Gift biz unwrapped episode 163.
Speaker:Today's your lucky day.
Speaker:I'm going to give you a sneak peek into my new
Speaker:book. Attention gifters bakers,
Speaker:crafters, and makers pursuing your dream can be fun.
Speaker:Whether you have an established business or looking to start one.
Speaker:Now you are in the right place.
Speaker:This is gift to biz unwrapped,
Speaker:helping you turn your skill into a flourishing business.
Speaker:Join us for an episode,
Speaker:packed full of invaluable guidance,
Speaker:resources, and the support you need to grow.
Speaker:Your gift biz here is your host gift biz gal,
Speaker:Sue moon Heights maker,
Speaker:Master find and fix.
Speaker:What's not working in your small business.
Speaker:This book has been in my heart for years and truth
Speaker:be told it's been an outline form.
Speaker:Also for the last two years,
Speaker:I decided 2018.
Speaker:This was the year when I needed to get this done
Speaker:and get this information out to you.
Speaker:The idea for this book started many years ago,
Speaker:actually, when I would be out at trade shows with my
Speaker:other company,
Speaker:the ribbon print company,
Speaker:people would come up to the booth and they would look
Speaker:at our product and get a demo.
Speaker:And there would be a couple of reactions if they weren't
Speaker:going to buy the ribbon print system right at the show,
Speaker:the first reaction would be,
Speaker:Oh my gosh,
Speaker:this is so great.
Speaker:When I start my business,
Speaker:I've got to have this product and I'd say,
Speaker:okay, great.
Speaker:Well, what business are you starting?
Speaker:When are you doing it?
Speaker:What are you doing?
Speaker:And over and over again,
Speaker:the result would be well,
Speaker:I'm just not sure what to do first.
Speaker:So that would be one reaction.
Speaker:We get another reaction we'd get would be,
Speaker:Oh, I love this product.
Speaker:When my business is making enough money,
Speaker:I want to get this product.
Speaker:And so we talked through that a little bit.
Speaker:Well, what are you doing?
Speaker:Where are you stuck?
Speaker:That type of thing.
Speaker:And that is actually the Genesis of this podcast to really,
Speaker:but also where I got the initial idea that I wanted
Speaker:to write a book.
Speaker:There were so many people specially you,
Speaker:my dear audience,
Speaker:gifters bakers,
Speaker:crafters, and makers who start a business right away and then
Speaker:get stuck.
Speaker:The sad thing is you've seen other people who are succeeding
Speaker:and you're frustrated.
Speaker:Why is this not working for me?
Speaker:My goal is to see all of your businesses get started
Speaker:and then flourish and blossom into everything you dream that they
Speaker:should be.
Speaker:And that is the sole purpose behind this book.
Speaker:So today what I thought I'd do is share with you
Speaker:a couple of the excerpts from the book.
Speaker:It won't be out in full until next week,
Speaker:but for you,
Speaker:my podcast audience,
Speaker:I wanted to give you a little sampler.
Speaker:So here we go.
Speaker:Introduction. Jen had been looking forward to having coffee with Monica
Speaker:all week.
Speaker:It was nothing extra ordinary.
Speaker:They got together often,
Speaker:and it was always a special time girl,
Speaker:time catching up sharing stories about the kids,
Speaker:the next vacation,
Speaker:that sort of thing.
Speaker:She remembers sitting with her cup of vanilla spiced latte and
Speaker:thinking how lucky she was.
Speaker:Great friends,
Speaker:a wonderful husband and two beautiful children.
Speaker:She was truly blessed with her life until she wasn't.
Speaker:How did this one,
Speaker:coffee date change everything for her?
Speaker:How did she go from being so grateful to now being
Speaker:anxious, stressed,
Speaker:and resentful.
Speaker:She shouldn't really blame Monica.
Speaker:It's not her fault,
Speaker:except that it's all her fault in a way,
Speaker:Jen tries to recollect how it all happened that morning.
Speaker:They had both dropped off their children at school.
Speaker:Then they met at their regular high top wooden table near
Speaker:the window in the local coffee shop.
Speaker:It was a favorite destination.
Speaker:And the autumn day was sunny with a slight chill.
Speaker:A light breeze came through the open window that made the
Speaker:wind chimes tingled delicately in the background.
