The Launch Grow Joy Show

In today's episode, you'll learn what products to pitch to National, Local and Regional magazines this month. If you have an ecommerce brand, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you can get the latest PR tips and publicity strategies.

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In today's episode, you'll learn about setting realistic expectations when it comes to your PR efforts.

In today's episode, you'll learn about the role that affiliate marketing plays in PR and Publicity at the current time.

In today's episode, you'll learn what products to pitch to National, Local and Regional magazines this month. If you have an ecommerce brand, make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you can get the latest PR tips and publicity strategies. 

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Welcome back to another season of The Launch Grow Joy Show. This season, you'll hear about Holiday gift guides, how to pitch your products to the media, as well as some new developments in the PR world. Make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an episode!

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October might seem like an unlikely time to think about Spring, but did you know that magazine editors start looking for products for their March issues in October?

By now, you probably have heard me say that your success with publicity depends on this ONE thing: SENDING THE RIGHT PITCH TO THE RIGHT PERSON AT THE RIGHT TIME!

Sounds easy enough, doesn’t it?

I know this can seem daunting, so I decided to launch a new blog series called “What magazine editors are looking for this month.”

At the beginning of each month, I’ll post a guide to what types of products magazine editors are looking for that month.

My goal is to make getting your products featured in magazines as easy for you as possible! As you know, magazines start looking for products 3 – 6 months in advance, so you have to plan accordingly.

There are two types of magazines that you may want to consider pitching your products to: NATIONAL magazines and REGIONAL/LOCAL magazines.

In October, NATIONAL magazines are working on their March issue. Here are the types of products they typically cover in March:

• Spring fashion – includes any new Spring collection launches, as well as new products for spring
• Spring break – includes products that can be used during Spring break (beauty, accessories, fashion), as well as travel ideas
• Spring shopping guides – includes clothing and apparel, beauty products, home and home decor, lifestyle products

In October, REGIONAL/LOCAL magazines are working on their December issue. Here are the types of products they typically cover in December:

• Holiday entertaining – anything that is related to home decor, gifts, food, party outfits and dressed…
• Holiday gifts – almost every s are themed, including Gifts Under $20, Gifts Under $50, Eco-friendly gifts, Luxury Gifts, Gifts for Mom/Dad/Baby/Teacher/The person who has everything, Gifts for the Hostess, Gifts that Give Back, stocking stuffers, last-minute gifts, healthy gifts, American-made gifts
• Cold weather products – this includes beauty products, cold weather gear, and fashion, outdoor products to keep you warm…
• Winter getaways and travel – includes clothing, gear, accessories, luggage, outdoor products

Your pitch plan for October might look something like this:

• Week 1 – pitch national magazines for March
• Week 2 – pitch regional/local magazines for December
• Week 3 – follow up with national magazines
• Week 4 – follow up with regional/local magazines

September might seem like an unlikely time to think about Valentine's Day, but did you know that magazine editors start looking for products for their February issues in September?

By now, you probably have heard me say that your success with publicity depends on this ONE thing: SENDING THE RIGHT PITCH TO THE RIGHT PERSON AT THE RIGHT TIME!

Sounds easy enough, doesn't it?

At the beginning of each month, I'll post a guide to what types of products magazine editors are looking for that month.

My goal is to make getting your products featured in magazines as easy for you as possible! As you know, magazines start looking for products 3 - 6 months in advance, so you have to plan accordingly.

There are two types of magazines that you may want to consider pitching your products to: NATIONAL magazines and REGIONAL/LOCAL magazines.

In September, NATIONAL magazines are working on their February issue. Here are the types of products they typically cover in February:

• Valentine's Day- includes gifts for your significant other (in both men's and women's publications, as well as lifestyle magazines)
• Chocolate and sweets - includes new chocolate product launches, organic and natural chocolate, vegan and gluten-free, etc.
• "Red" and products related to love - includes clothing and apparel, beauty products and lifestyle products

In September, REGIONAL/LOCAL magazines are working on their November issue. Here are the types of products they typically cover in November:

• Thanksgiving - anything that is related to home decor, gifts, food...
• Holiday entertaining - since the holidays are right around the corner, any products that are related to December holidays are also covered in their November issue
• Holiday gifts - some magazines will have a November gift guide (in addition to their December one), so any products that make a great gift for the holidays are a good fit for this issue
• Cold weather products - this includes beauty products, cold weather gear and fashion, outdoor products to keep you warm...

