Jane Hamill

Increase revenue using content & email marketing.

Podcast

#AskJanesBrain: “I have to raise my prices and find all new customers. What should I do?”

Danalia by Danielle Pierce

In today’s laser coaching call, I’m talking to swimwear and resort designer, Danielle Pierce from Danalia.

Danielle has realized that her margins are too low and she needs to pivot her business. Her main questions is this:

“I’ve been selling to a certain type of customer and now I have to raise my prices and find new customers. What should I do?”

You can also listen on iTunes and Stitcher Radio

What we cover in this coaching call:

  • Pivoting her entire business to make it profitable – it’s almost like starting over again from scratch
  • What to do with her list email list of 600 people when she is pivoting her business to a higher end product
  • Selling online and wholesale at the same time
  • What to do when you lose motivation to create things
  • Choosing a brand-new target
  • Creating content to attract new people who can handle Danielle’s higher pricepoint

Mentioned in this episode:

I’d LOVE to know what you think of this episode! Just leave a comment below and let’s chat.

Jane

P.S. If you want a FREE podcast coaching session, you can apply here.

P.P.S. If you enjoy listening to this podcast and want to dive deeper into the topics we cover, check out my monthly coaching program, Imperfect Action.

Making Decisions and Sticking to Them

Question…

How much time do you spend in your business every day actually doing things that make you money? You know, activities that make sales?

Logically, we know that bringing money into your business is the overall #1 priority of a business. And yet I see SO MANY small business owners who focus on anything and everything to avoid it – I include myself in this group BTW.

It’s not that you’re not smart enough, or capable enough, or anything like that. It’s that we’re just too HUMAN. Our brains have the ability to make decisions, THOUSANDS of them on a daily basis.  

Things can get a little crazy “between the ears” for entrepreneurs, especially creative entrepreneurs like makers, designers, and e-commerce store owners.

Let’s say you’re releasing a  new product soon and you want to send an email to your list.  Your brain is telling you…

“I should send an email about my new product and write a new blog post. Yeah, I’ll do that.” 

And then, the brain takes it away… 

  • Should I write a post or do a video? 
  • Is my camera too crappy? 
  • I should probably wait until I get my hair done and lose a little weight 
  • So I’ll write a blog instead 
  • But what should I say?  
  • Who’s my target customer, anyway? I should really dig into that before I waste my time writing 
  • Should I write the post first or send the email first? 
  • Do I put the same content in the email? Plus the link to the product? Is that too much? 
  • Is my shopping cart working correctly? I should probably check my Abandoned Cart sequence 
  • What about social media? I don’t want to “bother” people with the same info blasted everywhere 
  • Oh geez, so much to do… 
  • Where should I start? 
  • Oh!! Looky here, the new season of “This Is Us” is on… 

So you end up on the couch with ice cream and Netflix instead. 🙁 

And then it’s like…I’ll just be here on the couch with my THOUGHTS about marketing and my PLAN to get sales but no actual execution that leads to RESULTS.  

It’s the  overthinking that leads us to confusion and feeling overwhelmed.  So we don’t take any  action. 

And no action means no sales. 

Today’s podcast will help you make a decision and stick to it.

You can also listen and subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Radio

I truly believe that the #1 thing that RUINS a business is when the owner overthinks. We have great ideas and  plans to do stuff  about these ideas and then  we overthink what we should do  and get stuck.  

Has this ever happened to you? Let me know what you think of this episode in the comments below. And could you do me a favor? Which topic would you like me to cover next?

PLEASE VOTE!

A: Driving “qualified” traffic to your site or blog

B: Real-life productivity for creatives

C: How to create your marketing plan

Thanks for reading (and listening),

Jane

P.S. My mission is to get you focused on what’s truly important to work on in your business and into ACTION to execute. If you’re interested in going further with the topics we discuss on the podcast, head over to Imperfect Action. 

#LaserCoaching: Content Marketing for a Luxury Fashion Brand

“You have a brand-new business, starting today.”

Imagine you could look at your current business with complete clarity and re-design it to be:

  • streamlined,
  • easier to run,
  • and with a higher profit margin on very single unit you sell

Would you be psyched? That’s exactly what we do with my coaching call guest today, Anila Hussain from Shenannz. I’m not talking about an entire new business, that sounds, well, hard. What Anila and I do on this #LaserCoaching call is make simple but profound tweaks to what she’s currently doing.

Things like…selling multiple different products and types of collections instead of focusing on the high margin categories.

Things like…letting some aspects of the business GO so the business owners aren’t spread too thin, overwhelmed, and unable to get real results from any ONE thing.

Things like…understanding that email marketing doesn’t have to be scary or “hard” when you know what to say.