Speaker:Monica noticed Jen scarf and complimented her on it.
Speaker:It was a beautiful mixture of Sage mustard and tangy perfect
Speaker:for the season.
Speaker:And it had an interesting texture design with tassels on the
Speaker:ends. Oh,
Speaker:I made this said,
Speaker:Jen, I've been knitting for years.
Speaker:It's relaxing and fun.
Speaker:I even make my own designs so I can try out
Speaker:new stitches.
Speaker:Really. Monica reacted in surprise.
Speaker:How is it?
Speaker:We've been friends all this time.
Speaker:And I didn't know that my sister's birthday is in a
Speaker:few weeks.
Speaker:Monica continued.
Speaker:Is there any chance you could make one for her?
Speaker:I'll pay you.
Speaker:Of course it will be a fabulous gift.
Speaker:I just can't think of what else to get her.
Speaker:And this would be really special.
Speaker:That was the start.
Speaker:It was perfect.
Speaker:Jen loved making her scarves and completely bought into the plan.
Speaker:Of course,
Speaker:when the time came,
Speaker:she didn't accept money from Monica since she was a dear
Speaker:friend, a few weeks later,
Speaker:Monica told Jen how much her sister loved her gift.
Speaker:Have you ever considered starting a knitting business?
Speaker:I bet a lot of people would be interested in your
Speaker:scarves. Monica said emphatically that got Jen thinking,
Speaker:could I actually make money on the side while being home
Speaker:with the children?
Speaker:Why not?
Speaker:As her mind opened up.
Speaker:She liked the idea more and more.
Speaker:So she started making scarves and selling them to friends.
Speaker:It was energizing and exciting.
Speaker:People were eagerly buying them and things naturally developed.
Speaker:From there.
Speaker:She created a company called jazzy Gen-Z.
Speaker:She built a website and everything.
Speaker:Jen was excited and proud to be a brand new entrepreneur
Speaker:who would ever have thought that I'd start a business of
Speaker:my very own.
Speaker:Jen remembered the satisfaction and joy in that thought those days
Speaker:are now long gone.
Speaker:What started as a wonderful dream is now a disaster.
Speaker:Jen has spent a lot of money and for what initially
Speaker:her scarves were selling before she could even finish making them.
Speaker:Now, sales were dribbling in.
Speaker:If you could even say that she has not reimbursed her
Speaker:parents for the money she borrowed to get started.
Speaker:It's been three years with little to show for it,
Speaker:except a business card with jazzy Jens on it.
Speaker:Jen's husband wants her to close down and she feels like
Speaker:a failure.
Speaker:Perhaps the worst of this is that she really resents Monica.
Speaker:If she would never have put that idea of a business
Speaker:into her head,
Speaker:none of this would have happened.
Speaker:Their friendship is now strained and she misses the comradery they
Speaker:once had.
Speaker:It's not Monica's fault.
Speaker:Of course,
Speaker:Jen has little time for coffee dates these days.
Speaker:Anyway, she's busy trying to turn this business around.
Speaker:If she has to shut down,
Speaker:it will be humiliating and heartbreaking.
Speaker:Where does she go from here?
Speaker:Idea development.
Speaker:It's on my mind.
Speaker:It all begins with your dream.
Speaker:Maybe, you know,
Speaker:you want to start your own business,
Speaker:but haven't zoomed in on exactly what it is yet.
Speaker:Or maybe you've thought it through in detail and just need
Speaker:to get started.
Speaker:Perhaps you're already on your way.
Speaker:But if met up with obstacles,
Speaker:you're struggling to overcome before we go any further,
Speaker:it's important to review your vision.
Speaker:You are investing your heart into this dream.
Speaker:So let's confirm you're reaching for the right star.
Speaker:By the end of this section,
Speaker:you'll have the right full colored picture of your dream,
Speaker:just waiting for you to make it come true.
Speaker:It gets more and more exciting from there.
Speaker:Chapter one,
Speaker:it's a brand new world.
Speaker:Congratulate. You have opened your mind to the dream of starting
Speaker:a business from your hobby or craft.
Speaker:It's such an exciting time because in your mind,
Speaker:you can create anything,
Speaker:literally anything that you want.