Your pitch plan for September might look something like this:

• Week 1 - pitch national magazines for February
• Week 2 - pitch regional/local magazines for November
• Week 3 - follow up with national magazines
• Week 4 - follow up with regional/local magazines

Do you want to get your products in magazines’ holiday gift guides? I know it may seem a little early to think about your products as a holiday gift, but June, July, and August are the months when most national magazines plan their holiday gift guides.

You’ll want your products to be a part of these holiday gift guides because it can mean a lot of sales over the holiday for your business. It can also increase your credibility among other journalists and media, as well as increase awareness of your brand among your target customers.

Here are some simple-yet-effective steps for getting holiday press for your products:

Here are some examples:

• gifts for the animal lover
• green gifts
• gifts that give back
• splurge-worthy holiday gifts
• gifts for geeks
• gifts for the person who has everything
• last-minute gifts (if you offer gift certificates on your website, your products fall into this category)
• gifts for foodies
• gifts for baby’s first Christmas/Hannukah
• gifts for health and wellness gurus
• gifts for the outdoor enthusiast
• gifts for the pragmatist
• gifts for the fashionista
• etc…

Browse the magazine racks at your favorite bookstore or searching online. And don’t forget to think outside the box. If you are selling all natural bath and beauty products, for example, the most obvious magazines would be Women’s Interests, Lifestyle, Health/Beauty and Fitness. But you can also contact magazines that cover eco-friendly topics, travel magazines, airline magazines and hotels/spas magazines.

July might seem like an unlikely time to think about the upcoming December holidays, but did you know that magazine editors start looking for products for their December issues in July?

By now, you probably have heard me say that your success with publicity depends on this ONE thing: SENDING THE RIGHT PITCH TO THE RIGHT PERSON AT THE RIGHT TIME!

Sounds easy enough, doesn't it?

I know this seems like an easy concept, but it can be daunting, so I decided to launch a new blog series called "What magazine editors are looking for this month."

At the beginning of each month, I'll post a guide to what types of products magazine editors are looking for that month.

My goal is to make getting your products featured in magazines as easy for you as possible! As you know, magazines start looking for products 3 - 6 months in advance, so you have to plan accordingly.

There are two types of magazines that you may want to consider pitching your products to NATIONAL magazines and REGIONAL/LOCAL magazines.

In July, NATIONAL magazines are working on their DECEMBER issue. Here are the types of products they typically cover in December:

• Holiday entertaining - anything that is related to home decor, gifts, food, party outfits and dressed...
• Holiday gifts - almost every s are themed, including Gifts Under $20, Gifts Under $50, Eco-friendly gifts, Luxury Gifts, Gifts for Mom/Dad/Baby/Teacher/The person who has everything, Gifts for the Hostess, Gifts that Give Back, stocking stuffers, last-minute gifts, healthy gifts, American-made gifts
• Cold weather products - this includes beauty products, cold weather gear and fashion, outdoor products to keep you warm...
• Winter getaways and travel - includes clothing, gear, accessories, luggage, outdoor products

In July, REGIONAL/LOCAL magazines are working on their SEPTEMBER issue. Here are the types of products they typically cover in September:

• Back to school - includes clothing, school supplies, beauty products, products for teachers, lunch/meal planning, food, back to school essentials, shoes, products for morning routines
• Denim guide - big focus on clothing made from denim
• Fall fashion - clothing and accessories for the cooler weather, clothing that transitions from summer to fall, new products for fall
• Fall accessories - scarves, cold weather accessories, jewelry

Your pitch plan for July might look something like this:

• Week 1 - pitch national magazines for December
• Week 2 - pitch regional/local magazines for September
• Week 3 - follow up with national magazines
• Week 4 - follow up with regional/local magazines

Hello friends, welcome back to the podcast. I took a looooong break from the podcast, but I am back and I wanted to record a quick intro to let you know what you can expect from the podcast moving forward.

Make sure to subscribe to the podcast and also to the Launch Grow Joy email list so you'll be the first to know when a new episode launches. 

