The Resilient Retail Game Plan (Catherine Erdly)

In today’s episode of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to Taymoor Atighetchi, CEO and Founder of Papier, an online e-commerce stationery brand that flips traditional supply chain methods on their head. 

Alongside their own in-house collections, Papier collaborates with bright, upcoming artists, iconic brands and exciting fashion labels to produce personalised journals, notebooks (and more) on-demand for those who are passionate about paper. Selling direct-to-consumer, Papier creates one-off products to order, meaning that the business can remain agile, minimize waste and lead the curve when it comes to emerging trends.

In today’s podcast, we discuss how analogue pursuits have grown as people strive to live a more offline life and how an on-demand business model helps with the test and learn approach all start-ups have to endure. We also take a look at how brand partnerships can help with both customer acquisition and retention and how endless choice is the last thing consumers want.

Check out Papier’s range of products at https://www.papier.com/ and connect with them on social.

https://www.facebook.com/papieruk/
https://www.instagram.com/papier/
https://twitter.com/papieruk
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/papieruk/_shop/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/papier/

Stock management can make or break product businesses.

It’s all too easy to fall victim to ‘shiny new stock syndrome’ and bulk buying discounts, where you end up overstocking your business and creating a “stock monster’ that reduces your cash flow to a trickle.
In episode 5 of the Resilient Retail Game Plan I cover the four key rules for stock management - having a plan, ordering the right amounts, trialing and repeating, and clearing as you go. These tools will help you feel strategic, in control, and give you more time to focus on the important things within your business - creating and curating a line of products you and your customers love.

Whether you’ve already established a crew of handy helpers or you’re looking to add your first extra pair of hands to the production line in time for your Xmas orders, recruiting is just the first step in putting a trustworthy team together. Setting expectations, engaging your workforce and ultimately managing your staff is a whole other ballgame with its own challenges and intricacies.

In episode 52 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to Human Resources Consultant Pip Foulsham. From working in retail to being employed as part of the NHS, Pip now assists business owners in creating amazing workplaces - helping with everything from creating and reviewing contracts of employment to onboarding.

In this episode, we consider the value of being open and honest with your staff and the importance of dealing with problems early. We also share some tips on handling performance issues and discuss how simply asking what your employees need from you helps to create a productive and positive working environment.

Get in touch with Pip about working together at https://pipfoulshamhr.co.uk/ and you can follow and connect with her at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pipfoulsham/
https://www.instagram.com/pipfoulshamhr/
https://www.facebook.com/pipfoulshamhr/

How well are you managing the most valuable asset in your business? 

In other words, your stock. The chances are, if you are a product business owner, whether that is an e-commerce brand or an independent retailer, then the majority of the financial value of your business is tied up in your stock.

And my question to you is how well are you managing that asset? 

In the last episode asked you, do you have a cashflow problem or a stock management problem. And I suggested that you have a stock plan to determine the answer. Once you have your stock plan, the its time to dive a little deeper.

Today I want to talk about my second golden rule of stock management. And that is be really clear about what's selling and being productive in your business versus what isn't selling and is sucking up all of your cash.

If this all sounds very interesting, but you know, for a fact, you will just not have the time to do it, then I do encourage you to join the waiting list for my new service, which will be launching later this year. I am going to be able to work with you to manage your stock better. Join the waiting list here: https://futureretail.lpages.co/feel-good-business/

Let’s Dive In:

[0:00] The Golden Rules of Stock Management Recap

[02:46] The Second Golden Rule of Stock Management - You need to know which stock is selling and which is not

[03:14] A stock plan is a good place to start, but it won't tell you the full story...it has a major flaw

[04:55] We fix that flaw by looking at the tail.

[07:25] Knowing what product is selling and what is not has other benefits to your business that will put you ahead of most retailers

[10:29] Making a stock plan by product type helps you understand even more

[12:14] If creating a stock plan by product type is overwhelming - then try a stock-to-sales ratio

[14:35] This is what you should be doing to start getting control of your stock

[16:22] Do you need this but find it overwhelming? Then learn more about my newest service

There are many reasons someone starts a business, but a pattern I often see with founders in the Resilient Retail Club is a combination of dissatisfaction with the working world and a desire to make a more significant impact, and today's guest is no exception!

In episode 163 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to Lucy Jeffrey, founder of bamboo sock brand, Bare Kind. Having started her business as a side hustle five years ago, Bare Kind is now partnered with over thirty charities and donates a percentage of its profits to protect endangered animals. With little to no prior experience in retail, Lucy has worked hard to build an amazing business, and shares some of her major successes (and advice), especially when it comes to wholesale.

In this podcast, we discuss balancing demand with manufacturing, the value of merchandising, and holding your nerve as a seasonal business. We also talk about the importance of taking a step back, consistently reviewing the state of your business and the benefits of learning more about how your products are made.

Check out Lucy’s beautiful socks at https://barekind.co.uk/

Connect with Lucy at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-jeffrey/
and check out Lucy’s e-commerce content over at: https://candidfounders.com/

Join the Christmas Sales Summit and get half off your first month in the Club - ENDS 17th September Midnight:

https://www.resilientretailclub.com/membership/

This summit will get you thinking strategically about the upcoming Christmas season, and give you the strategies, tools and support to grow your sales. It includes:

• Expert workshops
• Strategy planning sessions
• Tools and templates for growth
• Co-working hours

Welcome back to my analysis of the 2021 Resilient Retail Product Business Survey.

Last weeks episode was all about the numbers, and hopefully, you were able to draw inspiration from some of my key takeaways and use the statistics I shared to help you benchmark whereabouts your business currently stands and what you can do to help it grow. In today’s episode, we take a look at one of the most important elements of running a small product business - marketing! 

Marketing is a subject that I’ve discovered can cause a lot of stress to small business owners - many founders report being concerned over how to best approach showcasing and sharing their goods with potential customers, and with so many different avenues of outreach and audience engagement it can be tough working out where to begin.

So in Episode 35 of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’ll be looking at where people are selling their products, how much they’re spending on getting them in front of people and how this all affects turnover. We’ll look at the power of social media and discuss which platforms see the most success; the correlation between time invested and sales made; and whether businesses are effectively leveraging email marketing and paid advertising.

Get your copy of the report at www.resilientretailclub.com/survey

In episode 176 of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, host Catherine Erdly, founder of the Resilient Retail Club, engages in an insightful discussion with Lindsay Schneider, founder of the self-tanning brand, Get Into the Limelight. 

We discuss the trials and triumphs of building a brand, focusing on Lindsay's experience in product sourcing, the process of creating a quality self-tanner, and the marketing strategies that worked best for her. Lindsay emphasizes the importance of influencer marketing, discussing strategies for selecting influencers that have a genuine love for the product and authenticity in their promotion. She also talks about the importance of taking calculated risks in business growth, detailing how outsourcing helped her business operations grow. 

Lindsay's story provides key insights into running a successful product business and using influencer marketing effectively.

[00:00] Welcome Linday Schneider

[01:58] Lindsay Schneider Business Backstory

[04:49] When Linsday picked the wrong product she discovered she needed to make a shift in her business

[06:54] Lindsay talks about the process of developing a skin care product. [09:22] Did Lindsay need to shift how she marketed her product after shifting her business?

[10:21] Navigating the changes in influencer marketing

[11:38] What has been the biggest change that propelled her business forward?

[13:41] How do you know when you’re ready to hand off control in your business?

[17:13] What advice does Linsay have for choosing influencer partnerships?

[25:27] What's coming for Lindsay in 2024?

[26:34] Learn More about Lindsay

Get all of the resources here: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/power-of-influencer-marketing-in-retail-with-lindsay-schneider/

With the immense number of businesses out there and the sheer amount of products available the world over, you’d be forgiven for thinking that everything and everyone is catered for, but you need only go as far as your local supermarket to discover that from fashion to tech, cosmetics to stationery and everything in between, that there are plenty of instances of design biases and blindspots when it comes to diversity and inclusion.

In episode 104 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to Cherelle Brown of Kitsch Noir. When she was made redundant 5 years ago, Cherelle hit the ground running, challenged the predominantly white landscape of the stationery world, and made a huge impact in her community by creating her award-winning, family-friendly, black greeting cards and stationery brand.

In this episode, we discuss Cherelle’s journey from the pages of Etsy to the shelves of some of the biggest retailers around, as well as diving into the creative process behind her range of greeting cards and stationery. We also discuss the deep meaningfulness of representation to Charelle, her customers and her community and how regardless of how busy and intense things get, that you still need to ensure yourself a good quality of life.

Check out Cherelle’s amazing cards and stationery at: https://kitschnoir.com/

And connect with KitsCH Noir at:

https://www.facebook.com/KitschNoirLdn/
https://www.instagram.com/kitschnoir
https://twitter.com/Kitschnoir

For more details on Hatch Enterprises head to:
https://hatchenterprise.org/

Between securing product placements and getting featured in gift guides, guest blogging isn’t perhaps the first thing you’d think of when it comes to possible PR opportunities, but it can be a powerful way to connect with your ideal clients and gain exposure. 

In today’s episode, I speak to PR specialist Colette Machado. From previously working as an online journalist for BBC News to helping entrepreneurs get in front of their target audience, Colette has 20 years of experience and a wealth of tips on how to approach blogs, how to provide value as a writer and the importance of recognising yourself as an expert.

We discuss how to find guest blogging opportunities through hashtags and search engines, the best ways to pitch, having an ‘angle’ that is timely and relevant and being engaged in your outreach.

Get in touch with Colette about working together at https://colettemachado.co.uk/ and you can follow and connect with her at:

https://www.facebook.com/colettemachadoUK

https://www.linkedin.com/in/colette-machado/

https://twitter.com/colettemachado

Further Resources:

https://tweakyourbiz.com/title-generator

In today's episode of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I want to give you my expert support in order for you to understand better the figures that can ultimately make or break your small business. We’re already barrelling towards March and 2023 is looking no less uncertain for independent retail - that’s why we need to embrace and closely monitor our numbers to help us stay in control and lay out a clear and confident strategy for the future of our brands.

This subject is actually the basis of a talk I did at the beginning of February at this year's Spring Fair at Birmingham MEC, but I’m very excited to say that this episode will be discussed through the lens and give you a real sense of my brand-new, soon to be released book, “Tame Your Tiger: How to Stop Your Product Business Eating You Alive”. 

We’ll start by covering the Tiger’s bite. We’ll study the most important number in your small business - the ‘in-margin’, as defined by your product costs, and we’ll discuss how to grow your ‘out-margin’ by reviewing your sale-relative expenditure. We’ll also look at how much you’re feeding your tiger and how using break-even analysis can help model future costs. I’ll explain how the 80/20 rule can help you better identify the desires of your customers, and we’ll finish at the Tiger’s tail, where we’ll discuss the dangers of unproductive stock to the longevity of your small business.

Don’t forget - use the code: 10podcast to get £10 off your first month when joining The Resilient Retail Club, and to get your copy first, remember to pre-order Tame Your Tiger at:

https://uk.bookshop.org/books/tame-your-tiger-how-to-stop-your-product-business-eating-you-alive/9781788604048

Profit margins are like the foundations of your business so it’s very important you pay close attention to them and that you’re fully aware of how much money you’re making every time you make a sale.