Speaker:It's also the place.
Speaker:Every business starts you're at the same point,
Speaker:Sheila was before she created brownie brittle,
Speaker:where Katie was before she created the leaky collection,
Speaker:where Pam was before she created Tuscany tours.
Speaker:This is a beautiful and dangerous place to be.
Speaker:Let me explain it easy at this stage to envision anything
Speaker:you want.
Speaker:The view from the outside,
Speaker:however, is always different than the view from the inside on
Speaker:the outside.
Speaker:We can dream of what we'd like the business to be,
Speaker:and dreams produce the feelings we want to here's where we
Speaker:can deceive ourselves.
Speaker:We dream about what we believe.
Speaker:Things will be like versus understanding the reality of our dream.
Speaker:This is what happened to Sam.
Speaker:She loves everything associated with Bohemian style.
Speaker:A shop on main street was her vision.
Speaker:So with a small loan,
Speaker:she started Bohemian bliss and opened her doors.
Speaker:She had such fun going to market and purchasing her first
Speaker:pieces of clothing,
Speaker:jewelry, and gift items.
Speaker:What joy she took in picking out the perfect dusty Rose
Speaker:paint for the walls.
Speaker:That would be the backdrop for her beloved items.
Speaker:Stylish antique,
Speaker:crystal chandelier's dropped from the ceilings offering extra ambiance.
Speaker:It was perfect.
Speaker:And it truly was in the beginning,
Speaker:joined her local chamber and quickly became part of the community.
Speaker:Her customers enjoyed going to visit her to pick up gifts
Speaker:of all sorts.
Speaker:Her prices were quite reasonable and her items were unique and
Speaker:wonderfully quirky.
Speaker:She definitely had an eye for selecting what her customers wanted.
Speaker:This sounds like a dream come true.
Speaker:Doesn't it?
Speaker:Bohemian bliss closed its doors two years after it opened.
Speaker:What happened in Sam's case,
Speaker:her dream did not align with reality.
Speaker:Sam was miserable in her store.
Speaker:She never considered that.
Speaker:She would need to spend so much time in her shop
Speaker:every single day.
Speaker:Sometimes nobody would come in for hours and she got bored.
Speaker:So she'd hang a sign on the door and go to
Speaker:a yoga class or grab lunch with a friend that didn't
Speaker:leave a good impression.
Speaker:When someone came to buy a gift only to find the
Speaker:shop closed.
Speaker:Most people don't have time to come back in an hour
Speaker:as the sign directed.
Speaker:This only needed to happen.
Speaker:A couple of times before word got around.
Speaker:How do you prevent some version of this from happening to
Speaker:you? As you consider turning your business,
Speaker:dream into reality,
Speaker:take the time to live that dream in your mind.
Speaker:Unlike Sam,
Speaker:will you be able to handle the responsibilities and commitment that
Speaker:a shop on main street requires?
Speaker:Your specifics may be different,
Speaker:but before you get started and spend time and money at
Speaker:a reality layer on top of your dream,
Speaker:confirm to yourself that you are still as much in love
Speaker:with the idea as you think you are right now,
Speaker:many are,
Speaker:and this is not meant to be a deterrent.
Speaker:If anything,
Speaker:it will push you to move forward.
Speaker:It will create excitement and anticipation of what's to come.
Speaker:This is all very good.
Speaker:Yeah. All there are 53 chapters in the book,
Speaker:so it was a real struggle to choose just a few
Speaker:of them to showcase for you here.
Speaker:This next one,
Speaker:I've selected because I think it's a concept that many of
Speaker:you may not be familiar with.
Speaker:If you can identify your USP.
Speaker:No, it's not what you think it is.
Speaker:You have to listen hun to understand,
Speaker:but this can be a real game changer for your business.
Speaker:So let's carry on now.
Speaker:Competition, peekaboo competition.
Speaker:We don't get a choice competitors.
Speaker:They exist when it comes to your competitors,
Speaker:you get to choose the way you want to react to
Speaker:them. There are two options.
Speaker:You can play small by cowering and succumbing to their real
Speaker:or perceived power,
Speaker:or you can stare them down and strategize how you will
Speaker:win. I'll show you next,
Speaker:where you have the power and how you can make your
Speaker:competition disappear.
