forever to decide on things! It not only kills your creative mojo, but it kills your business mojo too.

When you have a new idea pop into your head, write down everything you’re thinking of at that very moment. Be detailed & specific because I guarantee you you won’t remember it later. Organize it into actionable steps to get you from where you are now to completing your idea then get going. Don’t wait. Don’t take too much time to decide if it’s a good fit or how you’re going to market it. You know if it works for your biz & you’re never gonna know if it will catch on until you do it & test it on your market. If it’s a keeper, focus on marketing, pricing, & all that other stuff then.

Don’t let your mojo die! Stay excited about your plans & don’t let them fizzle out.

Tell me about a time when you let indecisiveness kill your mojo in the comments below!

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Low Sales? 5 Tips To Help You NOW!

by on October 17, 2011 in Business Building, Marketing

Slow sales lately? Bummery feeling right? What to do, what to do!

It’s easy to become frustrated & wonder if all your hard work is worth it when sales are slow. I know for myself, as a creative business owner, I put a lot of heart & soul into making the best products & trying to show the world I’m out there. It’s tough sometimes to convince customers that they need to buy from me instead of the other guy & it’s definitely disheartening when no one is looking or listening!

So today I want to share 5 tips with you that will help when sales slack off.

1. Add inventory to your shop

The more products you have for sale online, the more chances you have of being found. Each time you list a new product & follow up by marketing the mess out of it, you’re creating links & noise about that product.

The goal is to have a lot of options for your customers to choose from with varying price points & to get some talk going about it. Remember, the more products you have out there, the more opportunities you have to be found.

2. Pitch a blogger for a feature

When you pitch {ask} a blogger for a feature, whether it’s a feature on your business, one of your products, or an interview with you, you’re opening yourself up to a whole new community of people. You’re getting advertisement for your business that will be shared with many new potential customers who are gonna go check out your shop & your products.

Don’t limit yourself to features only. You can also include product reviews & giveaways in this list too, but let me say that it’s really important to research who you’re letting review your product or who you’re offering that giveaway to. You want it to be worth your while & theirs!

Now don’t be scared to ask a blogger to feature you! What’s the worst that could happen? They could say no, right? Well that’s not so bad. Move on..tThere are always more bloggers out there to pitch to next.

Don’t miss out on one of my upcoming Q&A Wednesday videos where I’m going to share some awesome tips with you all about “pitching” yourself to bloggers. It’s gonna be juicy!

3. Create a time sensitive product offer

Wanna make some quick cash or boost your sales during a slow period? This can work wonders if done correctly!

Take a new product that you’re getting ready to release {or even create a product specifically for this offer}, give it a good launch discount {at least 30% if not more}, set a begin & end date, & promote the heck out of it! Make sure you stress the fact that this is a limited time offer.

“After {one week} the price will increase to {$29.95}. Hurry now!”

4. Squeeze in a craft show

It seems that most creative businesses tend to make “fast cash” when it comes to selling in person like you would at a craft show. Why? Because people can see your products up close. They can feel them, try them, even sample them. You don’t have to worry about your photos or descriptions doing the selling. All you need is a great product, an attention grabbing booth, & some professional looking marketing materials.

Be sure to stay tuned for the new blog series on craft shows coming soon!

5. Create an affiliate program

At some point other people, aka…your fans, start to spread the word about you. They tell their friends & family about your products if the conversation arises, but what if you could get them to do even more?

You can by creating your own affiliate program for them to join. This way, you get the word spread about your business & products without having to do it all yourself & they make a little money in the process.

In order to create an affiliate program, you’ll need affiliate software. You can find a lot of these by Googling it. Some are cheap & some are more pricey. If you have an Etsy shop, here is a great article on Handmadeology all about how to create an affiliate program for free – Increase Your Etsy Traffic & Sales With an Affiliate Program.

What things do you do to boost your sales when they’re slow? Leave me a comment & let me know!

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2 Reasons To Keep Your Materials Costs Low

by on August 2, 2011 in Business Building

mini birdcages by KoYa on Etsy

So recently I’ve been looking into making this fun, new product for my new line, Baby Swank Naturals, & I’ve been shopping for supplies. This is my least favorite part of the whole “new product” process. Seriously.

I use Google & I’m looking for the best deals. It’s extremely important to keep your materials costs low when creating a new product. Why? I’ll give you 2 good reasons.

1.  It helps your profit margin.

The lower your materials cost, the more money for you honey! It’s that simple. If your materials cost is high, you probably won’t be able to charge what you’d like to charge for your profit in order to keep the overall price realistic.