In this episode, I go over how to breakdown your costs and how to use those figures to become a more profitable and resilient retailer.

We’ll cover the simple calculations (which I've included below) that’ll give you a clearer picture of how your business is operating and discuss the importance of questioning and challenging yourself to make your products more profitable without harming the essential essence of your offering.

I also cover blindspots and common mistakes that business both big and small make which hurt product profitability, the importance of valuing your time in regards to scalability and discuss how harnessing opportunities created through shipping and sales channels can help you keep more of your hard-earned money.

Product photography has changed a lot since the days of a single image on a white background in a 500-page catalogue. As the advertising and marketing worlds have evolved, we’ve seen increasing complexity in the way businesses present their products to their audience, such as through multi-layered storytelling and creating cultural context around their products, and with the continuing growth of online retail, good imagery has never been more important in communicating the qualities and value of products outside of a traditional physical retail space.

In episode 137 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to brand and product photographer Hiral Jethwa. A passionate advocate of good photography, Hiral produces content to elevate small product businesses, bolster their brands and ultimately help increase sales.

In today’s podcast, we discuss how good photography not only helps address your customers' pain points but can lessen the risk of unwanted returns and refunds. We also talk about finding the right photographer to collaborate with, how to communicate your vision and Hiral also shares her tips for how to best prepare for the big shoot!

Check out Hiral’s work and services at: https://hj-photography.co.uk/

And connect with her at:
https://www.instagram.com/hjbrandingstories/

Don’t forget - use the code: 10podcast to get £10 off your first month when joining The Resilient Retail Club, and get your copy of “Tame Your Tiger” at: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/tame-your-tiger-how-to-stop-your-product-business-eating-you-alive/9781788604048

You need only take a quick scan of the apps on your smartphone to see how dramatically the landscape of social media has changed since Facebook got the ball rolling in earnest all those years ago. Social media has not only been at the forefront of adopting and trialling new tech but in many cases platforms like Instagram and TikTok have been the change-makers themselves, tweaking their platforms, prioritising content and harnessing data in an effort to win the fight for your attention (and cash!) in an increasingly competitive digital market.

In today's episode, I speak to Thomas Rankin, the co-founder and CEO of Dash Hudson, an all-in-one social entertainment marketing software platform for the world's biggest brands. Helping to create and share photos and videos that people care about, Dash Hudson empowers brands to predict performance, analyse trends, and accelerate growth across key visual marketing and e-commerce channels.

In today's podcast, we drill down into the collision of culture and tech that is social entertainment, and how it marks a sharp shift from a focus on connections and curated content to of-the-moment and organic entertainment. We also discuss the opportunities on offer for those willing to take risks and remain creatively flexible as well as how influencer marketing has evolved to include ‘creators’ and will continue to in the future.

Get in touch with Thomas at https://www.linkedin.com/in/rankinthomas/

And connect with Dash Hudson at:

https://www.dashhudson.com/
https://www.instagram.com/dashhudson/
https://www.tiktok.com/@dashhudson
https://www.facebook.com/DashHudsonForBrands/
https://twitter.com/DashHudson/

Use the code: 10podcast to get £10 off your first month when joining The Resilient Retail Club.

Whilst big retail isn’t exactly going anywhere, we’re seeing more and more that customers want something that mass-produced products and high street giants generally can’t offer - to be part of a journey when it comes to the consumer experience. 

Whether it’s getting their hands on something handmade and unique or voting with their wallet by buying locally and sustainably, consumers are savvy and know that it’s small, independent businesses that they need to go to for gift-able treats, purpose-led products and exciting exclusives. 

But as you may have experienced yourself, getting in front of those potential customers is a whole other story - in today’s episode we look at how bringing big retail and small brands together is ultimately a win-win for all involved.

My guest today is Matt Hopkins who, whilst working for big retailers like John Lewis, met lots of great brands struggling to get their products to markets. It was on the back of this discovery that in 2014 Matt formed The Great British Exchange with the explicit goal of bringing the best of smaller British brands to a much broader customer base, from food and beverage to housewares, by offering various routes to market including traditional wholesale and in-store pop-ups.

In episode 58 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, we discuss the importance of stories, the power of selling face-to-face and how your success all comes down to preparation, research and execution.

Get in touch with Matt about working together at  https://www.thegbexchange.com/ and you can follow and connect with The Great British Exchange at:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-great-british-exchange/

https://twitter.com/thegbexchange

In this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’m talking with Tamsin Rennie, founder of Monroe Creative, about the critical balance between aesthetic appeal and functional performance of websites for product-based businesses. 

We discuss common mistakes businesses make when DIYing their websites, the significance of professional branding and web design, and how to strategically appeal to your specific customers. We also cover practical tips for improving website functionality, the importance of SEO, and making sites user-friendly and accessible. 

Tamsin emphasizes the value of cohesive and strategic branding in conjunction with a well-designed, functional website to enhance business success.

[01:47] Welcome Tamsin! Tell us a bit more about your business

[02:22] Tamsin shares about her experience with her own product businesses

[07:25] How important is it for a website to really have the right look for the brand?

[09:02] Can you talk me through what the process might look like to create a specific appeal for a very specific customer?

[11:09] What kinds of mistakes does Tamsin see shops make when they DIY their website?

[17:16] The relationship between branding and web design

[22:27] How to learn more about Tamsin

Get the full show notes on our website at https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/a-retail-owners-guide-to-effective-branding-and-website-design-with-tamsin-rennie/

How often are you reviewing your stock?

Stock management is not a one-and-done type scenario.  

I certainly would be able to sit down with you and audit your stock. We would be able to go through it, look at how much you've got, understand what's working, and what's not working, and I could make recommendations on how you could trim that stock back and what you should focus on going forward.

And while this can be incredibly helpful it won’t prevent issues on an ongoing basis. 

Moving into a monthly review is a simple, but powerful way to get a vision of what the impact of the month that's just gone by is going to have on your future stock. And then you can use that information to actually take action. 

And I'm a big believer in information for action. You want to be able to look at your last month's sales and understand immediately what that means for you going forward.  

So today we are talking about my third golden rule of stock management - making stock management a monthly review process and what steps you need to take to accomplish it. 

If this all sounds very interesting, but you know, for a fact, you will just not have the time to do it, then I do encourage you to join the waiting list for my new service, which will be launching later this year. I am going to be able to work with you to manage your stock better. Join the waiting list here: https://futureretail.lpages.co/feel-good-business/

Let’s Dive In:

[00:00] My third Golden Rule of Stock Management: Make stock management an ongoing process in your store

[03:21] Why stock management is not a one-and-done activity for your store

[04:08] What activities are included in a monthly stock management review

[07:08] Examples of what can happen when you are actively managing your stock plan

[08:15] Questions to ask yourself on an ongoing basis about your stock plan

[14:40] The Three Golden Rules of Stock Management 

[16:43] Final thoughts and my new service

The internet, and by extension retail, has come a long way since 1983.

From the first tentative purchases made over dial-up to today's lightning-fast one-click purchases made on the go, the speed at which e-commerce has grown has not only been exceptionally fast but the retail industry’s successful harnessing of technological trends has completely changed the way business is done.

Whether you’re a boomer, a millennial or part of Gen-Z, you’re likely to be familiar, if not completely comfortable with the contemporary consumption options on offer - whether that’s browsing through Amazon on your laptop, ordering food on your smartphone or making a purchase through a social media account - but in an ever more digitalised world what’s next for retail?

On today's podcast, I speak to Lindsey Mazza from Capgemini, a global leader in consulting, technology services and digital transformation who help identify where their clients can go in the market to help fulfil their consumer promises. As Global Retail Lead Lindsey helps break down the much-hyped, often misunderstood Metaverse and how it’s being used as a powerful tool by some of the world’s biggest companies.

In this episode, Lindsey helps explain and describe what the Metaverse actually is, how it operates and shares some of the success stories to have come out of this new space. We also discuss creating new experiences for customers that are both physical and digital, generational differences when it comes to tech adoption and how investing in the Metaverse as a new selling channel can help retailers to learn even more about their customers.

To connect with Lindsey, head over to her LinkedIn and to find out more about Capgemini, follow the links below:

With a lot of people struggling to juggle life, work, homeschooling, side-hustles, relatives and self-care right now, I want to spend episode 26 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan on my six steps to being more productive. I’m a self-professed productivity nerd and am always looking at ways I can tweak and better manage the needs of my business as well as my own. 

The best place to start is to be realistic - being productive is as much about how you feel as it is about your business processes and you can’t focus when you’re overwhelmed and anxious.

So, we’ll start by freeing up some mental space by getting your tasks down on paper (or an app) and out of your head, so you can start prioritising tasks by urgency and importance and blocking them out into achievable time slots. We’ll also discuss identifying how you work best and how to work better so you’re firing on all cylinders for those high-focus tasks without the inference of all of today's modern distractions. And we’ll look at the importance of creating clarity in the following days, weeks and months by planning ahead, being kind to yourself and remaining flexible as things so often change.

Last summer I launched a mastermind for product-based business owners and it has hands down been the most exciting that I’ve done in my business.  

The people in the mastermind have businesses of various sizes. Some are very large, and very well established. Some are earlier on in their journey or at different stages. But the thing that unites every single one of those product business owners is their ambition and their commitment to their business.

And they have taught me a huge amount about what it means to be a successful driven product business owner in 2024. And on today’s episode, I want to share with you the 7 lessons that they have taught me!

[00:00] 7 Lessons I Learned from My Mastermind Members

[03:52] Lesson 1: Decision fatigue is real. Get support making decisions in your business!

[06:02] Lesson 2: Leverage Big Bussiness Tools to be More Successful

[09:00] Lesson 3: Working with a Mindset Coach is so Impactful to Your Business

[11:54] Lesson 4: It helps to talk with other people who understand what you are going through

[14:50] Lesson 5: Pre-planning your year is the best way to beat overwhelm in your busy season

[17:08] Lesson 6: Spreadsheets can be habit-forming and are the key to your happiness as a retail business owner

[19:52] Lesson 7: There is no magic formula. But if you make quick decisions, take action, see the results, and try new things you will see change.

[24:34] The mastermind is open! Learn more!

The next Cohort of the Mastermind Starts January 22nd

Learn more and book your exploratory call here: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/retail-business-mentoring/

Book a call: https://calendly.com/resilientretail/product-business-mastermind-discovery-call?month=2024-01

In this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I am talking with coach and facilitator Hayley Watts about effective team management, productivity, and your well-being as a founder. 

We talk about effectively giving responsibility to your team through an analogy with a 'fried egg', the importance of clarity and setting boundaries in team roles, as well as how best to approach difficult conversations with your staff. We also touched on the importance of looking after your health and well-being during stressful times. 

Haley Watts helps business owners focus on the work that matters. She helps people grow their businesses while looking after themselves. She gives business owners the confidence that what they are working on is the right thing to help achieve their goals

0:00 Welcome Hayley Watts

02:54 As the team grows, how do founders stay productive?

05:53 What tips does Halyley give to build a team that works together? 