Speaker:Chapter 14,
Speaker:finding the hidden treasure being different is better than being better.
Speaker:When you truly understand this quote by Sally Hogshead,
Speaker:it leads to magic.
Speaker:Identifying a unique attribute for your business or product brings strength
Speaker:to your brand and helps attract your ideal audience.
Speaker:When you add unique qualities to your business,
Speaker:people will follow and buy from you because they resonate with
Speaker:what makes you different.
Speaker:Your customers will be supportive and more importantly,
Speaker:loyal in this world of price,
Speaker:cutting and nondescript brands,
Speaker:standing out as refreshing and will grab attention.
Speaker:I call this your unique,
Speaker:special power.
Speaker:USP is normally an acronym for a unique selling proposition.
Speaker:I find that old school and focuses too much on the
Speaker:selling of your product.
Speaker:In other words,
Speaker:pushing your product outwards for an audience to buy a unique,
Speaker:special power.
Speaker:It goes the opposite direction.
Speaker:It attracts people to your product because they connect with your
Speaker:uniqueness. I'll demonstrate this with one of my favorite examples.
Speaker:Let me introduce you to Katie Leakey of the leaky collection.
Speaker:Are you familiar with Zulu grass necklaces?
Speaker:This jewelry is sourced and made by the OSI women in
Speaker:the rift Valley of East Africa.
Speaker:Katie is onto something here.
Speaker:She actually has two unique,
Speaker:special powers.
Speaker:Zulu grass is not found anywhere else in the world.
Speaker:So beads made from this local grass cannot be replicated.
Speaker:It makes her product truly one of a kind.
Speaker:She tells of how a company in China tried to knock
Speaker:off her name glasses.
Speaker:The problem was they didn't have Zulu grass.
Speaker:They only had plastic beads.
Speaker:So it didn't work.
Speaker:It's the texture of the beads and how they take color.
Speaker:That makes Katie's necklaces so beautiful.
Speaker:The story of the Mussai women making the necklaces is the
Speaker:second unique,
Speaker:special power.
Speaker:These women employ their men too,
Speaker:for them.
Speaker:Does that make you smile as much as it does me,
Speaker:I'm in now all have businesses in a third world country
Speaker:no less and are standing on their own two feet.
Speaker:They are embracing change and their future.
Speaker:There are many ways you can create a USP for your
Speaker:business. It could be in your product as in Katie's case,
Speaker:it could be in the location of your shop.
Speaker:If it's in an historic district or an old ice house
Speaker:from the late 18 hundreds,
Speaker:it could be in the unique patterns that are recognizable in
Speaker:only your brand,
Speaker:such as Vera Bradley or Lily Pulitzer,
Speaker:or perhaps in a shape that becomes symbolic to your product
Speaker:like brightens hearts.
Speaker:There are an unlimited number of ways.
Speaker:You can make your company different and stand out.
Speaker:Story, product,
Speaker:shape, color,
Speaker:location, scent.
Speaker:The options are limitless.
Speaker:It's well-worth figuring out the unique,
Speaker:special power that is you as makers.
Speaker:One of the best things that we can do is get
Speaker:our product physically face to face in front of our customer.
Speaker:One of the ways a lot of us do this is
Speaker:going out to trade Joe's farmer's markets or local craft shows.
Speaker:There are several chapters in the book addressing this.
Speaker:I hope you like the one I've selected for you here.
Speaker:Chapter 41.
Speaker:It's a party in your,
Speaker:the host,
Speaker:whether you take part in a small local craft fair or
Speaker:a large trade show,
Speaker:think of your space as your party room,
Speaker:you are inviting people to your booth,
Speaker:to talk and get to know you and see your products.
Speaker:If this party were in your house,
Speaker:would you leave the door wide,
Speaker:open and hope that people would come in without being invited?
Speaker:Would you see them and not greet them once they were
Speaker:inside? I'm pretty sure you wouldn't.
Speaker:I'm also certain you wouldn't then disappear into another room and
Speaker:leave your guests on their own to entertain them themselves.
Speaker:So why would you do in your booth?
Speaker:Wait, are you telling me that you don't do that?
Speaker:Great. Then I'll come to your party any time even.
