Proof to Product

Earlier this year, we conducted a state of the product industry survey. We had 925 people respond. We found that 15% of respondents are not utilizing email marketing to reach their audiences. My jaw fell to the floor! I've talked about why email marketing is so important in previous episodes. The number surprised me because email marketing has the highest ROI of all marketing channels. For every dollar that you put into email marketing, you can expect an average rate of return of $42, which is bananas.  You won't get that with social media or even sometimes paid ads. Email marketing is also one of the best ways to build trust with your customers so that they come back time and time again to order with you.  I have been shouting the importance of email marketing for years, but, today, I wanted to let our friends at Flodesk explain why email marketing is so important, what data you should be paying attention to, and overlooked opportunities when it comes to email marketing.  My guest today is Dawn Richardson. She is the product education manager at Flodesk. She also runs her own business called Tech Savvy Creative. Dawn has a background in software engineering, and then she was in wedding photography. Now, she's back in the world of tech where she's helping creative entrepreneurs of all types. Her mission is to create a safe, fun, and welcoming corner of the Internet where entrepreneurs can learn how to leverage technology so they can spend more time doing work that matters most. You can try out Flodesk by going to our affiliate link at http://prooftoproduct.com/flodesk.  This episode is brought to you by our Email Marketing For Product Makers guide. 49% of our customers want to hear from us consistently, yet, only a small percentage of product-based business owners are actively sending monthly emails to their customers.   If you’ve struggled with what to say, when to send, or how to plan out your email marketing strategies, we’ve got just the tool for you. This tool and the optional training have helped hundreds of product makers plan out an entire year’s worth of emails.  And, the best part… they are creating templates that they can rinse & repeat year after year.   DOWNLOAD NOW You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/368  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

Seth Godin, a renowned author and entrepreneur, shares his insights on effective strategy and marketing. He emphasizes the importance of long-term thinking over instant gratification. Godin discusses the four elements crucial for a successful strategy and the value of connecting with a small, focused audience. He critiques the pitfalls of relying on social media and highlights the role of empathy and genuine connections in driving meaningful change. Listeners will walk away with actionable tips to create remarkable products that foster organic growth.

Is it easier to start a business than to scale it? In 2024, the answer is a resounding yes, yet few have the persistence to grow their ventures. The discussion highlights today's competitive landscape, the nuances of modern marketing, and the complexities of finding manufacturing partners. Decision fatigue emerges as a critical challenge for entrepreneurs aiming for expansion. Join the conversation about the evolving business landscape and the grit required to thrive!

Riki Inge, the founder of Rikrack Embroidery, shares her journey from in-house artist to successful entrepreneur, launching unique embroidery kits that sold out in just three days. She discusses the hurdles that came with her rapid success, such as packaging and fulfillment issues. Riki emphasizes the importance of intentional outsourcing to streamline her business and offers insights into balancing family life with her growing career. Listeners will be inspired by her commitment to authenticity and her strategies for navigating the wholesale market.

In this engaging conversation, Brock Johnson, an Instagram expert and international keynote speaker, shares his secrets to transforming followers into customers. He highlights the importance of optimizing your Instagram profile and creating share-worthy content that resonates with your audience. Brock also discusses the emerging platform Threads, providing insights on how to leverage it for business success. He advocates for embracing imperfection in content creation, and introduces tools like ManyChat to automate direct messaging and enhance engagement.