You can also listen and subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher Radio

What we cover in this coaching call:

  • I have customer and prospect emails but I’m not sending them anything. What should I do?
  • Best selling items vs. highest profit margin items
  • Creating content (like”10 second style”) that will lead to sales
  • Do I need professional videos or can I use my iPhone for my luxury brand?
  • How can I sell without pushing? I don’t feel comfortable “selling”
  • Using experiential, non-selling events to actually get sales
  • Doing London Fashion Week, an event with Tesla, and other high-end strategies to reach customers

Mentioned in this episode:

  • Anila’s website: shennanz.com
  • Getting consistent sales: Sarah Liller podcast
  • Going from zero online sales to a profitable biz: Erika Neumayer podcast
  • Tesla Fashion Experience, Geneva, Switzerland, event
  • Jane’s video editor, Chris Laytor

Is this coaching episode helpful to you? I’d live to know which podcast format you prefer.

Could you vote??

A: #LaserCoaching calls to help real entrepreneurs (like this one)

B: “Teaching” style episodes from Jane with simple action steps

C: Interviews with other experts

Leave your vote in the comments and thanks in advance!

Jane

P.S. My mission is to get you focused on what’s truly important to work on in your business and into ACTION to execute. If you’re interested in going further with the topics we discuss on the podcast, head over to Imperfect Action.

2 Quick Ways to Reduce Your Entrepreneurial Stress

In today’s episode, I give you 2 very simple and quick ways to feel less stress in your daily entrepreneurial life. The roller coaster of being an entrepreneur can make anyone a little anxious.

What I’m teaching you today has helped me and my clients SO MUCH. We talk about cash flow and “what if” scenarios in your business.

Tell me this…if you KNEW you could feel less stressed about about your business in the next 2 hours, would you want to? The 2 steps I teach in this podcast will help you sleep better at night, worry less, and believe that everything really will work out OK.

It’s amazing how simple it is and how much peace of mind you can get from these 2 things. Perhaps it’s because you take some of the power back when you feel like you’re in control of your business rather than it being the beast you battle.

It’s stressful being an entrepreneur these days – so many moving parts – so do yourself a favor and do exactly what it says to do in this episode. I truly believe it will help you.

You can also listen on iTunes or Stitcher Radio.

Want to feel better about your creative business in the next 2 hours? Here’s my challenge to you:

1) Listen to the episode: 17 minutes.

2) Do the first part, “know the facts”: spend 45 minutes on this.

3) Do the 2nd part, “worst case scenario”: spend 56 minutes on this. Do it in a quick, bullet point, brain dump style. Don’t overthink it, just get something on paper. Right now, you’re just getting this into ACTION and you don’t have to spend an entire evening on it like I suggest in the episode – and you certainly don’t need wine :).

4) Next, leave me a comment below and tell me what happened: 2 minutes. Was it useful for you? Do you feel better? I can’t wait to hear from you!

Thanks for listening,
Jane

P.S. If you enjoy listening to my podcast and would like access to more training and support like this, head on over and check out my new monthly coaching program, Imperfect Action. The goal is to get you into ACTION to get your business more profitable without feeling overwhelmed. Request an invite here.

#LaserCoaching: Should I Run Facebook Ads to Build my Audience?

In today’s laser coaching call, I’m talking to lawyer-turned-clothing designer, Jane from Jane Israel. Jane’s getting ready to launch her clothing line and wants paying customers from day ONE.

She knows she needs to start marketing EARLY but isn’t quite sure the best course of action. Her main question is…

“Should I run ads to build an audience NOW, before my product is even ready, or will I be wasting my money?”

We also discuss coming up with a “formula” to creating content for her target customer, working women, so she doesn’t spend all day on one blog post.

Click below to listen, or…

What we cover in this coaching call:

  • How to come up with a “formula” for content on your blog and in emails
  • How to make it easy and repurpose content
  • Creating a FLOW for distributing her content
  • Getting something juicy, like a quote from an expert, to help build her list
  • Tackled Jane’s main question of whether it makes sense to invest in Facebook ads before she has a product to sell
  • The different typed of content marketing she can do to appeal to different customers

Mentioned in this episode:

I’d LOVE to know what you think of this episode! Are you really running Facebook or Instagram ads? How’s it working for you? Just leave a comment below and let’s chat.

Jane

P.S. If you want a FREE podcast coaching session, you can apply here.

P.P.S. If you’re looking for support, you should run, not walk, to check out my new monthly coaching program, Imperfect Action. The goal of the program is to get you focused and into action to make your business EXACTLY the way want it. Check it out now.

My Family and Friends Don’t Support Me in My Business. What Should I Do?

What to do if your family and friends don’t support me in my business

Do the important people in your life support you in your business?

In this episode, we discuss what to do when people are just not “getting it”. Maybe they make passive aggressive comments, maybe they give you the blank stare, maybe they openly tell you you’re crazy to have your own business!

Does that mean you can’t love them and still have a great relationship with them?

Have a listen…

You can also listen on iTunes and Stitcher Radio

What do you think? Has there been a time when you didn’t feel supported in your business?

How did you handle it? Let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for listening!
Jane

P.S. If you’re looking for support, you should run, not walk, to check out my new monthly coaching program. The goal of the program is to get you focused and into action to make your business EXACTLY the way want it. Check it out now.

Selling Wholesale Sucks, Right?

Selling wholesale sucks. At least that’s what I hear from a number of you, my dear listeners, on a weekly basis.