Are you an Etsy seller and want to expand your email list, but didn’t know how? Are you doing well in marketing your business, but struggling to grow your following? Then this episode is perfect for you. Michele Gallagher, previous owner of an Etsy shop and owner of My Craft Assistant, is here to tell you how to grow your email list as an Etsy seller.

Her first business on Etsy was a children’s jewelry shop. She worked tirelessly to grow her audience and her sales. But despite her efforts she eventually closed her shop.

Michele realized it was a blessing in disguise however - there was significant potential in the untapped potential of search engine optimization (SEO), and email marketing. She saw an opening in the marketplace and her new business, My Craft Assistant, was born.

On this episode of Launch Grow Joy, Michele offers her advice on how to create and utilize email lists on Etsy, how to tweak your email marketing to suit your products, and how to make social media work for you and your business.

• How to get past any fear you have around marketing.
• The most effective ways to use keywords to expand your audience.
• How to grow your business with subscriptions.
• What can you do to personalize your emails?
• How to use creative strategies to make your emails interesting.
• And so much more!

Since beginning her Etsy store Michele has had a passion for marketing. She noticed that by selling on Etsy the importance of having a newsletter list. She found that it compliments other forms of marketing, and has increased her following as well as her response rate.

While running her own shop on Etsy, Michele discovered there was support for creating and growing a newsletter, but not necessarily an email list. In addition, she found Etsy had specific rules to create a following on the site, and she had to get creative to grow her list but stay within those guidelines.

In the process, Michele found a few tips and tricks to get the most value out of her email marketing efforts. She shares those on this show. One specific example she gives is the use of personalized subscriptions for Etsy. She says this strategy allows users to receive emails about what their interests so the email they received is tailored to them.

On today’s episode Michele gives her best advice on how to create and sustain a workable email list, how to use keywords correctly, and the easiest ways to use search optimization for your benefit. Tune into this edition of Launch Grow Joy to hear it all!

Resources:

Do you really need an email list or is that just for online marketing businesses? Every business in every industry benefits from having people to email, and here to tell us why is Sarah Shuda of Open Merit. With Open Merit Sarah runs a successful email services company creating custom campaigns for people and businesses in a variety of industries.

On this episode of Launch Grow Joy Sarah and I talk about all things email marketing: why it's important to grow your email list, how often you should email and some content ideas for those emails.

Sarah's journey to creating Open Merit began after college. She took a position with an e-commerce company as her first job. But because she had always wanted to own her own business, both of her parents are entrepreneurs, she eventually started her own company too.

• Why is it important to build an email list?
• Should you choose double opt-in or single for your email signups?
• How often should you email your list?
• When is the best time of the day and the best day of the week to send an email?
• Sarah's top content suggestions on what to send to your list.
• And so much more!

Her first business, which she still owns and operates today, is Sarah Lynn Design (a web design firm). But so many of her clients came to her with email marketing questions she saw a need and created Open Merit. Open Merit uses Sarah's email marketing skills and design skills to offer custom email campaigns.

On today's show Sarah explains why every business, no matter what niche, can benefit from email marketing and she tells us the right way to product quality email content for that list.

When most people think of email marketing they of sales. And while that's an attractive benefit, Sarah says email marketing is a way to know your clients better. You can email the people on your list and ask them what their needs are, what they're looking for and then you give them what they need.

And sometimes what they will need will be in the form of content, and Sarah gives her best strategies for content creation.

For example you can share some behind-the-scenes happenings at your business. Do you make hand-crafted candles? Shoot a video explaining how you create them, and email that video to your audience. By showing your email list more about who you are and what your business does you'll begin to develop a deeper connection.

We also talk about when to send your emails: how often and the time of day and day of the week plus how much personal information you should ask for upfront. Tune into this edition of Launch Grow Joy to hear it all.

[Tweet "There's no list too small to send an email! @SarahShuda"]

Have you ever wondered what it would take to be an entrepreneur, a brand ambassador, and have your own product to market? And to get celebrities to love and endorse your brand? It’s no small feat, but fashion/beauty entrepreneur Ariana Pierce has been doing it since before she finished college.

One of Ariana’s business ventures was creating a nail polish brand called Superstar Nail Lacquer. In addition to being featured in several famous magazines, her brand also boasts one of the first environmentally-friendly, fast-drying formulas.