09:16 How can founders value the different external viewpoints of new team members?

11:02 As a founder, what can you do to help the team perform at their best levels?

14:05 What should you do when team members are not meeting expectations?

19:31 How to bring your company's values into the recruitment process

21:44 How can founders reduce their overall stress and improve their well-being?

25:44 Get in touch with Hayley

Connect with Hayley Watts:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayley-watts/

Website: www.inspireful.co.uk

Episode Links:

Get Your Free Seat to Retail Roar - The UK's most inspiring FREE retail online summit at www.retailroar.co.uk

Do you want to scale your business? In other words, do you want to grow it further than where it is now? Or maybe you're in the process of growing it and you want to feel more comfortable and proactive with what's happening to you and to your business. 

So what I wanted to dig into today, is to help you understand that if you're in this process of growing your business there are five key questions that you need to ask yourself to make sure that you're going in the right direction. 

[00:00] What does it mean to scale your business?

[04:40] Question 1: Are you built on firm foundations?

[06:29] Question 2: Who are you trying to reach?

[09:58] Question 3: What makes you special? What is your unique selling proposition or USP? 

[11:58] Question 4: Do you have the systems? Are you ready to grow?  How much of your business lives in your head?

[16:26] Question 5: Are you prepared for the fact that there will be challenges along the way?

Get Access to My Upcoming Session:

Go from six-figure years to six-figure months. https://futureretail.lpages.co/from-six-figure-years-to-six-figure-months/

Writing a book has been on my to-do list for quite a while now, and nothing lights a fire under your feet and gets a project moving than telling people you’re working on something - so here I am, sharing an excerpt from the unedited first draft of my yet to be released book! 

My goal has been to make a practical book that covers three main objectives: 

• To allow readers to self-diagnose their businesses and to help highlight the challenges that are unique to product businesses
• To help readers understand and measure the key numbers within their businesses and identify what areas need attention
• And to help readers to use all this information to plan for the future accordingly
  

I find it’s often the case that people start their own businesses to escape the corporate world and embrace their inner creativity - the last thing you want is for your own personal endeavours and passion projects to be leaving you stressed and out-of-pocket - my hope is that my book will be able to give readers the tools to make a success of their product businesses and for them to feel good whilst doing it!

Please do jump on to the Resilient Retail social media channels and let me know what you think! As I say, this is the first un-edited draft, so it’d be great to hear all your thoughts! 

It may still be a whole six weeks away but Mother’s Day is the biggest gift-giving event in the UK outside of Christmas, out-selling both Valentine’s and Father’s day! The cost of living crisis and the ongoing recession are still presenting plenty of challenges to the retail industry, so all the while that we’re seeing less impulse purchasing and less discretionary spending, it’s important that small product businesses are ready and prepared to make the most of the somewhat spending-protected gift-giving occasions. 

So, in today’s episode of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I want to share with you twelve top tips to help your small business finesse your messaging and tune into your customers, so you can make the most of Mother’s Day in 2023. 

In this podcast, we’ll discuss making things easier for ‘time-poor’ customers by creating gift guides and curating offerings such as gift bundles. We’ll talk about the perfect pairing of presents and personalisation, offering add-ons like gift-wrapping and how best to implement promotions across your range. We’ll also look at retargeting customers, revisiting wholesale and how now might be the perfect time to launch your newest products.

Don’t forget - use the code: 10podcast to get £10 off your first month when joining The Resilient Retail Club, and to get your copy first, remember to pre-order Tame Your Tiger at:

https://uk.bookshop.org/books/tame-your-tiger-how-to-stop-your-product-business-eating-you-alive/9781788604048

The shift we've seen in recent years in regards to conscious consumerism and sustainability is encouraging - even some of the largest and historically wasteful retailers are coming to understand that if they want to survive into the future that they need to take a good, hard look at the way they operate and how they relate to their customer base. 

The ecological issues confronting us can seem insurmountable at times, but as business owners big and small, we can all play a part in shifting the dial back into the green 

In episode 88 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to “Mary Queen of Shops”, the esteemed retail consultant and broadcaster herself, Mary Portas! 

Author of ‘Work Like a Woman’ and ‘Rebuild’, we spend today's episode discussing how to thrive in the Kindness Economy and about taking the first steps toward small business sustainability.

And if that wasn’t enough I also got in touch with Nicky Chenery, the general manager of Safety Culture, a cutting-edge operations platform that aims to empower front line workers through auditing and micro-learning tools. We talk about harnessing data and using insights to reduce waste, streamline processes and help take responsibility for our business practices.

In today’s podcast, we cover a wide range of subjects, from rethinking the relationships we have with our suppliers, to building positive micro habits into our day-to-day operations.

We also discuss how customers don't just want to buy from brands - they want to buy into them, why we ultimately need to rethink the concept of growth and how if we really want to change the world, we just need to start where we are.  

Use the code: 10podcast to get £10 off your first month when joining The Resilient Retail Club.

Connect with Mary on her social channels here:
https://www.instagram.com/maryportasofficial/
https://twitter.com/maryportas

Sign up for the Better Business Act here:
https://betterbusinessact.org/

Connect with Nicky at:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickychenery/

Find out more about Safety Culture at:
https://safetyculture.com/retail/

Today I want to share three tips on how you can get the most out of the Retail ROAR conference. The conference features a lineup of 10 founders of retail businesses or brands and 9 subject matter experts. To help you prepare to get the most from the conference I share a summary of the diverse range of speakers and their respective topics, which cover various aspects of retail business, including social media, website development, public relations, wholesale success, email strategy, and maintaining work-life balance. The event also features networking opportunities through a pop-up Facebook group. The focus of the conference is to help attendees create a business that not only looks good, but feels good too, helping them feel inspired and ready to succeed in 2024.

Retail ROAR is a FREE online conference taking place from the 29th of February to the 1st of March. Sign up today!  www.retailroar.co.uk

[00:00] Making the most of Retail ROAR

[02:44] Tip #1: Check out the lineup of retail founders. Find the stories and experiences that interest you. Mark the date/time in your diary to attend that session.

[10:12] Don't miss my opening remarks on how to create a business that not only looks good but feels good too.

[10:42] Tip #2: Go back to your goals for the year and identify the experts who can help you move towards that goal. Mark their sessions in your diary.

[14:08] Tip #3: Remember to network with other attendees in the Facebook group!

Episode Links:

Get Your Free Seat to Retail Roar - The UK's most inspiring FREE retail online summit at www.retailroar.co.uk

In this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I'm joined by Amazon selling expert Vicky Weinberg. We discuss how to make your products and brand stand out on Amazon, Vicky’s journey from a baby product brand owner to an Amazon consultant, and the importance of understanding Amazon's fee structure and fulfillment options. 

Vicky emphasizes the value of utilizing all available Amazon features, making your product's unique selling points clear, and understanding your business's motivations for selling on the platform. 

Tune in to hear Vicky's insights on navigating international sales on Amazon and the future changes small businesses can expect on the platform.

[01:19] Meet Vicky Weinberg: Amazon Selling Expert

[01:51] Vicky's Journey: From Baby Products to Amazon Consulting

[03:17] Can every product be sold successfully on Amazon?

[07:04] How to Maximize Your Amazon Listings

[13:41] Considerations Before Selling on Amazon

[17:08] Understanding Amazon Fulfillment Options

[20:17] Expanding Internationally with Amazon

[24:29] Future Trends and Changes on Amazon

[27:39] Conclusion and Where to Find More Information

Other episodes you might like:

155: Building a small business on Amazon with Emily Johnson 

191: Dive into Google Shopping Ads with Sara Jones 

Have you used Google Shopping in your business? Maybe you've given it a go, but you're not really sure if you're getting the best results. Or you've taken a look and it just all seems too complicated. 

Today I’m joined by Sara Jones. She is the founder of the online retail Academy and she's a specialist in Google Shopping Ads. She's going to be talking to us about the difference between Google Shopping Ads and Meta Ads, how to set it up and how to get the best results for your business.

Let’s dive in!

[00:00] Diving into Google Shopping Ads with Sara Jones

[01:39] Welcome Sara Jones! Founder of the Online Retail Academy

[02:04] What is the difference between advertising on social media versus Google advertising?

[06:08] What is the difference between sponsored listings and shopping images in Google?

[07:52] Are there specific types of businesses that are eligible to run Google Shopping?

[10:07 ]What do retailers need to have to get started with Google Shopping Ads?

[14:10] What are some of the nice to have things that make it more likely to succeed?

[18:37] Let's talk about keyword research

[22:49] What kind of budget do people need to be thinking about for this kind of shopping ad?

[27:11] Will Google Shopping Ads see the same shift in cost as we've seen in the social media sites?

[29:07] Where can you learn more about Sara and the Online Retail Academy 

Last year I conducted a survey where I asked about 50 small creative product businesses a wide variety of questions, ranging from how they managed their costs to what sort of turnover they were producing. One quite startling figure that arose from this research was that a whopping 75% of the business owners I surveyed did not pay themselves from their creative product business!

Paying yourself is something I’m really passionate about. Yes, it makes sense to keep money in the business to help it grow but if you’re not paying yourself from your business then how much freedom and flexibility, as a business owner, do you really have? You shouldn’t be working for your business, your business should be working for you.

In episode 12 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, we’ll look at a number of key points that will help you start paying yourself as quickly as possible. We’ll look at reviewing profit margins and the importance of understanding the fundamentals of your business costs, as well as developing a cash-flow forecast from your sales plan and taking the fear out of taking money out of the business. We’ll also discuss the importance of controlling the biggest cost in your business - your stock; and how even if it’s just buying yourself a coffee every morning that paying yourself is essential to stop your business from devouring every bit of cash available as it grows.

Father's Day is coming and it is the last big gift-giving occasion before Christmas. Generally speaking its not as big as big as Mother's Day in terms of spend, but it's still significant and it is definitely worth exploring.

Today I’m going to share 12 marketing ideas for you in your business when it comes to Father's Day. 

Let’s Dive In

[00:00] Father’s Day is Coming 

[02:02] #1 Highlight what collections you have for Father's Day

[02:58] 2024 Trending Categories for Father's Day

[05:47] #2 Curate Gift Bundles

[07:34] #3 Gift Guides

[08:09] #4 Emphasize Personalization

[08:51] #5 Introduce New Products

[09:40] #6 Lean into Dad and Grandad Personalized Items

[10:31] #7 Engage Wholesale Clients

[11:06] #8 Special Promotions

[11:40] #9 Additional Father's Day Incentives

[12:24] #10 Keep an eye on seasonal inventory

[13:37] #11 Giveaway Competitions

[15:40] #12 Promote Gift Cards

Get all the details on our website at https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/12-essential-fathers-day-marketing-tips-for-your-product-business/

I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but it's episode number 200 of the Resilient Retail Game Plan. 

It is unbelievable to me that the podcast that I started nearly four years ago in 2020 has just hit its 200th episode, and I wanted to do something a little bit different today.

I have swapped places with my guests and I am being interviewed for today's episode. 

I'm being interviewed by Sarah Scott, who is my podcast manager. We are diving into why I started the podcast, what I love about hosting this show and where we are going. 