2.   It helps you to snag wholesale orders.

Wholesale is when you sell your product to a retailer, like a boutique, for less than you’d sell it to the public yourself. The boutique then marks the price up to whatever they choose & sells it to their customers.

In order to get a wholesale account you have to have your wholesale price be a reasonable one. Typically with coming up with wholesale prices you’re going to include your materials cost + your labor cost. That’s it. Of course you’d have a minimum order as well so you’re guaranteed so much money with each wholesale order & it makes it worth your while.

More on wholesale to come & if you want to know more about pricing your products, click the link to check out an article I wrote about it.

Now, back to my supply search.

I LOVE me some free shipping because my junk is usually heavy, but not everyone offers that. So sometimes you just have to suck it up & pay it if you want your stuff. Just include it in the overall cost when you come up with your materials cost when you’re pricing your product.

It’s also great to find suppliers who offer a bunch of what you need rather than just one thing. This too helps with shipping costs & keeps it simple for you when you go to reorder again.

Another thing I look for is a wholesale supplier. This helps keep the cost low, but you have to be willing to buy in bulk. For me, this works, but it doesn’t work for everyone.

Anyway, I think I did pretty well this time around…keeping costs low that is. Stay tuned to my Baby Swank Blog for the new product reveal soon!

So tell me, how do you keep your materials costs low?

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Baby Swank Naturals Are Here!

by on June 20, 2011 in Business Building

My new line, Baby Swank Naturals, is finally here! It’s been postponed a bit, but that’s life with a family of small children. Things don’t always click along like you plan. I’m sure many of you can understand!

Lavender Chamomile Baby Wash & Shampoo

Anyway, I want to share a bit about my new line with you all today. I’m gonna start out by telling you how my products came about & why they’re so great! I’m gonna let you in on where I get my herbs & how I do the infusion process in case you’re wondering. And I’ll let you know what’s up my sleeve for the future of Baby Swank Naturals!

About Baby Swank Naturals

Ever since I had my first baby, 3 years ago, I’ve been very much aware of what I put on his body. The more I read & learn about synthetics & chemicals used in skin care products, the more I realize why it’s so important to be careful & to use good, quality products.

Did you know that your skin is the largest organ in your body? That’s right! Your skin is actually an organ & it not only protects us from all kinds of harmful things, but it’s used to absorb things into our bodies as well. So that means not only will your skin absorb healthy vitamins & minerals, but it can also absorb harmful substances that are on your body. So be aware of what you’re putting on your skin. I know you may not think it’s much, buy toxic substances build up inside of your body & then can start causing some serious problems! Research, research, research.

Okay, so I decided that I wanted to use natural products for my baby. They’re so little, new & fresh when they’re born. You just hate to expose them to anything they’re body isn’t used to handling…or shouldn’t need to handle, I should say. So I started buying things at our local health food store, but came to realize that I still couldn’t pronounce half of the ingredients in those items. I understand that even healthy products aren’t going to be 100% the best option. I mean, they have to set in factories & in boxes & on shelves for a long time so they have to have some sort of preservatives in them…healthy or not.

So being the type of person I am…into health & a DIYer…I decided to do some research & make my own products. Now I’m really into herbs. I use them when we’re healthy for nutrition & prevention & I use them when we’re sick for nutrition & healing. I’m an RN so I feel like I have a pretty good head on my shoulders when it comes to health so I do a lot of research when I need to make anything. I buy books, I look online, I talk to trusted friends, etc.

So I did my research & I started making diaper rash cream, cloth baby wipe solution, & several other concoctions for my kid. Guess what? They worked fabulously! I was so amazed! Not only did they do their job, but it grew my confidence as well. So I decided to get with it & get the ball rolling on some skin care products.

Fast forward 2 years, another baby, & one more on the way…my products are finished & ready!

So I decided to start small, try it out on my family & friends first, & then put it in my shop if all when well. Well, it’s in my shop, so you know how that turned out!

Orange Vanilla Baby Oil

So I’m starting with a head-to-toe baby wash & shampoo & a baby oil.

  • They’re so simple.
  • You can pronounce all the ingredients.
  • They clean.
  • They’re good for babies skin {your’s too BTW…my husband & I use it from time to time!}.
  • They lather well.
  • They last a LONG time, which works well for your budget.
  • Plus, they smell SOOOOO good.

I offer each in an 8 oz full size & a 2 oz sample size. I started with three herbal combinations…Lavender Chamomile, Rosemary Mint, & Orange Vanilla! Plus, I make everything in small batches so it’s always fresh! You can read more about the actual products in my shop. Click here for the soap & click here for the oil!