On this episode of Launch Grow Joy, Ariana offers advice on how to be creative in the beauty industry or any other industry and how to develop and deepen beneficial relationships for greater success.

• How did Ariana break into the glamorous beauty world?
• How to “get uncomfortable” and be bold.
• How can you use social media and video marketing?
• What can you do to generate publicity?
• How to be different and innovative in a competitive industry.
• And so much more!

Even as a child Ariana was surrounded by successful entrepreneurs. Both of her parents chose entrepreneurship as a career path. Ariana followed boldly, making a name for herself in the beauty industry. She began her journey with the help of her mother, who aided in the scientific aspects of creating a nail polish line.

Ariana found that maintaining a relationship with some celebrities was vital in growing her company, and she advises to begin locally and work your way up. Even though sometimes she was told no, she persevered and now she has a substantial following and influence.

She also knows the power of social media: she has used her social media accounts to greatly expand her business, while being able to keep it personable. She began by auctioning off some passport covers on her Instagram account, and was pleasantly surprised by the viral reaction.

On today’s episode Ariana shares her best guidance on how to create a helpful and useful staff, how to utilize publicity to its maximum potential, and how to think on your feet and turn a bad situation into an opportunity. Tune into this edition of Launch Grow Joy to hear it all!

Resources:

Is there more you could be doing to increase your sales this holiday season? Even if the holiday season isn't your peak time of year there are still ways to offer more for your clients and grow your holiday sales.

Robin Kramer of Flourish & Thrive Academy for jewelry designers and jewelry business owners joins us to talk about this very subject. With decades of retail experience under her belt she is an expert on sales (holiday season and otherwise).

On this episode of Launch Grow Joy Robin offers guidance on how all of us can tap into the holiday market, no matter our niche, and why relationships are so very important to business success.

• What did she learn working with the likes of Neiman Marcus and Oprah?
• What is she most passionate about?
• What can make your business AND fill your life?
• People don't buy your brand - what do they buy?
• How to use postcards to grow your business, and better serve your clients.
• And so much more!

From the beginning Robin has had a love for fashion and retail; she began working in her mom's retail shop as a teen, and her career stayed the course. She worked for Old Navy, Anne Taylor, Crate & Barrel and then moved into niche businesses and eventually her own consulting gigs.

Along the way she struck up a friendship with Tracy Matthews, their mutual love of yoga bonding them. They kept in touch over the years and one day met up while in New York. That day Tracy shared an idea she had with Robin: Tracy had a vision to help jewelry designers and jewelry business owners.

Robin loved it, she knew a business could offer programs and services to a variety of people, something she as a consultant couldn't do. From there Flourish & Thrive Academy was born and they've been full-speed ever since.

On today's episode Robin gives explains why collaboration and relationships have been so integral to their success with Flourish & Thrive Academy, plus specific ways to tap into bigger sales this holiday season no matter what your niche and how to be confident when selling, even if you don't like sales. Tune into this edition of Launch Grow Joy to hear it all.

[Tweet "Without relationships you don't have a business!  @Flourish_Thrive"]

Have you considered hiring a field team to promote your brand? Our guest for today's show, Nadia Leonelli of Element Snacks, says it's not just for the big companies. In fact she has used the field team strategy in the early stages of her business to get her products into stores nationwide.

Nadia has created healthy yet yummy and satisfying snack options with Element Snacks. Born out of necessity, Nadia and her husband have worked tirelessly knocking on doors, visiting retailers and pounding the pavement to get the word. They've also tapped into a marketing strategy that has paid dividends for them: a field team. Their field members also work hard to get the Element Snacks products into the hands of as many customers as possible.

On this episode of Launch Grow Joy Nadia shares how and why to use a field team effectively, her early business challenge of isolation and the three ways she tackled that problem and simultaneously grew her business.

• When should you work with an accelerator or incubator?
• What grassroots approach did she and her husband use to spread brand awareness?
• Why people want to see you, the person behind your brand.
• What's the cheapest way to get your product into people's hands?
• Why do you need to meet your customers and clients in person at events?
• And so much more!