I want to sincerely thank every single one of you who has listened to the podcast today and at any point in the last four years, you've been a huge part of getting the podcast to 200 episodes, and I am so incredibly grateful.

And if you have a story that you would like to share with other product-based retailers, then please reach out, I would love to talk to you about being a guest in an upcoming episode. 

[00:00] Celebrating 200 Episodes of the Resilient Retail Game Plan

[02:30] How it started - With all the different content strategies available for businesses, why start a podcast?

[04:28] What format did the podcast start in and how has that evolved?

[08:33] The benefits of having a podcast has had on the business

[15:47] Which type of episode does Catherine enjoy more - solo or interview?

[17:35] Where do guests come from?

[19:16] Would you like to be a guest ... this is how you do it!

[21:49] What are your favorite things about being a podcast host?

[27:13] What inspires ideas for new episodes?

[30:57] What's next for the podcast?

Get all of the resources on our website at https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/celebrating-200-episodes/

Throughout the course of this podcast, as part of my many presentations and in discussions with numerous clients, I’ve talked a lot about the importance of multiple income streams. In a world that’s constantly changing and with ever-evolving technology that repeatedly lowers the barriers to entry in regards to reaching your current and future customers, it’s vital that we all keep on trying out different things and looking at different ways of promoting our products - in doing so we can all hope to build and run an effective and efficient business.

In episode 89 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to illustrator and founder of Plewsy, Fiona Fawcett. With a background in Graphic Design, Fiona started her business back in 2015 with the help of The Princes Trust, and after initially starting her small business journey selling wholesale, she’s now added direct-to-consumer to her list of revenue streams and is a perfect example of a business owner who has embraced different ways of selling to great success.

In this podcast, we discuss the importance of compartmentalising your time and how invaluable training yourself can be to the resilience of your business. We also discuss the renewed energy we've sensed around trade shows (post-lockdown), the value of interacting with your customers face-to-face, and how a hybrid model of selling offline and online is the future for a world where people want to buy less from big brands and more from people.

Check out Fiona’s products at https://plewsy.com/ and connect with her business at:

https://www.facebook.com/helloplewsy
https://www.instagram.com/helloplewsy/
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/helloplewsy/_shop/

“How do I run a promotion that doesn’t damage my brand?” is a question I get asked all the time.

It’s a valid concern, evidenced no better than by what my friend and fashion brand consultant Elizabeth Stiles calls “The Gap Trap” - where the constant over-promoting and discounting of stock at the famous clothing retailer culminated in the admittedly flagging brand having to shut up shop in the UK.

The important thing to remember is that promotions should look like they’re designed for and are beneficial to your customers, but really, first and foremost, they need to work for you! One of the best questions to ask yourself when you’re considering running a promotion is:  “What is your end goal?”

In today’s episode of The Resilient Retail Game plan we’ll discuss the types of promotions, discounts and campaigns available to small businesses, their effectiveness and when best to employ them. We’ll discuss the powerful but short-term impact of blanket promotions, using specific targeted promotions to clear stock and how this differs from a ‘stock clearance’ sale. We’ll also talk about plotting your promotions against your sales calendar, promotional options such as free shipping and how promotions, at their core, are a great way to have new conversations with your customer.

PROMO: If you join the Resilient Retail Club before June 18th you’ll get your first month at 1/2 price!

You’ll also be just in time to join our brand new, very exciting 30-day sales challenge. Exclusively for members the challenge will include daily audio prompts, access to a private members-only podcast, goal setting, some truly special guest talks and group co-working sessions.

Join now at: resilientretailclub.com/membership

In the age of Amazon and next-day delivery, it is heartwarming to see a growing push towards people shopping local, investing in sustainability and consuming more consciously - with a more compassionate outlook shared by independent retailers and customers alike. 

Where the lumbering dinosaurs of high-street retail have failed to evolve or capture the imagination of their customers, we’re seeing more creative, engaging and meaningful products and brands slowly take their place, and with the strong communities that coalesce around them, I very much think they’re here to stay.

In today’s episode of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to maker turned shop-owner, and founder of Prior Shop, Beck Prior. Based in Bristol, Prior Shop is a not-for-profit arts hub, eco-conscious retail space, workshop and gallery hosting and offering works by the local community.

In this podcast, we discuss agility and how small businesses are often in the perfect position to pivot and adapt when times are tough - we also talk about the importance of storytelling in gift buying (and receiving) and how the layout of your store can have a tangible impact on your customers - and we also focus on how running your business in an ethics-led manner can help those you collaborate with reflect better on how they operate within the broader retail picture and small business community.

Check out Beck’s wonderful online store at: https://www.priorshop.uk/

And connect with her at:

https://www.facebook.com/PriorShopBristol
https://www.instagram.com/priorshopbristol

Though you might be feeling deflated and frustrated upon hearing the news that we’re in for a new month-long lockdown, we have the advantage of having gone through this once already and can use the benefit of that experience to get prepared for the challenges ahead. 

Christmas isn’t canceled, I believe it’s all to play for - so, in this special bonus episode of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’ll share some practical tips to help keep you and your creative product business moving forward. By not panicking, staying positive, and going to your community for support, you’ll be able to put yourself in a strong position where you can review your sales forecast, brainstorm new sales strategies and plan out your promotions and product practicalities to help ensure you have a successful sales season this Christmas.

Today’s podcast marks the first in a series of discussions about building your business on a budget and in episode 138 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan I speak with Laura Schofield, the founder of Otto and Ivy, a specialist shoe brand, who incredibly had never spent a penny on marketing until the third year of running her business.

Having initially cultivated a career in television presenting, she felt something was missing after working for several years as a shopping channel host. It was through her creative outlet - a blog for fellow tall woman (Laura is 6ft 1 with size 9 (UK) feet) - and the loyal community it generated that Laura found the confidence to enter the small business world. From starting out by simply googling shoe brands to visiting factories in Italy, to generating a wealth of research through focus groups and surveys, Laura has managed to quickly build an impressive business from modest means.

In this podcast, we discuss how people buy from people and how storytelling often rivals specs when selling. We talk about the value of adopting a slower model of growth, allowing for refinements and how gathering feedback not only improves your products but your audience's connection with your brand, and we also speak about what it means to be trustworthy and the importance of sharing your 'why'.

Check out Laura’s beautiful shoes at: https://ottoandivy.com/

And connect with her over at:
https://www.facebook.com/ottoandivyshoes
https://www.instagram.com/ottoandivyshoes/

So, the inspiration for today’s episode came out of a conversation I was having with fashion brand consultant, Elizabeth Stiles. We chat often over WhatsApp, sometimes about the things that drive us crazy about small businesses - and on this occasion we both found ourselves bemoaning the recent trend of founders posting negatively framed content about their businesses.

Now, this episode is definitely not about shaming you if you’re having a tough time, or indeed if you’ve recently shared posts on social media to this effect! What I really want to discuss today are the risks of implementing such a strategy, the damage it can do to your brand and ultimately why it’s important to understand that there should be a line when it comes to sharing content built around your business.

In today’s podcast, we’ll talk about compassion fatigue and not shifting your problems onto your customers. I discuss how retail is theatre, and how we as small business owners need to offer up escapism. We’ll also look at how to positively reframe your struggles and challenges, by thanking those who are supporting your business and how we can authentically connect with our audience by “sharing the scar, not the wound”.

Don’t forget - use the code: 10podcast to get £10 off your first month when joining The Resilient Retail Club, and get your copy of “Tame Your Tiger” at: https://uk.bookshop.org/books/tame-your-tiger-how-to-stop-your-product-business-eating-you-alive/9781788604048

Signup for the Must-Attend Summit for Small Product Businesses - its FREE and designed for YOUR business!

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What if I told you that in just two days, you could completely transform the way you run your retail business? After working with countless retailers, I know one thing for sure—the right strategies can make all the difference. And that’s exactly why I created Retail ROAR. 

And now, it’s almost here! On the 20th and 21st of March, the Retail ROAR Summit is bringing together top experts, inspiring stories, and invaluable insights—all for free. If you haven’t signed up yet, now’s the time!

I’ve spent the past year researching the biggest trends and curating an incredible lineup of speakers, all dedicated to helping you grow. In today’s episode, I’ll walk you through the must-attend sessions, the experts you won’t want to miss, and how to make the most of the event.

Whether you’re tuning in live or catching the replays in our private Facebook group, this is your chance to connect, learn, and take your business to the next level. 

Resources:

Sign up for Retail ROAR! https://retailroar.co.uk 

Today’s episode was requested by one of our listeners, and the challenges it speaks to are something we’ve touched on in previous episodes - it’s a question that I’ve heard many times from Small Business Owners - to paraphrase - “How do you make life easier for yourself when you’re wearing so many different hats?”

I’ve had many conversations with creatives, makers and retailers, just like you, that are actually scared of promoting their businesses because of the impact a flurry of sales, and their subsequent fulfilment, has on the demands of the rest of their business, such as marketing and social media. This is actually a good indicator that you’re at a stage where you can grow the business, so it’s in episode 33 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan that I want to give you my tips for staying sane and on top of everything during those sales peaks and periods of growth.

We’ll discuss the importance of focusing on consistency rather than quantity when it comes to marketing and sales platforms, and we’ll get realistic about our time constraints and the value of reviewing and prioritising our tasks as well as elongating time-scales where necessary. We’ll also cover the disruption caused by ‘context switching’ and distractions as well as identifying the biggest time-sucks that might need external support.

Just a little reminder to grab a brew and take 5 mins to complete my small business questionnaire of 2021! ⠀⠀⠀

https://www.resilientretailclub.com/survey⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
It's so important that our voices get counted, and that we have accurate data on what it's like to be a small product business owner. When the results are in, we’ll have some accurate benchmarks that no other data provides, and you can fact check those against wildly unrealistic claims you see out there and see how you're REALLY doing.

One question I get a lot, and one that's certainly become much more pertinent in the last few years, is "Why bother making plans when things are so uncertain?" Even without the wildcard of a global pandemic, the retail landscape is constantly changing and does so at a dramatic pace - it's no surprise then that business owners are frustrated and fatigued by making plans that might be redundant by the end of the month, if not week!

I've worked many years in the retail industry, through periods of major instability, and this is the oft-quoted motto that has always got me through those times of uncertainty: Plans are useless, planning is priceless. It's always better to plan and adjust as conditions change.

In episode 76 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I go over the three types of plan you can create to best prepare you and your business for a whole variety of outcomes. We'll look at establishing a 'base' plan to safeguard your finances, we'll discuss making a realistic forecast and the importance of being cautious with your expectations and we'll summarise by designating a stretch goal to keep your ambitions in sight and in check.

Join hundreds of other product businesses for this free, fun, five-day challenge from 24th - 28th January, held in a private FB group.

Maybe you've been wondering, will my customers buy this? Will they like this new product line I'm developing or purchasing? Or what, quite simply, do my customers want to see from me?

We often get told that we need to talk to our customers to understand them. It's advice I've certainly given out a lot in my lifetime, for sure.  But what do we actually say to them? How do we even figure that out? And how do we get people to share information with us that is genuine? 

How many times have you maybe asked people, do you like this? And they've all said yes. And then nobody bought it. 