We are back with another compilation episode with our Paper Camp coaches. If you missed last week’s episode, you can check it out by going to episode 362.  In this episode, I'm taking a different approach and asking a different set of questions. These questions are directly aimed at our coaches who are wholesale buyers that run retail storefronts. Today's questions focus on tips for pitching products to buyers and building wholesale relationships between stores and brands. Last week we wrapped up the 44th round of Paper Camp, and I am so grateful to these coaches for providing so much personalized feedback to our students. Myself and our coaches were in our community group every day answering questions, sharing solutions, and connecting with our students. So many of our students have already updated their pricing and their terms and conditions. They've created catalogs. They're sending out their first wholesale pitches.  Some have completely revamped their retention strategies and how they're reaching out to existing accounts too. It has been so fun to see the transformations in such a short amount of time.  The coaches featured in this episode are Theresa Delaney of Creative Kind and Jen Palacio of Tiny Turns Paperie. Both have retail storefronts and purchase products from members of our community. Questions I asked these Paper Camp coaches: What is the best way that you like to be pitched by a brand?  How do you not want to be pitched by a brand?  What is something that you see brands worrying about that doesn't really affect your buying decisions? Today's episode is brought to you by our Paper Camp program. Paper Camp is our wholesale coaching program where we teach you everything you need to know to build strong wholesale foundations. Over the course of 4 weeks, we tackle your product line, sales tools, and marketing plan, and we even talk about how to exhibit at trade shows if that's what you want to do. We start with your product line and go into everything from how often you should be releasing new products to ensuring that your numbers are sustainable for the wholesale market and their price for profit. Then we move into sales tools you must have for selling wholesale so you make a strong first impression with buyers like catalogs and your terms and conditions. Then, we cover marketing strategies and ways to reach various store owners.  Each week's teachings build on the previous week, and we host weekly live engaging coaching calls to answer all of your questions.  We won’t be offering another round of Paper Camp until 2025 so if you are listening to this episode and you missed this round, be sure to get on the waitlist by clicking the link below. SIGN UP FOR THE WAITLIST You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/363  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp  

Theresa Delaney, owner of Creative Kind and experienced Paper Camp coach, discusses critical insights into wholesale growth strategies. She emphasizes the importance of embracing imperfection and celebrating small victories in business. The conversation dives into refining product lines using a blend of data and personal motivation, while also highlighting common pitfalls for new wholesale sellers. Delaney encourages brands to strengthen their presentations and foster meaningful relationships with retailers for lasting success.

In this engaging discussion, Biff Ulm, owner of Nice Enough Stickers and a retail sensation with products in over 3,000 stores, delivers valuable insights on product development. He highlights the significance of patience and iteration while leveraging customer feedback. Biff shares his experiences from the Las Vegas gift show, touching on networking's role in adapting strategies to evolving consumer trends. He emphasizes building genuine connections and understanding buying behaviors, offering vital advice for aspiring product makers.

Brigida Swanson, a multiracial Chamorro watercolor artist and the creative mind behind Yardia, shares her journey of thriving without social media. She reveals how abandoning the constant scroll has led to increased business success and personal happiness. Brigida discusses the power of email marketing and meaningful outreach that contributed to her growth. With newfound mental clarity, she emphasizes the joy of genuine connections and the importance of balancing contentment with creativity, inspiring others to reconsider their social media habits.

We have all heard that we need to showcase our authentic selves for our businesses, but what does that actually mean? What does that look like in our business?  This week's podcast episode features a recent portion of a coffee chat hosted by Kiwi Schloffel held inside of our private LABS program. LABS is our membership for product-based business owners where we talk about how to work smarter, not harder within our businesses, including how we show up as a leader.  In this coffee chat, Kiwi touches on a variety of topics, such as the importance of staying true to your brand's identity, how to use personal interest to inject authenticity into your business, and more.  This week's podcast episode is brought to you by Kodi Collective, who is also a sponsor of our Paper Camp program. Kodi Collective is a leading omnichannel marketing company that supports B2C and B2B brands and publications. They offer a wide range of print, procurement, and creative production solutions, including digital and offset printing, sourcing, and logistics. They are focused on helping you achieve an integrated marketing mix to reach your audience in meaningful ways. You can learn more about Kodi's services by going to their website.  All of our Paper Camp and LABS students get access to a private Proof to Product portal with Kodi, where they get discounted rates on print services and a dedicated sales rep to help us with all of our project management.  They provide support throughout the process of getting your project off the ground. So if you are looking for a new print partner, our community has had great experiences working with Kodi Collective. And if you missed our latest round of Paper Camp, click here to get on the waitlist for our next round. You can view full show notes and more at http://prooftoproduct.com/359  Quick Links: Free Wholesale Audio Series Free Resources Library Free Email Marketing for Product Makers PTP LABS Paper Camp