Nadia created Element Snacks because she's gluten-free and was traveling a great deal. Regularly she was faced with the dilemma of what to bring on her flights to eat. Rice cakes were convenient and easy to carry, but dry and boring. Putting her entrepreneur's cap on she developed Element Snacks: gluten-free, GMO-free, sweet, delicious AND healthy snacks.

Once the product was created she was faced with another challenge: how to become known and connected in an industry she had never worked in. Previously Nadia was a corporate strategy consultant who helped big brands with global launches and product strategies.

She found three effective ways to become immersed in the community: live events like trade shows, networking with other women-owned businesses, and becoming a part of an accelerator.

With that challenge faced and conquered she faced another one: how best to spread the word to retailers and potential customers about Element Snacks? After all no one could buy her product if they didn't know about it!

So she enlisted her own army: a field team. She educated them, trained them and continues to treat them like part of the family. Nadia and her husband both know what it's like to cold call on retailers and they help their field team do so effectively, while also continuing to do it themselves!

The field team strategy is a powerful one that has worked well for Nadia and Element Snacks. Tune into this episode of Launch Grow Joy to hear what else has worked for Nadia.

We’ve all seen sponsored posts on blogs, but where do you start if you want to build a relationship with a blogger and promote your online store with bloggers? Andy Hayes, owner and founder of PlumDeluxe.com joins us to share how to do so and his firsthand account of the success a relationship like that can bring.

Plum Deluxe is an organic, fair-trade tea subscription company with an emphasis on mindfulness. Andy promotes Plum Deluxe by reaching out to bloggers whose values align with his brand.  Andy has found that by building intentional relationships, he is able to drive more traffic to his website and improve his sales.

On this episode of Launch Grow Joy, we cover Andy’s method for reaching out to bloggers, the importance of a comprehensive template, and why making intentional connections can help you get ahead.

• How can you research bloggers that will mesh well with your brand?
• What happened when Andy started listening to what people asked for?
• Andy shares why he doesn’t like giveaways!
• The metrics triangle Andy uses to choose which bloggers to work with.
• How many times should you follow up with a prospective client?
• And so much more!

Although today Andy is a successful online entrepreneur, he spent over a decade working in the software industry. He eventually became disheartened from too many corporate merger acquisitions, uninspiring supervisors, and sacrificing benefits and pay.

Andy knew he needed to make a change, but wasn’t sure where to start. He combined his technology skills with his connections, and started doing IT freelance work.

All of that changed however when Andy's mother died. The loss was devastating for him personally, but he experienced a professional wake up call. He realized the job he had built for himself wasn’t working, and began to think about what would make him happy. He created Plum Deluxe, where he was able to create his own product, and get paid to do work he enjoyed.

He knew he needed to market Plum Deluxe, but like most small businesses, he didn’t have a large marketing budget. He saw an opportunity to begin working with bloggers, so he reached out to build relationships with them. By telling his story, asking interested bloggers to try his product and bonding with them he organically marketed his company.

This approach has worked for Plum Deluxe and it can work for you! Tune into this episode of Launch Grow Joy to learn Andy’s tips for getting started working with bloggers and much more.

Have you ever wondered how the subscription service business model works - and if it could work in your business? Reggie Milligan of Mantry.com has created a thriving business with Mantry, a small-batch and artisan delivery service designed for men.

Reggie was inspired by the influx of artisan and small-batch foods being created across America. Mantry was created to bring these new products to different men across the country with a simple monthly subscription box.

On this episode of Launch Grow Joy we discuss how Reggie launched and runs Mantry.com, how he keeps in touch with his audience with his website, and his advice for someone if you  want to start using a subscription box business.

In this episode, you’ll also hear about:

• Why you shouldn’t wait for the “perfect time”.
• The importance of blogging and website management.
• What to do to start a subscription box business.
• The #1 way to get people to become customers.
• How can bootstrapping help you when starting out?
• And so much more!

After Reggie discovered his passion for artisan and small-batch foods, he decided to create a website. After launching his site, he thought about different ways to get the word out about Mantry, from featured in different gift guides to blogging to simply talking to people.

Blogging, in particular, has been helpful in Mantry’s growth. His approach to blogging is simple, and he focuses on what he and his team are experts in. He finds that a simple approach focused on pictures and clean-cut writing has helped readers become customers.