Speaker:So I feel the need to go through some of the
Speaker:common mistakes that people make.
Speaker:When exhibiting at shows,
Speaker:it costs them a lot of sales exhibitor.
Speaker:Don'ts don't sit focused on your phone.
Speaker:When there are people in your booth,
Speaker:don't leave your booth unattended with only literature to do the
Speaker:selling for you.
Speaker:What if they want to buy?
Speaker:Don't have a private party in your booth with your friends
Speaker:and ignore potential customers.
Speaker:Don't be unresponsive and show how tired you are.
Speaker:Even at the end of a long day.
Speaker:Smile, don't start packing up early at the end of the
Speaker:show, everybody who attends should have the ability to see a
Speaker:full display.
Speaker:Exhibitor dues do acknowledge someone's presence with a smile or not.
Speaker:If you're busy and can't interact with them right away,
Speaker:do be alert and available.
Speaker:If you see that someone has a question,
Speaker:but also let them look at your products in peace.
Speaker:Do have a smooth checkout process planned in advance.
Speaker:So you aren't fumbling and wasting time do capture email addresses
Speaker:for all new customers.
Speaker:You want to be able to talk with them again,
Speaker:do engage and listen to what people have to say about
Speaker:your products.
Speaker:It's a perfect feedback opportunity.
Speaker:Let's transition now to best practices for communicating with attendees at
Speaker:the show.
Speaker:Here's the way to quote unquote,
Speaker:work a show.
Speaker:I call it the exhibitor interactions.
Speaker:Flo one greeting say hi,
Speaker:pretty obvious,
Speaker:right? When people walk by your table,
Speaker:greet them.
Speaker:Even if they are just strolling by and not stopping things
Speaker:like good morning,
Speaker:or love your sweater or thanks for coming out to see
Speaker:us today,
Speaker:we'll all do you are just being friendly and could attract
Speaker:people to stop and chat with you.
Speaker:Who normally would have passed you up to one,
Speaker:one sentence explanation.
Speaker:When someone approaches your table and you've greeted them,
Speaker:give a one sentence explanation of what your product is,
Speaker:make it compelling and include why it stands out.
Speaker:This is your USP from the find,
Speaker:the hidden treasure.
Speaker:Sure. Section your product may not be obvious in terms of
Speaker:what it does.
Speaker:Don't leave them guessing.
Speaker:Tell them three browse and consider.
Speaker:Let people look around at their leisure without you hounding them
Speaker:with more,
Speaker:more information,
Speaker:be available,
Speaker:but not hovering.
Speaker:You've already presented a friendly environment that allows them to ask
Speaker:you or continue the conversation.
Speaker:If they want to,
Speaker:for an open invitation back.
Speaker:If someone leaves without buying anything,
Speaker:close the interaction,
Speaker:leaving room for more,
Speaker:it could be a statement like enjoy the show.
Speaker:Thanks for stopping by.
Speaker:Or I enjoyed talking with you.
Speaker:Stop back any time you want them to walk away with
Speaker:a good feeling about being in your booth,
Speaker:whether it was for 30 seconds or half an hour,
Speaker:who doesn't love parties make yours.
Speaker:The one everyone wants to attend.
Speaker:I started this podcast telling you that it was your lucky
Speaker:day. Now I want to share with you how you can
Speaker:continually be Lucky every single day And stay tuned,
Speaker:because I'm also going to share with you how you can
Speaker:download my entire book for free daily stuff,
Speaker:manicures and massages.
Speaker:I wish I would have had this list of daily truths
Speaker:about running a business.
Speaker:When I first started,
Speaker:it's a combination of advice and concepts that I know to
Speaker:be true.
Speaker:They are hard earned lessons discovered through experience.
Speaker:You will learn them too,
Speaker:but it's nice to hear them upfront as well.
Speaker:This first one is something you can take advantage of by
Speaker:being in the know chapter 44,
Speaker:lucky you,
Speaker:some people attract good things over and over again.
Speaker:They must be naturally lucky.
Speaker:And that's how they've gotten to where they are today.
Speaker:Is there a Pang of jealousy when you're watching the morning
Speaker:news and up pops,
Speaker:confection creations,
Speaker:they're a local chocolate shop being highlighted for Valentine's day.