If that sounds familiar or if you've ever wondered how best to get information out of customers and satisfy that curiosity, then you want to listen to today's episode. 

I'm joined by Katie Tucker. She is an author and a market research expert  and her book, "Do penguins eat peaches?" Is an absolutely phenomenal practical guide for small business owners when it comes to answering that all-important question, which is what do my customers want?

And another important question, are they prepared to buy it from me?

Let’s find out!

[02:36] Welcome Katie Tucker, business consultant and author of Do Penguins Eat Peaches?

[04:24] How did Katie get involved in customer research?

[05:50] One of the biggest problems that businesses have is knowing how to structure productive conversations with their customers. Here are some tips to make it better.

[08:55] What are some of the best ways to learn what our customers want? Here’s a hint, don’t ask them what they want, discover their behaviors instead.

[11:14] Why you should avoid focus groups and what to do instead.

[15:22]How can you truly validate a new product idea?

[22:29] What do you do when your vision as a business owner doesn't match the needs of the customer?

[28:45] How to connect with Katie

Connect with Katie Tucker:

Sign up for her newsletter - www.productjungle.co.uk

Creating content for our businesses, love it or hate it, it is part of the everyday life of a small business owner. But how do you do it in a way that doesn't suck all of the joy and fun out of the process? 

In this episode, I'm joined by Char Dixon. Char is the founder of Loudmouth Content. She also has a really in-depth background in the retail industry and a whole host of knowledge about what it takes to market and promote your product business in a way that feels joyful, fun, and without the overwhelm. 

This episode has a lot of actionable tips for your business so let's dive in.

[00:00] Social Media Content Creation Secrets for Retailers with Char Dixon from Loudmouth Content

[01:50] Welcome Char Dixion of Loudmouth Content

[04:48]  How do you think people should be optimizing it or making the most out of their content to make sure it's pulling its weight?

[08:10] How do we make our own headlines?

[10:36] How can you use content to move people through the sales process?

[13:02] What type of digital content fits each phase of the buyer's journey?

[15:29] How do you create content that builds community and connection?

[21:21] Tips for streamlining content creation for small businesses.

[24:50] How do you measure the success of your content? 

[27:32] Where to find out more about Char Dixon at Loudmouth Content

Want to learn more about content creation? Check out these other episodes.

169: Strategic Content Production And Youtube With Matthew Hughes

170: All Things TikTok With Penny Walker

Get all of the resources on our website at https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/social-media-content-creation-secrets-with-char-dixon/

It probably holds true that many small product business owners dream of the day that they can hand their notice in at work and dedicate themselves to their own businesses full-time. It’s an audacious goal and certainly isn’t going to happen overnight (in most cases!) but it’s completely possible as my guest today demonstrates.

In episode 146 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to children’s decor and gift designer and founder of Hannah Joy Designs, Hannah Burn. Having always wanted to run her own business, Hannah decided to create her own fun and colourful brand after she fell out of love with her career and needed something new to get excited about, all with the purpose of “creating a life that she loves through creativity”. 

Starting with a little know-how and a lot of determination, five and half years on Hannah’s fully transitioned from running a side hustle to running her business full-time. In today’s podcast, we talk about her amazing journey. Throughout this episode we talk about the need to test out products, the importance of failure in discovering what does and doesn’t work and how sometimes the hardest decisions are the best ones. We also discuss “gold medal syndrome”, the realities of sustaining success and how the Resilient Retail Club has made a difference in the growth of Hannah’s business.

Check out Hannah’s beautiful products at:

https://hannahjoydesigns.co.uk/

And connect with her at:

https://www.instagram.com/hannahjoy_designs/
https://www.facebook.com/HannahJoyDesigns/
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/hannahjoydesigns/

LIMITED TIME OFFER:
Use the code: BIRTHDAY23 for £60 off annual membership to the Resilient Retail Club (promotion ending 10 pm on May 19th 2023)

So, we’ve made it - 2023 is here! Times have been tough for the retail industry for a good, long while now and who knows what unforeseen events lie ahead as we enter a new year, but against the odds and throughout the uncertainty I still believe the most important thing I can recommend you do for your business this year is to plan, plan and plan!  

Now, you may well be asking, “Catherine! Why make a plan when things are always changing?”, and it all comes down to perspective - we’re a very outcome-led society and I want to suggest that the value of a plan is not in its success but in the thought process required to put it together.

In this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’ll discuss how planning is a highly creative process and why it’s important to find a way to plan for your business that feels natural to you. We’ll talk about setting financial, functional and fun goals and discuss how mapping out your vision of success can help keep you more focused, prioritise what’s important and help you make better decisions.

Don’t forget - use the code: 10podcast to get £10 off your first month when joining The Resilient Retail Club.

Register today for my FREE 5-day challenge, running 23rd - 27th January 2023 at: Tinyurl.com/sales2023

Grab your essential FREE guide - How to clear excess stock without damaging your brand.

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Have you ever felt overwhelmed by your business numbers?

Maybe it seems like there's endless amounts of information that you can get your hands on, but you don't actually know what you're supposed to be doing with it.

Maybe your cashflow has felt really tight and unmanageable and that sometimes you are just robbing Peter to pay Paul and keep moving money around the business in order to keep things above water.

If the answer to that is yes, then today's episode with Kate Tompsett from Happy and Glorious may be a familiar story.

Kate is one of the first businesses to go through my new stock doctor program, and she has been working with her stock doctor since the summer and has been kind enough to come onto the podcast to share her experiences being a business owner.

And what I'm sure is a very common situation of feeling overwhelmed and how the stock doctors service has helped her out.

If you're interested in the Stock Doctor service, then do go check out resilientretailclub.com where you can find out all of the information and book in for a chat.

[00:31] Meet Kate Tompsett from Happy and Glorious

[02:16] The Journey of Happy and Glorious

[06:34] Why did Kate start working with the Stock Doctor?

[12:37] Impact of Stock Doctor on Happy and Glorious

[18:33] How Stock Doctor has changed the way Kate thinks about her business

[21:59] What advice would Kate give to anyone else considering the Stock Doctor program?

[24:17] Future Plans and Conclusion

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Links:

Learn more about Stock Doctor

Learn more about the Resilient Retail Club

Learn more about my mastermind for product business owners

I’m excited to announce that this episode marks the start of my deep-dive into the long-awaited results of my recent product business survey.

There’s a number of reasons I wanted to run a survey, partly to see whether certain patterns had changed since my 2019 study, but namely, it’s because there aren’t many benchmarks out there that convey the true reality of running a product business. It’s easy to get disheartened, or misled, by a lot of the messaging aimed at small businesses, so it’s with the information kindly provided to me by over 300 respondents that I hope to give you some useful statistics and a clearer picture of the world in which you work.

We’ll look at everything from conversion rates to what selling channels are most popular, as well as the mix of roles and products that make up people's businesses. I also review the importance of taking into account the age of a business in relation to things like turnover and how paying yourself is possible if you just commit to it! 

Get your copy of the report at www.resilientretailclub.com/survey

Grab your essential FREE guide - How to clear excess stock without damaging your brand.

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How would it feel if you could simplify your marketing efforts?

Finding the time to focus on it and actually making it happen is one of the biggest challenges that many small business owners face. And that is the challenge that the software platform Constant Contact is aiming to solve with its services.

We're joined by the UK general manager for Constant Contact, Erika Robinson. She's going to be telling us about her experiences as a small business owner, what she sees as the main challenges for marketing for small businesses, and how Constant Contact can help.

Learn how technology and AI can level the playing field, giving small businesses the tools to compete with larger companies.

[00:00] Introduction to Marketing Challenges for Small Businesses

[00:15] Meet Erika Robinson from Constant Contact

[02:15] Erika's Journey as a Small Business Owner

[04:39] Marketing Challenges for Small Business Owners

[06:22] How Constant Contact Simplifies Marketing

[07:50] The Power of AI in Marketing

[13:49] Email Marketing and Lead Generation

[17:28] Constant Contact's UK Launch and Future Plans

[21:08] A Special Offer from Constant Contact

Links:

Learn more about Constant Contact: https://www.constantcontact.com/uk

Learn more about Stock Doctor: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/stockdoctor/

Learn more about the Resilient Retail Club: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/membership/

Learn more about my mastermind for product business owners: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/retail-business-mentoring/ 

Managing finances can prove to be a major source of anxiety for many business owners. From trying to navigate the maze of bureaucracy that is self-employment to juggling multiple income streams, there’s a lot to keep track of, and the last thing you need is to get caught out come the end of the tax year. If you feel like you’re sinking in spreadsheets it might be time to enlist the services of an accountant.   

In today’s episode, I speak to Rachel Martin. As the founder of ‘Accountant_She’, Rachel wants to change the way businesses work with their accountants by providing classic accountancy and business advisory services in a modern and convenient way. Your accountant is in essence a translation service and Rachel believes the job of a good accountant is to make you feel at ease with your business.

In this podcast, we discuss the importance of regular bookkeeping, tax planning and using your business records to make better decisions, as well as the software and apps you can use to help save and forecast for the future.

Get in touch with Rachel about working together at https://www.accountantshe.co.uk/ and you can follow and connect with her at:

https://www.instagram.com/accountant_she/

As the summer sun continues to beat down harder than ever, for some of you, it might seem like your sales have dried up along with the nation's rivers, lakes and reservoirs, and whether you’ve been seeing steady growth throughout the year or not, it’s all too easy to let panic set in when you’re confronted with a sudden drop in sales.

But fear not! In today’s podcast, I’m here to remind you that, unless you're a summer brand, August is typically a quiet time for many businesses - and that actually if we pump the breaks, take a breath and apply some logic, we can often attribute shifts in sales throughout the whole year to seasonality - it’s impact on consumer habits and a number of external factors that we can, in fact, exercise some control over.

If the previous few episodes hadn’t made it abundantly clear, prepping and optimising your product business for Christmas is absolute vital if you want to make the most of the year’s peak purchasing season. Building genuinely engaged audiences and deploying successful marketing campaigns doesn’t happen overnight, you have to get a strategy in place and when it comes to the festive period, the earlier the better.

In today’s episode we speak to Narada McKoy, founder and director of Bravada, who specialise in digital strategy, performance marketing and app marketing. Having learnt a thing or two at Amazon as a Marketing Manager and after heading up growth and customer engagement at Adidas, Narada is my go-to expert for implementing best practice when it comes to digital marketing.

In this podcast we discuss how to start with the customer and work backwards, the seasonal shifts you might see in purchasing behaviours and how there’s no shortcuts to building loyalty. We also delve into the long-term opportunities afforded by ‘prospecting’, utilising ‘Dark Social’ and how your friends and family could help you better understand your customer base. 

Get in touch with Narada McKoy about working together at https://www.bravada-uk.com/ and you can follow and connect with him at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/narada-mckoy

https://www.instagram.com/bravada.marketing/

Further Resources:

https://analytics.google.com/

https://developers.google.com/web/tools/lighthouse

In episode 96 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to the founder and CEO of Grind Coffee, David Abrahamovitch. Since starting with their first high-street space in Shoreditch back in 2011, Grind has expanded across the capital and into the homes of coffee lovers everywhere, with their amazing home compostable coffee pods and subscription service. 