Pop-ups have also been a part of Mantry’s website. In particular, he uses prizes to encourage traffic through the pop-up and also to add customer interest. In order to win the prize, the consumer must enter an email address, and it’s a non-threatening way to gain traffic on the website.

Finally talking to locals in his community has helped Reggie immensely in his search for great products. Many people are interested in using the subscription business to advertise their products. On the flip side Reggie advises to avoid subscription businesses that ask for free products and that use sample sizes, because sample sizes are forgettable.

Finally, Reggie offers his advice on how to put together a team and bootstrap in the beginning of starting a business. Make sure to tune in for Reggie’s advice on how to navigate the subscription box world and so much more!

Resources:

What exactly is a Twirly Girl? Cynthia Jamin knows and she's here to tell us! Being a “twirly girl” is an appealing persona to a little girl, and Cynthia has made it a reality. With her Twirly Girl business she creates fun and exciting clothing for young girls.

Her business began with her two beautiful daughters. She found her girls wanted to dress in a fun and fashionable way, and since she had some sewing experience, Cynthia was able to bring their wishes to life. From there Twirly Girl was born and has gone on to become a popular clothing brand. It’s steady growth has shown Cynthia how to operate a successful business.

On this episode of Launch Grow Joy we discuss how Cynthia made her business a reality, the journey she has experienced as a result, and the techniques that have helped her grow Twirly Girl into the wildly successful company it is today.

• The importance of being genuine.
• Why a customer-producer relationship is necessary.
• How should you balance a retail-wholesale percentage?
• The importance of being in communication with your customers.
• How can you keep the momentum once you experience success?
• And so much more!

Cynthia has discovered how much e-commerce has exploded over recent years. She remembers how confusing it was to spread the word about her dresses when she began Twirly Girl! She began with her own market (mothers), and searched for “mom bloggers” to help her get the word out about her new business. She also went to every school event she could.

Cynthia began her business locally, and has made an effort to continue running Twirly Girl in Los Angeles. She says that all of her products are manufactured in the United States, even though her fabrics are produced outside of the US. She also likes the idea of keeping her batches small so she can keep an eye on how products turn out, which is one advantage of keeping her business local.

Cynthia enjoys communicating with her customers directly, and tries to keep her business as personable as possible. Doing so allows her to connect with her customers and hear valuable feedback.

As successful as Cynthia is she has encountered her share of setbacks while growing Twirly Girl. One of the best pieces of advice she has is to inspect your website or platform and make sure that they are big enough to take you and your business where you want to go.

Cynthia offers so much valuable advice and guidance on today's show. We talk about how to create, sustain and truly love your business and what you do. She also speaks on how to remember the joy and happiness that your business grew out of, so be sure to tune in for the full scoop!

[Tweet "Be optimistic, but protect yourself."]

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a top seller on Amazon? Then today’s episode of Launch Grow Joy has your answer. Pilar Newman shares how she began an Amazon-based business as well as her insights on finding a niche, researching trending items, and getting your product in front of the right audience.

Pilar got her start in e-commerce one holiday season when her nephew asked for a hard-to-find gift for Christmas. Pilar searched all of the big box stores, but came home empty-handed.

Eventually, Pilar found the product on Amazon, and became inspired to resell the item to others.  Pilar got started immediately and found herself spending time individually boxing and mailing out items.

• What is FBA, and how can it help you reach a wider customer base?
• How you can discover complimentary items for popular products.
• How to great product reviews.
• What is the one thing Pilar warns you should never do on Amazon?
• How is Amazon different from Google in terms of search results?
• And so much more!

Soon this method of business became too time consuming, so Pilar looked for a more efficient business model. Today, Pilar runs her business via Fulfillment By Amazon, which adds more time to her schedule, increases her sales, and allows her to tap into the right market.  

Pilar believes that Amazon is the best platform for running an e-commerce business. Since there is little work necessary to get started, Amazon is a great place to begin your own business. Additionally, there are a multitude of strategies that can be used on Amazon to expand to a bigger customer base.

Pilar is sharing these tactics in a course, in which you can learn how to build your very own e-commerce business. She also offers her students a way to see different opportunities, and a place to discuss how to be a better seller.  

Don’t miss this episode of Launch Grow Joy to learn more from Pilar Newman about how you can get started building a business around Amazon today.