Today I make a list of all the reasons selling to boutiques and department stores can feel suck-y. And I say FEEL sucky, not necessarily that they ARE sucky. It’s all in how you perceive things and it certainly depends on who you talk to.

Next, I made a list of things to LOVE about selling wholesale. Touche.

Click below to listen, or…

Things NOT TO LIKE about selling wholesale

  • Markdown money
  • Buyers who ignore you
  • Buyers who place orders and then don’t accept the delivery
  • Boutiques who get terms and then don’t pay
  • Lower margins than B2C
  • EDI compliance
  • Packaging requirements
  • Confusing shipping requirements
  • Buyers who are crazy
  • “I just want to switch it out” buyers
  • Buyers who cut you off while you’re showing them the collection – No, no, no…

And that’s not all…

  • Late deliveries that “aren’t my fault”
  • Financial crash(es) that put many designers reliant on wholesale out of business
  • Cold calling
  • Making lists of stores to contact –  time consuming and mind numbing
  • Pre-screen the stores with a phone call
  • Have to be nice all the time
  • Have to pretend you don’t mind waiting
  • Buyers who place large orders have a lot of power over you (Starbucks story)

Things TO LOVE about wholesale

  • Quantity
  • One buyer, one order, more streamlined
  • Can FIND the buyers fairly easily
  • Reorders!!
  • Boutiques are loyal
  • Make great friendships
  • Trunk shows
  • Larger quantities increase production quantities and lower your manufacturing price
  • Street cred – Bloomingdales, Saks, Macy’s
  • Social proof
  • Increased awareness can lead to MORE online sales
  • Seasonality of selling balances e-commerce / direct to consumer sales and busy periods
  • Less schlepping than if you’re selling at markets of craft shows
  • Outdoor markets that get rained out – windy / cold / hot…
  • Customers who complain about price

So the question is…does selling wholesale really suck?

Depends on you. Your goals, how you like to work, your product, who you like to work with. It’s worth considering if you want a few powerful “bosses” or many “little bosses” who each only have a little power if you’re selling online or direct to consumer in any way.

Jewelry designer Megan Auman has a great article on why she loves wholesale and how it improved her quality of life.

The verdict

I think it’s TOTALLY worth it to sell to other retailers, even if it’s just 10 stores.

Here are the 2 main reasons I recommend selling wholesale:

  1. Pad your production quantities so you get better pricing on your manufacturing
  2. Street cred / social proof

And a third reason – IMHO not as important but still valid –  is that the increased distribution can lead to more online sales. In my podcast interview with San Francisco designer Sarah Liller, she talks this and shares her experiences.

The problem I see with makers and designer trying to sell to boutiques is that they think like designers and have NO CLUE what goes on in a buyer’s head. If you want to get your product into stores, boutiques, museum shops, etc., you need to know what’s important to the retailer, not to you.

Think like a retailer, not a designer

You need to know what they look for in new lines, and…

  • what to say to get a buyers attention
  • what NOT to say
  • what email subject lines work
  • how to send emails that get opened
  • how often to contact a buyer
  • the main pet peeves retailers have about working with small companies
  • what a good line sheet looks like
  • what the selling seasons are so you’re not too late to the party

I teach you everything mentioned above in this course.

“How to Sell to Boutiques” online course

Check Out the Course and land your NEXT 10 retail accounts

One more thing…

If you enjoy listening to this podcast, you have to check out my Imperfect Action Coaching Program, where we take these same topics, we dissect them, create your plan, and get you into ACTION. Everyone needs a business coach, and I could be that coach for you.

Head over to janehamill.com/imperfect and join me. I’ll see ya there.

Jane

Mentioned in this episode:

  • Coterie Trade Show
  • Getting residual sales from wholesale – the Sarah Liller episode
  • Megan Auman’s “How Wholesale Improved My Quality of Life” article
  • Jane’s “Get Your Product Into Stores” course – available immediately, at your own pace

#LaserCoaching: How Can I Have a Successful Business and Travel 3 Months of the Year?

Jolie Dennison is an American artist based in Northern Ireland. She’s owned a retail store for the last 6 years and is ready for a change. She’s recently changed her niche and mostly, she wants her BUSINESS to fit into her LIFE – rather than the other way around.

We dive deep into her business in this coaching call and come up with a plan for her to get her “dream” business where she gets to travel (back to the States, weekends in Paris…) for 3 months out of the year and still run her business profitably.

What we cover in this coaching call:

  • The main problem with selling art online and how Jolie can work around it to get consistent sales
  • How to build a business around the lifestyle she wants – in this case traveling 3 months out of the year
  • How Jolie can combine her faith with her business – without scaring away all of her current customers
  • Adding live and virtual events to her business to engage her audience and sell more art & art products
  • How Jolie can add a new product – bible journaling – to her business and make it profitable
  • The importance of selling replenishable products for repeat business and steady income

Mentioned in this episode:

I’d LOVE to know what you think of this episode! Just leave a comment below and let’s chat.

Jane

P.S. If you want a FREE podcast coaching session, you can apply here.

Turn Email Subscribers into Buyers >>
+