After nearly a decade of hard work building their brand and refining their products, the footfall at Grind’s physical shops (as did everyone’s) ground to a halt in 2020 as COVID-19 swept across the globe. However, thanks to making the right investments, the right choices, and a considerable dollop of luck, Grind were able to pivot from having their digital offering account for less than 1% of their business pre-pandemic shift to replacing all the business they lost as a consequence of the pandemic - and the business has been forever changed since.

In today’s podcast, we discuss the critical importance of brand building and how your physical and digital offerings need to be working in tandem to make the best gains. We also talk about the confusion surrounding modern sustainability credentials, the greenwashing that comes with it, as well as some of the incredible statistics when it comes to coffee production and the subsequent waste the industry produces. 

Check out Grind at:

https://grind.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/grind/
https://www.facebook.com/grind

In this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I sit down with Daniella Raffa, founder of Mama Shack, to discuss her journey from product designer to successful entrepreneur in the baby essentials market. 

Daniella shares her story of identifying a gap in the market for stylish and practical baby products, leveraging her background in product development and design to build her business. We delve into the growth and evolution of Mama Shack, the challenges of fulfillment, and the importance of knowing your strengths and when to outsource tasks. 

With valuable insights into scaling a product business and maintaining a vision of success, this episode is a must-listen for any aspiring or current product business owner. Tune in to hear Daniella’s story and learn more about the tools and techniques that can help you build a resilient retail business.

[02:03] Meet Daniella Raffa of Mama Shack

[02:42] The Origin Story of Mama Shack

[04:54] Expanding the Product Line

[07:37] Challenges and Fulfillment Solutions

[12:11] Outsourcing and Delegation

[22:08]Advice for New Entrepreneurs

[25:16] Future Plans for Mama Shack

[26:10] Conclusion and Farewell

Links:

Gat all of the resources in our show notes at: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/leaning-into-expertise-a-retailer-success-story-with-daniella-raffa-of-mamma-shack/

Learn more about the Resilient Retail Club: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/membership/

Learn more about my mastermind for product business owners: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/retail-business-mentoring/

In episode 10 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I want to get you moving from being a reactive to a proactive creative business owner, and that all starts with setting targets and goals as part of a robust sales plan.

A sales plan is the first building block needed for many of the elements that are required to run your business effectively. Even making a simple outline with a few select targets can allow you to clearly see your goals and give you the information needed to correctly forecast and manage your stock and cashflow.

We’re not looking at exactly how much money you’re going or are intending to take each week, month or year, but will discuss the importance of creating both realistic and aspirational benchmarks to help drive your business forward; not falling prey to ‘comparisonitis’, and recognizing and celebrating your target-driven sales successes to keep you motivated and your business growing.

There’s so much to do once you start your own creative product business! When you’re in charge of doing everything and find yourself juggling so many responsibilities it can be hard to see the big picture, especially when it comes to sales.

That’s why in episode 8 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’m diving into the ONLY four ways to grow your sales.

From ‘Sales Funnels’ to ‘Super-fans’, we’ll start at looking at how to get more people aware of your business through tools like SEO and social media; improving your conversion rate by streamlining the shopping experience; persuading increased spending through great customer service and by leveraging transaction analysis; and how to grow loyalty and create repeat customers by building relationships through acts of co-creation and personalised perks.

Sales - without it, we don’t have a business, just an expensive hobby.  And yet, for many of us, when it comes to thinking about selling our products or services, or promoting our businesses to the world, it suddenly feels very difficult.  

One of the people I come back to time and time again when it comes to getting clear about selling on social media is Sara Dalrymple.  I can’t actually remember how I first came across Sara, but we’ve been chatting on Instagram for years, and I’ve invited her into my membership on more than one occasion to share her pearls of wisdom about selling on social media.

If you want a masterclass on how to promote your business regularly and joyfully, go check out @saleswithsara on Instagram and see how Sara shows up day after day to share her message.

So when Sara announced she was publishing a book on sales, ‘More Sales, Please’ (with the same publisher as my book Tame Your Tiger), I knew I had to get her onto the podcast to tell us all about it. 

Today’s episode provides practical advice on making the sales process simpler and more approachable for small business owners, aiming to boost sales and customer satisfaction.

Sara shares valuable insights on approaching sales with clarity, confidence, and ease, emphasizing the importance of selling in a way that feels natural and aligned with one's personality. 

We talk about overcoming common sales myths, the effectiveness of listening to customers, and the crucial role of energy and enthusiasm in connecting with potential buyers.

[00:17] Welcome Sara Dalrymple, Author of More Sales, Please!

[03:20] Sara's message behind her book - We live in a time where anyone can open a business, but we aren't taught about sales and marketing. Most small business owners feel its complicated, Sara wants to prove that its not.

[05:31] Is there a way of approaching sales if you are more of an introvert?

[07:00] Sara's process to make sales feel more natural 

[11:08] What is the difference between selling a product and selling a service?

[12:54] Sales aren't about forcing the buyer's choice. It's about creating a space where they are happy to buy.

[19:26] Sales can start off as an emotional journey, so we need to set the stage for our buyers with the messages we want them to receive.

[24:23] What is the relationship between your passion for your product and [sales?

[33:39] How to connect with Sara Dalrymple

When it comes to retail it’s never too early to start talking about Christmas! In fact, if you’ve left it this long without considering the big day you might even be too late to take advantage of some of the best ways to prepare your business for the dependably lucrative Q4 sales period.

The more work you can do now to get you and your business ready for the festive season, the smoother it’ll all go - you don’t want to be scrambling for stock and pleading for PR in November and December, you want to be selling your products and delighting your customers.

In today’s episode of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I share seven ways you can use this summer to better prepare for Christmas 2023. We’ll begin by looking back at 2022, identifying patterns and peaks and producing a sales plan. We’ll talk about setting out your hero products ahead of time and getting savvy with your stock levels. We’ll also discuss taking part in seasonal events, pitching products to gift guides and managing your staffing situation during the busiest selling season.

How ready are you for Christmas 2023? Take our quiz and get valuable feedback: resilientretailclub.com/christmasquiz

January is a funny month in retail - starting back up after the highs of the Christmas selling season can make the new year feel exceptionally tough-going, and with Christmas never being as restful as you’d think, for many business owners January is the first time they’re really able to recuperate and have a think about the year ahead, all whilst trying to shift stock throughout the post-Xmas lull.

Over the years I’ve noticed that a lot of the advice available about planning for the year ahead is rarely produced with product businesses in mind - so, in episode 130 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I want to share my top four tips for getting ready for Spring and beyond.

In this podcast, we’ll discuss giving your January sale one, big, final push, shifting stock and getting cash in your pocket. We’ll talk about recapping the month, running your numbers and getting a clearer view of the state of your business. We’ll also talk about planning beyond Spring, setting your intentions and making the most of the imminent bunch of gift-giving occasions. 

Don’t forget - use the code: 10podcast to get £10 off your first month when joining The Resilient Retail Club, and to get your copy of my new book first, remember to pre-order "Tame Your Tiger" at:

https://uk.bookshop.org/books/tame-your-tiger-how-to-stop-your-product-business-eating-you-alive/9781788604048

In this episode, we will discuss four key retail trends for 2024: sustainability and green fatigue, the rise of artificial intelligence, social commerce, and personalized communication.  As a retailer, you need to embrace these trends and be proactive so you can ensure that your business continues to grow and continues to thrive in the coming year.

[0:00] What trends will be reshaping the retail industry in 2024

[01:49] Why it's so important for product business owners to have an idea of what's going on in their industry

[11:18] How did I come up with these trends?

[11:59] What has been happening in the retail industry

[12:58] Trend 1: Sustainability, navigating green fatigue

[15:46] Trend 2: The rise of artificial intelligence

[19:24] Trend 3: Social Commerce

[25:12] Trend 4: Personalized Communication

Read the full report 4 Biggest Retail Trends for 2024

Don’t forget - use the code: 10podcast to get £10 off your first month when joining The Resilient Retail Club. 

Today I will be answering four questions that I've been asked from my membership and mastermind about stock management.  

If you've got a question about stock management that isn’t answered by today's podcast, you can join the Resilient Retail Club, where you will be able to ask me whatever questions you’d like whenever you like. 

And if you have enjoyed this series on stock management but you know, for a fact, you will just not have the time to do it, then I do encourage you to join the waiting list for my new service, which will be launching later this year. I am going to be able to work with you to manage your stock better. Join the waiting list here: https://futureretail.lpages.co/feel-good-business/

Let’s Dive In:

[00:00] Your Stock Management Questions Answered

[01:51] If you have questions about stock management that are not answered here reach out!

[02:22] Question 1: I'm a stationery company and I sell both direct to consumer and business to business. It would take me around 10 business days to get more stock.  I've heard that you should always order the minimum order quantity (MOQ) when testing out a new product. But what if that minimum is one? 

[06:28] Question 2: Quite a bit of my stock has a really long lead time, like six months, and I need to buy quite a bit to get a decent price in shipping. How do you balance making sure you don't run out of stock with not carrying too much? Should I carry smaller amounts and order more often, even if it means the margin takes a hit?  

[10:16] Question #3: I would like some guidance when stock has to be ordered a long way in advance. So for example, in my case, children's clothes are pre-ordered in autumn for spring delivery with new designs and styles released. I find this challenging as I'm being forced to buy in larger quantities than I would usually as I can only pre-order. They have no stock to order again if I misjudge. Plus it's a new design so I feel like I'm gambling on what would sell well. Often the order arrives one to two months late and it is a large sum of money I have to pay in one go when I wouldn't usually spend like that.

[15:58] Question 4: I'm buying Christmas stock, how much stock should I have, ideally in terms of value? Is it as simple as I want to turn over X during November and December so my stock value should be Y? 

Paid Advertising can be incredibly effective for small product businesses. We’ve all undoubtedly seen some great sales success stories built off the back of social media-based ad campaigns, but paid advertising can be a bit of a confusing subject as well as a technical minefield - how do you know when you’re ready to jump into the Ads Manager, and if you’re already using the platform, how do you best optimise it for consistent results?

In episode 165 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to the founder of Socially Sound, Melanie Eilers, who helps founder-led, purpose-driven e-commerce brands scale up sales through strategic Facebook and Instagram ads. Melanie shares her top five tips for paid advertising and explains why it’s imperative to lay some solid foundations before you start ploughing too much time, energy and money into the advertising platform.

In this podcast, we discuss the need to expect and embrace change when it comes to the online advertising landscape, as well as what to expect in the near future. We also discuss the ever-present importance of email marketing and creating consistent touch-points throughout your customer journey. We also talk about making the most of your data and the importance of exercising patience if you want to see good, long-term results.

Check out Melanie’s services over at: https://www.sociallysound.co.uk

Connect with her at:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanieeilers
https://www.instagram.com/socially_sound/

To access the Socially Sound quizzes mentioned in this episode head to: 

• (for those already running ads )
  https://sociallysound.scoreapp.com
• (for those thinking about getting started with ads)
  https://sociallysoundadready.scoreapp.com

As digital and social platforms have continually matured and as our use and dependence on them has grown, we’ve seen incredible advances made in the democratisation of retail. 