Speaker:Sure. They're dark,
Speaker:sea salt.
Speaker:Truffles are out of this world.
Speaker:You're happy for them,
Speaker:but how did they get this opportunity?
Speaker:Why couldn't that have been you then there's cellie whose luxurious
Speaker:coconut oil,
Speaker:body lotion is now on the shelves at whole foods.
Speaker:You work as hard and your product is just as good,
Speaker:but you're not in whole foods.
Speaker:You think they are just so lucky or are they,
Speaker:here's the problem with luck?
Speaker:It's a lie and a cop-out,
Speaker:it's an excuse.
Speaker:You can conveniently use to explain why you are not progressing
Speaker:and seeing the progress that others are.
Speaker:Would you like to start getting lucky too?
Speaker:It's not as random or mysterious as it might seem.
Speaker:The trick to being lucky is to put yourself in Luxe
Speaker:path. Luck will not find you.
Speaker:If you stay in your home office and hide behind a
Speaker:computer screen,
Speaker:hanging out on Facebook,
Speaker:you need to take chances,
Speaker:be open and observant for opportunities and take action.
Speaker:When they,
Speaker:your path,
Speaker:you're out to lunch with a friend and you find out
Speaker:she knows someone in the divisional office of a chain store.
Speaker:You'd like to be in,
Speaker:ask her.
Speaker:If she'll make an introduction,
Speaker:you are part of a Facebook group.
Speaker:And there is a discussion on the success you can have
Speaker:at craft shows.
Speaker:Engage in that conversation,
Speaker:ask questions,
Speaker:connect with others through direct messages or take actions that can
Speaker:help advance you towards your goal.
Speaker:The next time you're at the local coffee shop,
Speaker:be aware of the conversations around you.
Speaker:Engage in small talk with the people in line with you.
Speaker:It can be at the most random moment when an opportunity
Speaker:presents itself,
Speaker:chat with the person next to you on the plane.
Speaker:Take interest.
Speaker:When you meet someone new at a dinner party while doing
Speaker:final edits for this book,
Speaker:I took a break and went into a new store,
Speaker:vintage bliss and company in my neighborhood.
Speaker:Wouldn't you know,
Speaker:the owner,
Speaker:Nancy is a designer and his two co-op locations displayed products
Speaker:from local artists.
Speaker:After further discussion,
Speaker:I have now scheduled my first book signing at queen bee
Speaker:artisan market in Lake Geneva,
Speaker:Wisconsin, not bad use of a 30 minute lunch break.
Speaker:Everyday life events are a breeding ground for spontaneous lucky moments.
Speaker:Watch for them.
Speaker:It's in this way that you can take control of your
Speaker:own luck,
Speaker:barometer and increase your chances of being the one others refer
Speaker:to. As lucky there you have it.
Speaker:Gift biz listeners,
Speaker:a sampling of my book maker to master find and fix.
Speaker:What's not working in your small business.
Speaker:Yes. I told you that you can get your hands on
Speaker:a copy of this for free.
Speaker:It will be downloadable for two days only go to gift@bizunwrapped.com
Speaker:forward slash free book.
Speaker:And there you'll be able to enter your email so that
Speaker:I can let you know when it's available.
Speaker:Again, the free offer is only available for two days.
Speaker:So don't delay gift biz,
Speaker:unwrapped.com/free Book.
Speaker:And if you're listening to this podcast a little bit later,
Speaker:no worries.
Speaker:Just jump over to Amazon search for maker to master and
Speaker:grab your audible copy paperback or Kindle copy today.
Speaker:Poof, although this book has been a passion project of mine,
Speaker:I have to tell you it has been challenging,
Speaker:uncomfortable and exhilarating all at the same time.
Speaker:I kind of like starting our businesses,
Speaker:right? Thank you so much for sharing in this journey with
Speaker:me. I look forward to hearing any comments that you have
Speaker:on the book and this podcast as well.
Speaker:You can reach me directly at SU at gift biz,
Speaker:unwrapped.com, anytime with comments,
Speaker:thoughts, suggestions,
Speaker:or just to pop in and say hi,
Speaker:and of course we'll be back next week with another episode
Speaker:of gift biz on on-ramp have a good week,