Herbal Infusions

So what’s an infusion. Well, an infusion is where you take something & mix it {infuse it} into something else. So when it comes to herbs, you’ve got teas & infusions. A tea is a little herb & a lot of water & it tastes good. An infusion is a lot of herb & a little water. It’s strong & it usually doesn’t taste too great, but it’s a quick way to get the nutrition & properties of the herb into your body.

So what’s this got to do with my skin care products. Well herbs aren’t just used for cooking & medicine. They can also be used on your body. They are very nourishing, not only when we’re sick, but when we’re well too.

So I started out with three different simple combinations that smell great together & all serve different purposes.

Lavender Chamomile is perfect for you if you give baths before bed. Lavender is very soothing for the skin. It aids in sleep & relaxation & chamomile is also helpful for sleep in small children.

Rosemary Mint is a great eye-opener. So if you bath your baby in the morning, this is the scent for you! Rosemary is a stimulant & astringent. It will stimulate blood flow & draw out impurities. Peppermint is also a stimulant & it has a cooling effect on the skin. It’s great for comforting babies with fevers!

The last one is Orange Vanilla & this one smells soooo good. It’s great if you’ve got a sleepy baby you want to WAKE UP! It’s very energizing! Orange peel has anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, & anti-inflammatory properties. Plus it smells great! Vanilla is primarily used for it’s sweet fragrance!

So now onto how I put these herbs into the soap & oil.

photo courtesy of susunweed.com

I take my crock-pot, fill it with water, stick a cloth in the bottom, & turn it on low heat. I then put my herbs into a quart jar & pour my soap or oil over the herbs. I put the lid on & stick it in the crock-pot. I let it “cook” for several hours {at least 12} until I feel that the properties of the herbs have sufficiently been infusing into the soap or oil. The soap & oil will usually change colors depending on the herb & it will take on a herby smell. I then take the jar out, let it cool, & then strain the herbs out of the soap or oil. I fill the cooled soap or oil into the bottles, add a few drops of the essential oils, wipe the bottles down, label them, & voila…they’re done!

If you’re wondering where I get my herbs. I get all of my herbs bulkherbstore.com! {affiliate link}

Bulk Herb Store
Great selection of bulk herbs, books, and remedies. Articles, Research Aids and much more.

If you’re looking for herbs of your own, this is the place to get them. It’s a family owned & operated small business & you’ll not only be able to buy a wide variety of herbs for a great price, but you can learn so much about them as well…like how to use them! Many of the herbs are organic, but if they’re not organic they’re grown without the use of pesticides, chemicals, or radiation so no fear about what’s going onto your baby’s skin!

The Future

As far as the future of Baby Swank Naturals goes…well that’s up to you! If my soap & oil does well then I’ll definitely add to the line. I’m already working on a bath soak for baby & I have plans for an all-natural line for those sweet baby bottoms! It will include a powder, diaper rash salve & cream, & a cloth wipes solution & spray.

As far as anything else goes…I’m up for it, but I need to know what you want. Is there anything you wish you could get for your little one that was simpler & more natural? If so, let me know. I’m all for suggestions!

Rosemary Mint Baby Wash & Shampoo

So thanks for reading this {long} post on my new products!! I love them & if you try them, I’m sure you will too!

 

Meagan

Comments { 8 }

What Solution Are You Selling?

by on May 18, 2011 in Business Building

 

Washcloth Bib by Baby Swank on Etsy

Take one product that you offer in your business & write down what problem it solves for your customer. Now write down how it solves that problem.

People buy products that they want or need. Either way, the product is solving some sort of problem for them. Your job is to figure out what problem your customers are attempting to solve by buying your product.

For me, when a customer buys one of my Washcloth Bibs, they’re trying to save themselves time & money. My bibs solve their problems by decreasing the chances of food stains on clothes, decreasing the wear & tear on clothes from repeated washing & drying, & decreasing clothing changes during the day.

Now that I know what problem my product solves & how it solves it, I need to use it in marketing my product to my ideal customer. I don’t need to sell them my product, but I need to sell them my solution!

I’m going to sell my solution by clearly stating what my product is going to do for them & I’m going to do that by being blunt. “My Washcloth Bib will save you time & money while keeping your little one clean & fashionable by preventing stains that lead to repeated washings & frequent clothing changes.” That’s it. It’s that simple. It tells them what problem it will solve & how it will solve it.

Has this post helped you? Share the love & link to it on Twitter & Facebook so it can help others too! Oh yeah, & tell me what solution you are selling with one of your products in the comments below! I’d love to check out your goodies!

Comments { 7 }
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