Through ever-evolving interactions of apps and the wide accessibility of online tools, we’re now at a point where commerce and content are becoming one - where creators are able to operate beyond continental boundaries, attract global audiences and design and produce niche products for loyal customers without leaving their keyboard. 

In today’s episode of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I speak to Chris Lamontagne, CEO of Spring, a global platform that works with creators, providing them with all the tools to produce and sell their own unique products, all the way from design, through to fulfilment, payment and beyond.

In this podcast, we discuss how creators represent ‘the new brand’ and how a sense of community underpins the fervent fandom we see for accounts on platforms like TikTok and Youtube. We also talk about what sort of misleading audience metrics to look out for and how a digital platform’s comments and engagement tools are every creator’s secret sauce.

To find out more about Spring, follow the links below:

https://www.spri.ng/
https://www.instagram.com/springforcreators
https://www.tiktok.com/@springforcreators
https://www.twitch.tv/spring
https://www.youtube.com/springforcreators

In this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, we are discussing the art and skill of negotiation in the retail business with Simon Duncan. We delve into why negotiation is a crucial skill for business owners, how to determine what the other party wants in a negotiation and the importance of planning before entering a negotiation situation. 

The discussion emphasizes the significance of understanding what you are trying to achieve, knowing the current facts of the business relationship, being aware of the balance of power, and getting into your counterpart's mindset. Throughout the conversation, we use practical examples to illustrate how these negotiation tactics have been successfully applied in real-life scenarios.

There is a lot to take away from this conversation - always remember that if you don’t ask you won’t get!

This is a fascinating interview. Tune in to learn:

[0:00] Welcome Simon Duncan!

[03:44] Why is negotiation such an important skill for retail business owners to have?

[05:50] What are some of the key areas that retail owners don't negotiate (and should!)? And where would negotiating help help the bottom line the most?

[09:19] What are some of the key steps that owners should take before entering into a negotiation situation?

[14:41] What can be negotiated?

[23:47] How do you figure out what people want before you negotiate with them?

[27:01] These are the key skills needed to negotiate 

[28:36] Can negotiating strengthen your relationships?

[29:52]Find out more about Simon Duncan

Connect with Simon Duncan

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-duncan-9b491311

Get 10 pounds off your first month of Resilient Retail Club using code 10podcast. 

After what seems like an eternity, lockdown has finally been lifted! Non-essential retail can now re-open, and I couldn’t be happier for all you creative product business owners out there - here’s to some healthy sales numbers and growing profits. I’m also very happy and excited to introduce my first ever guest on The Resilient Retail Game Plan, Katie Glickman! 

Katie is the owner and creator of the award-winning waterproof ‘Bibbily Boo’ bib, which launched in 2019. Inspired by her own dribbly baby, she launched her business whilst on maternity leave. Wanting to avoid bib rash, make her little one more comfortable and tired of the endless cycle of drying drool-soaked clothes, Katie taught herself to sew, developed an innovative product and made her first sale a mere 27 minutes after launching her own website.

In today’s episode, we discuss how researching and entering awards has helped transform Katie’s business, and how industry recognition and recommendations from respected institutions can go a long way in proving to your customers why your products are worth the investment. Katie also shares how the impact of each award she’s received has been different and highlights the importance of budgeting when you’re considering making an application to multiple awards bodies.

Check out Katie’s amazing bibs and her further range of products at https://www.bibbilyboo.co.uk/ and you can follow and connect with Katie at:

https://www.facebook.com/bibbilyboo/

https://www.instagram.com/bibbilyboobibs

And don't forget to join my free 5-day challenge, with guided goal-setting and strategy planning to grow your sales in 2021 at:

http://www.resilientretailclub.com/challenge

Whether you're setting up shop at a small-scale Xmas craft fair, getting ready for one of the big branded seasonal showcases, or are yet to sign up for a festive event, it’s time to think strategically about maximising your sales at in-person events this Christmas

Events aren’t just about sales, they provide great opportunities for promoting your brand, making connections and gaining important insights from your customers face-to-face - but when Christmas accounts for such a large percentage of a business's annual turnover, it’s important to be setting yourself up for success when it comes to seasonal selling.

In episode 119 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I cover four easy ways to maximise your sales at Christmas events. We’ll look at the importance of setting yourself targets to help you stay motivated and build better forecasts for the future. We’ll discuss how to involve your existing community and why you need to continue building on that ever-vital email list. I’ll also give you some tips on preparing your stall and a potential ‘script’ and we’ll also look at a number of tactics you can use to try and up your customers’ average spend.

Don’t forget - use the code: 10podcast to get £10 off your first month when joining The Resilient Retail Club.

One of the consistent trends I’ve noticed throughout the many conversations I’ve had with small business owners is that a great number of their journeys into the product business world marked the end of an often well-established and successful career - sometimes completely unrelated to their current independent endeavours. My guest today is no exception.

Gayle Mansfield could have gone back to her role as a project manager for a social housing partnership after her maternity leave, but instead found herself harnessing her creative powers and love of interior design and gradually shifting from working part-time producing beautifully minimalist art prints to running her own design studio in Sussex.

In episode 103 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, we discuss Gayle’s business journey, what shifting from a significant career to running your own business feels like, and how her desire to change things exceeded her desire to stay comfortable. We also discuss scaling up, slow organic growth, and how protecting yourself and your energy is important to your own and your business's survival.

Check out Gayle’s range of amazing products at https://www.gaylemansfield.co.uk/

and connect with the brand at:

https://www.facebook.com/gaylemansfielddesigns/
https://www.instagram.com/gaylemansfielddesigns

Use the code: 10podcast to get £10 off your first month when joining The Resilient Retail Club.

Have you ever chatted with a bot on Instagram? Chances are if you connected on a post of mine and got a link sent to you in your DMs, then you've interacted with my Resilient Retail Club Instabot. 

But what is an Chatbot and how can it be useful for retailers?

In this episode, we are talking with Mel Eilers about the transformative potential of chatbots for retailers. 

We delve into the benefits of using chatbots to enhance customer engagement, streamline operations, and boost sales. Mel offers practical examples and strategies, such as automating social media interactions and prioritizing marketing objectives. Additionally, we highlight the importance of compliance and the growing trend of conversational marketing among retailers. 

This episode is a must-listen for small business owners looking to leverage technology to build a resilient retail business.

[01:43] Meet Mel Eilers: Chatbot Expert

[02:18] Understanding Chatbots and Their Benefits for Retailers

[03:57] Implementing Chatbots in E-commerce

[05:09] Building Effective Chatbot Strategies

[09:39] Expanding Chatbot Use Beyond Instagram

[10:47] Success Stories and Case Studies

[15:34] Compliance and Best Practices

[18:04] Future of Chatbots in Retail

[19:39] Getting Started with Chatbots

[30:12] Chatup with Mel Eilers

Links:

Get all of the details on the show notes

Learn more about Stock Doctor

Learn more about the Resilient Retail Club

Learn more about my mastermind for product business owners

This episode marks the one year anniversary of the launch of The Resilient Retail Game Plan podcast, and to all my guests and those that have tuned in over the last 47 episodes, I can’t thank you enough! I hope the podcast continues to entertain and educate you, and I look forward to sharing more of my product business knowledge with you in the episodes to come!

In today's episode, I speak to Komal Pandya-Rao of The Design Palette, a self-taught designer making bright and bold luxury stationery. Komal’s colourful paper goods have been featured in the likes of The Stylist and 91 Magazine, so I wanted to get in touch to see what kind of tips Komal had for making inroads when it comes to getting your products into the press.

In this podcast, we discuss building press pitching into your routine as a business owner, the vital importance of understanding publication timelines and the value of building social proof, as well as how to leverage creative angles and why you’ll definitely need ‘cut-outs’ and ‘line sheets' if you want to get your products featured in your ideal publication.

Get in touch with Komal about working together at  https://www.thedesignpalette.co.uk/ and you can follow and connect with her at:

https://www.facebook.com/thedesignpalette
https://www.instagram.com/thedsignpalette/
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/thedesignpalette/_shop/

Further Resources:

https://prdispatch.com/
https://www.stylist.co.uk/
https://91magazine.co.uk/
https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/
https://www.papercraftermagazine.co.uk/

It may not be a workshop at the North Pole, but your small business is likely to be just as busy come Christmas time. By the same token, you may not have quite as many ‘customers’ as Santa Claus but you certainly might need a band of elves to ensure your orders are fulfilled, your products are produced and your deliveries are sent out on time. Taking on team members can feel like a big step for small business owners, but building a workforce, whether it’s seasonal or not, doesn’t have to be as scary as it might seem.

In today’s episode, I speak to the director of Modern HR, Mandy Hamerla. With two decades of HR experience, as well as working as Global HR Director at Pearson and as Head of HR at Argos, Mandy helps entrepreneurs, tech companies and charities build teams, create contracts and realise their full potential through recruitment. 

In this podcast, we discuss the difference between an employee, a worker and a self-employed contractor and which might be most suitable for your needs, how to go about creating the right working culture and the importance of factoring in training time. We also talk about the positive aspects of the often criticised zero-hour contracts, hiring for potential and the value of getting your SOP’s in place before you onboard new team members.

Get in touch with Mandy about working together at https://www.modernhr.co.uk/ and you can follow and connect with her at:

https://www.instagram.com/modernhruk/

https://www.facebook.com/ModernHRUK/

https://twitter.com/modernhruk

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandyhamerla/

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/modernhruk/_created/

Further Resources:

https://www.modernhr.co.uk/blogs/news/employees-vs-contractors

https://www.modernhr.co.uk/blogs/news 

Originating in the USA as a post-thanksgiving sales event, Black Friday has, over the last decade, become a major, and sometimes divisive shopping event in the UK retail calendar - and based on last year's figures it’s only getting bigger. 

As a small business, you shouldn’t feel obligated to take part in a sales event that’s traditionally a mainstay of larger retailers, but you also shouldn’t feel guilty or ashamed to get in on the action. Either way, it’s important to understand Black Friday’s effect on consumer behaviour, the scepticism buyers might have around certain deals and the pros and cons of taking or not taking part for your business. 

In this podcast, I discuss the importance of avoiding knee-jerk promotions, why Black Friday doesn’t always have to be about deep discounts, as well as how small businesses can create excitement through exclusivity. We’ll also talk about making sure you take extra-special care of your email subscribers, why you don’t need to be shy about promoting your promotions and to not forget that although they look like they’re for the customers, that any promotions you create should really be designed to benefit you and your business.

Don’t forget - use the code: 10podcast to get £10 off your first month when joining The Resilient Retail Club.

The product business survey I conducted this march turned up a lot of interesting information as well as a few surprises, and in episode 36 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan I did a countdown of one of the collections of results that I found most fascinating - the things that contributors said made the most difference to their businesses. 

Answers ranged from establishing a stronger brand identity to cultivating consumer communities, but in this episode with the help of today’s guest, business mentor Therese Ørtenblad of Small Business Collaborative, I want to focus on the third most mentioned tactic: wholesaling. 