Have you ever wanted a mentor? The process of finding a mentor to help you and your company grow can be daunting and scary. Geoff Woods is the host of podcast Mentee and has been documenting his journey of being an employee to becoming an entrepreneur.

On today’s episode of Launch Grow Joy Geoff and I discuss how he’s formed close relationships with some serious powerhouse mentors and why he’s so passionately sharing those experiences and the power of a mentor with others.

More About This Show

Geoff became invested in building a new company when his previous job slashed his income by 40%. He decided to look at the five people he spent the most time with and decided that in order to build passive income, he had to be around more influential people.

Since beginning this journey, Geoff has gained valuable insights on how to make relationships matter, how to add value to other people and to gain the perfect mentor/mentee relationship through his five-step process.

In this episode, you’ll also hear:

• The importance of attaining and retaining a solid mentor/mentee relationship.
• How can a mentoring relationship help your business grow and your goals be achieved?
• The five steps to gain a mentor and make yourself accessible.
• What is the relationship “bank account”?
• Why adding value to others ultimately helps you.
• And so much more!

Geoff believes that having a mentor is not just an introductory process, it’s a habit to create for life. His five-step process includes diagnosing the ideal mentor, the ability to discuss opportunity constantly, the necessity of getting “out there”, and being more interested than being interesting.

Geoff owes his success and his business relationships to his five-step process, but he accredits the rise of his journey to his ability to network and add value to other people. He truly believes that the key to making the relationship work is to be honest with where you need help and to be courageous and ask for help.

A significant piece of advice Geoff gives is to continue to inspect your approach and to investigate what is working and what is not working. He says making sure your requests and your personality resonate are of the utmost importance.

In addition to this, he believes there is no specific timeframe to follow and to focus on building the relationship steadily - just keep it going!

Geoff’s journey from salesperson to entrepreneur has been uplifting to hear, and the advice he provides is truly remarkable. We cover the details of his process as well as his advice on how to gain and maintain the relationships you want, so be sure to tune in!

Wondering what it takes to build a business from scratch to millions in annual revenue and more than 200 employees? If so, you're going to love Susan Axelrod' story.

It was her passion for food and her intuitive sense of the marketplace that inspired Susan Axelrod to introduce quiche to a world unfamiliar with its rich textures and elegant flavors. Since setting up shop in her small family kitchen 40 years ago, the company she named Love and Quiches has become synonymous not only with quiche, but with delicious desserts of extraordinary quality. Today, these delectable desserts and quiches, including their authentic NY cheesecake, can be found in restaurants and retail stores around the globe.

In today's interview, Susan talks about the early days of her business, some of the struggles she overcame and what it took to grow her business to where it is today.

Do you want more traffic to your ecommerce site? Do you want to create a more engaged community of fans and customers that will rave about your products? Do you want to get more sales from your online store? If so, you need a blog!

In today's episode of The Launch Grow Joy show, you'll discover five reasons why your ecommerce business needs a blog and I'll also give you a few ideas about what to blog about.

Did you invest in more inventory than you were able to sell? If so, here are five creative ways to get rid of extra inventory.

When I first launched my t-shirt line I was very cautious about how much inventory I invested in because I was afraid that I might not be able to sell it all at the end of the season, so I only purchased what I thought I could sell.

However, the problem with this line of thinking was that I was constantly scrambling whenever an item was out of stock and dealing with backorders was a nightmare. So after two years of running my t-shirt business, I decided to invest in purchasing A LOT of inventory so that I can approach larger stores and not have to deal with backorders.

The great thing was that I was able to sell most of the inventory, but I still had a few hundred t-shirts at the end of each season that I didn't know what to do with.

In today's episode, you'll learn about five things ou can do to get rid of extra inventory.

There are lots of ways to sell your products online. You can use Craigslist, Etsy, Ebay, Amazon, SmugMug, and similar ecommerce platforms. Or, you can create your own online store, which we recommend. In this podcast, we will show you why you need your own store and how to choose the right ecommerce platform for your business.

Before we start comparing shopping cart software solutions, what you really need to know is the why. Why do you need your own online store when there are plenty of online marketplaces that do most of the heavy lifting for you? There are many reasons, but in this podcast we'll explore the top three.

Are you thinking of joining the Marie Forleo B-school program, but are wondering if it’s the right fit for you because you have a product-based business (whether it’s jewelry, apparel, food, home decor, baby products, beauty products, eco products and more)?

In today's interview, you'll get to hear what Marie is up to, how she got to where she is, what product she is launching (that's right!) and the bonuses you'll get if you sign up for B-school through my affiliate link.

Have you noticed that your Facebook reach is A LOT lower than it has ever been? Unfortunately, if you want want to get in front of your existing fans (and connect with some new ones), you might want to consider investing in Facebook ads.

Some people refer to this as "pay to play" and I've seen it in my business as well. That's why I've invited Facebook ads expert Rick Mulready to share with you some great tips and strategies for growing your list AND your product-based business with Facebook ads.

Wow, it's been an amazing year! In this podcast episode of the year, I share three things I learned in 2014 and what's ahead for 2015.

Seeing your products featured on the pages of a top magazine can be exhilarating! But, along with that exhilaration can come a bit of worry - what if you don't have enough product in stock to meet the demand in sales? Or, worse, what if no one visits your website or buys your products as a result of that mention?

Believe it or not, both cases can be true. I've had my products featured in a top media outlet and saw over $10,000 of sales in ONE DAY. And I've also had my products mentioned and saw ZERO sales from that particular mention. While instant sales from a press mention can be an amazing thing to experience, the reality is that, as an entrepreneur, you sometimes have to do a bit of extra work to leverage your press mentions into sales.

In today's episode of The Launch Grow Joy Show, I share six things you can do to turn your press mentions into more sales. Click the LISTEN button below to get these six tips and then I'd love to know your thoughts/feelings on this topic. Leave a comment below and let me know what you think!

Do you often get requests for FREE products from bloggers, the media, stores or other people who are interested in "trying" out your brand? And do you know when to say YES or NO to a free product request? If not, listen to today's episode as I answer today's question from Joy:

Question: Hi Andreea, Love your site!! Recently I have been contacted by quite a few people who would like to try my products before they buy. A couple of them were actual bloggers who will post product reviews, the others are just looking for a handout. How should I respond? I was thinking of being honest and saying that I am a handcrafter, not a big business and cannot afford to send samples or something to that effect. Please help! I don't know where they are getting my name from! Thanks, Joy

Have you considered licensing your products but are not sure if it makes sense for you? Or you're not sure where to start? In today's interview, Jim DeBetta, who has helped thousands of entrepreneurs and inventors get their products into big box retailers, shares with you some great tips and strategies for licensing your products.

If you have an online store, this series is for you!

If you have an online store, this series is for you!

Wondering what it takes to convert more of your online store visitors into buyers? In Part 4 of this five-part podcast series, you'll learn about the importance of SOCIAL PROOF on your website

If you have an online store, this series is for you!

Wondering what it takes to convert more of your online store visitors into buyers? In Part 3 of this five-part podcast series, you'll learn about the elements that should go on your FAQ/Customer Service page.

If you have an online store, this series is for you!

Wondering what it takes to convert more of your online store visitors into buyers? In Part 2 of this five-part podcast series, you'll learn about the elements that should go on your PRODUCT page, including your product photos and descriptions.

If you have an online store, this series is for you!

Wondering what it takes to convert more of your online store visitors into buyers? In Part 1 of this five-part podcast series, you'll learn about the elements that should go on your HOME page and ABOUT page.

Do you often feel alone in your product-based business? Do you feel like your journey as an entrepreneur might be "easier" if you sold info products or if you taught other people how to start a business rather than selling apparel, jewelry, art, home decor, food, baby & kids products or any other type of consumer products? Do you feel like you could make more money if you had a different business that didn't require you to purchase inventory or to pay sales reps and distributors?

Have you thought about collaborating with another entrepreneur, designer or artist for your business? In today's episode, find out how to find the right collaboration partner and how to set up your collaboration for success.

How to get your products in O, The Oprah magazine and more publicity tips with Susan Harrow of PR Secrets.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to get your products featured in the pages of O, The Oprah Magazine? If so, today's episode, which is a recording from our first ever Virtual Publicity Summit, Susan talks about the different sections that your products can be featured in, as well as how to increase your chances of getting featured.