Having worked with Therese on many different projects including talks, podcast and courses, I can’t think of anyone more passionate and better suited to help creative product businesses enter the world of Wholesaling.

In today's podcast, we discuss the wholesale benefits of increased visibility and sales and how getting your products into stores can help create a positive shift in mindset and solidify a sense of credibility. We also delve into the long-term gains on offer when considering the interplay of sales margins and product volume, and how now is the moment for small businesses when it comes to working with stockists.

Get in touch with Therese’s about working together at https://www.smallbusinesscollaborative.co.uk/ and you can follow and connect with Therese at:

https://www.instagram.com/small_business_collaborative/

https://www.facebook.com/smallbusinesscollaborative/

https://twitter.com/sbusinesscollab

Email has become as ubiquitous a form of communicating with customers as any of the traditional marketing mediums, and in an increasingly digital world, emails couldn’t be more valuable in helping customers to make a decision on what and what not to buy.

It’s a powerful tool and really makes money when it works, but despite many small business reporting having an email list, email marketing is still hugely under-utilised.

For this episode of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’ve enlisted email strategist and copywriter Eman Ismail. She never gets bored of talking about the power of email and uses her talent for creating online correspondence to help fire up conversion rates, evergreen sales, and turn fans into super-fans.

We spend this podcast discussing the importance of establishing connections and honouring the access that an email gives business owners to their customer base, as well as tips for where to start with developing sales sequences and the importance of celebrating the unsubscribers.

Get in touch with Eman about working together at Inkhouse.org.uk and you can follow and connect with Eman at:

https://www.instagram.com/inkhousewriting/

https://www.facebook.com/inkhousewriting/

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There's been a massive sea change in recent years when it comes to consumers and the relationships that they have, and maintain, with the people, companies and even industries that they buy from. We've seen this in the advent of conscious consumerism and through the more recent drive to support small businesses in the wake of COVID-19. Part of this shift in consumer mindset can be attributed to the access and visibility created by social media - never before have we, as customers, had such unbridled access to and power over our favourite brands. Showing people behind the scenes, sharing the processes that get your products to market and letting your customers voices be heard has never been more important when attempting to develop long-lasting, personal relationships with the buying public. But cultivating an earnest brand that speaks to its audience in an organic way is no mean feat. That's where today's Resilient Retail guest, Manmeet Sokhi, comes in.

Since starting White Rain Designs around 6 years ago, Manmeet has steadily grown her personalised ceramics business. From originally working at a ‘Paint-Your-Own’ studio, through working weekends to getting her own kiln, the last year and a half has seen her small product business really take off! In today’s episode, we discuss her foray into the world of Instagram, the value of organic engagement and how taking the opportunity to co-create with your community of customers can open up possibilities you might never have considered; as well as the importance of taking the time to create impactful content and setting social media boundaries.

Since originating in the United States, developed as a major sales stimulus event based around Thanksgiving, Black Friday has since migrated to many other economies around the globe where businesses offer a wide range of deals and discounts for a limited time, effectively marking the beginning of the festive shopping season.

Small businesses often don’t have the resources to pull off the seemingly too-good-to-be-true offers that larger retailers flood the market with at the end of November, and with the degree of push-back we’ve seen from consumer-conscious campaigns in the form of counter-events like ‘Small-business Saturdays’, it can be tough to know what to do for the best when it comes to such a pivotal point in the retail calendar.

In today’s episode of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, we’ll discuss the multiple options open to you when it comes to Black Friday. We’ll look at the rules around price-establishing, as well as alternative offerings to discounts such as charitable donations. Whether you avoid it altogether, go grassroots and create your own event, or employ site-wide discounts, we’ll look at the elements you’ll need to consider to make a choice that feels most comfortable for you. 

In this episode, I'll be sharing insights on how to prepare your Christmas marketing strategy efficiently. We've already covered strategies, handling burnout, product preparation, and more in previous episodes of this series. 

Today, I'll guide you on creating a structured marketing plan, breaking down the 13-week period before Christmas, and offer tips on repurposing successful past content to ease your workload. We'll also discuss the importance of a balance between planned content and spontaneous social media posts to keep your marketing fresh and engaging. 

[02:03] Importance of a Christmas Marketing Plan

[02:50] Creating a Week-by-Week Marketing Plan

[03:12] Using the Christmas Timeline to Determine Your Customer's Buying Decisions

[04:24] Choosing Christmas Promotional Activities and Offers

[05:39] Planning and Preparing Marketing Assets

[08:25] Balancing Structure and Spontaneity

Links:

Learn more about the Resilient Retail Club: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/membership/

Learn more about my mastermind for product business owners: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/retail-business-mentoring/

Related Episodes in this series:

207: Christmas in July: Secrets to Creating Irresistible Christmas Products with Joanne Griffin: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/secrets-to-creating-irresistible-christmas-products-with-joanne-griffin/

206: Christmas in July: How to Find Your Perfect Christmas Inventory

https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/how-to-find-your-perfect-christmas-inventory/

205: Christmas in July: Thriving Through the Christmas Season with Mike Cole https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/christmas-in-july-thriving-through-the-christmas-season-with-mike-cole/

204: Christmas in July: Why Now is the Time to Plan Your Christmas Strategy https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/why-now-is-the-time-to-plan-your-christmas-strategy/

As we’ve covered in previous episodes, Christmas has all the potential to be the most profitable point of your financial year, but a lot of your sales success is dependent on how well prepared you are to meet the demands of your customers. From making sure you’ve secured enough of your bestsellers to avoiding creating a stockpile of those dreaded ‘brown bananas', forecasting your sales and ordering stock can be a difficult and abstract task.

So, in episode 57 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I run through three vital questions you need to ask yourself before pulling the trigger on any new stock. We’ll look at your ‘hero products’ and the importance of building festive campaigns around your most giftable items; we’ll discuss thinking through your sales logically and getting into the habit of using purchase history and sensible predictions to aid in sales forecasting; as well as making some tough calls on whether it’s worse having too much stock or not enough when it comes to your collection of Christmas products.

When it comes down to it there are just four core ways to increase your sales - to get more people to buy your products, to get those people to buy more from you, to have those customers spend more with you than they will have done previously, and finally, to get those customers to come back and buy more often. 

But as we all know, making any one of these things happen, let alone consistently, is a lot easier said than done. That’s why it’s imperative, as tempting as it might be, to not get caught up on quick-fix tactics and to start putting a solid sales strategy in place.

An effective strategy relies on a myriad of things to succeed, you need to start making considered choices and decisions across the board, from your social media channels to email automation, if you want to see your traffic flow and steadily convert. 

In today’s episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I discuss important strategic areas to focus on and nurture, from customer retention to non-competitive collabs, as well as how vital tracking your strategy’s effectiveness is. We’ll also cover getting the most out of your bestsellers and how if you want to be truly successful you need to serve your customer's needs and ignite their desires.

Today we are diving deep into the critical topic of profit margins and their importance in maintaining a profitable, sustainable and abundant retail business. I’m sharing examples from my retail industry experience to break down how to calculate profit margins, common mistakes to avoid, and practical strategies for improving profitability.I will also share how to balance costs and manage cash flow. Don't miss this episode filled with fundamental principles and actionable advice.

If you are looking for some additional help to working out what your profit margins should be you can download my calculator here. 

[00:53] Revisiting a Popular Episode on Pricing

[02:38] Understanding Retail Profit Margins

[08:21] Common Mistakes in Calculating Retail Profit Margins

[13:38] Calculating Your Profit Margin (https://www.resilientretailclub.com/blog/calculate-retail-business-profit) 

[17:03] Considering Profit Margins Across Collections and Sales Channels

[22:36] What Is A Healthy Profit Margin (https://www.resilientretailclub.com/blog/what-is-a-good-profit-margin/)

[28:06] What To Do If Profit Margins Are Low (https://www.resilientretailclub.com/blog/10-proven-ways-to-improve-the-profitability-of-your-small-business/)

[33:43] Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Links:

Profit Margin Calculator: https://futureretail.lpages.co/margin-calculator-2024/

Get more great resources in the show notes at https://www.resilientretailclub.com/podcast-episode/mastering-retail-profit-margins-with-catherine-erdly/

Do you have too much stock in your business right now? 

If you feel like a lot of money is tied up in stock and there is not quite enough in your bank account right now, you are not alone. 

So I thought with the Christmas season fast approaching I would give you some practical ideas about how you can change that fast. Particularly, I am going to focus on how you can leverage all the fuss around Black Friday to clear your slow-selling dead stock without damaging your brand.

[02:14] The Impact of Discounts on Brand Perception

[03:29] Effective Stock Management Strategies

[06:49] Identifying and Categorizing Stock

[13:39] Promotional Tactics for Slow Sellers

[17:57] Final Tips and Recommendations

Links:

Learn more about Stock Doctor - https://www.resilientretailclub.com/stockdoctor/

Learn more about the Resilient Retail Club: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/membership/

Learn more about my mastermind for product business owners: https://www.resilientretailclub.com/retail-business-mentoring/

In this episode of the Resilient Retail Game Plan podcast, I tackle the challenges retailers face from September to November, focusing on cash flow management and strategic stock handling. 

I delve into the reasons behind the cash flow pinch during this period, such as holiday season stocking and payment timing issues. I share practical advice on delaying expenses, collecting owed payments, and using detailed cash flow forecasts. I also introduce my 'Stock Doctor' service to help manage underperforming stock and emphasize the importance of balanced inventory year-round. 

Tune in for actionable insights to navigate cash flow challenges and boost your retail success during the holiday season. 

[00:00] The Seasonal Cash Flow Crunch

[00:33] Understanding the Retail Cash Flow Pinch

[02:15] The Impact of Holiday Preparations

[05:39] Strategies for Managing Payments

[09:20] Creating a Sales and Stock Plan

[10:46] Importance of Cashflow Forecasting

[12:09] Optimizing Stock for Better Cashflow

[13:03] Strategies for Managing Excess Stock

[13:41] Planning for Seasonal Inventory

[15:36] Final Tips for Cashflow Management

[17:03] Resources and Support

Links:

Get all of the details on our website.

Learn more about Stock Doctor

Learn more about the Resilient Retail Club

Learn more about my mastermind for product business owners

If you’re feeling the pinch at the moment, trust me, you’re not alone. September through October are traditionally a major pinch point for retail - when you have lots of money going out as you stock up for the festive season, without any of the accompanying sales materialising until later in the year, cashflow can start to dry up and things can start to feel really tough.

This isn’t just a small product business phenomenon - huge retailers are well known to take out loans or to secure lines of credit to get them through this challenging time of year, an option you could take if it came to it, but in episode 168 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan, I want to help you hold your nerve, to examine your numbers and get that cash flowing again.

In this podcast, we’ll look at the three main areas that impact cash flow, setting a sales plan and making use of our sales history. We’ll also discuss the issues of holding too much stock throughout the calendar year and how a good stock plan can help you predict the future of your business.

Don’t forget - use the code: 10podcast to get £10 off your first month when joining The Resilient Retail Club.

Grab your essential FREE guide - How to clear excess stock without damaging your brand.

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How does your mindset affect your sales? That’s what we’ll unpack in today’s episode with Sophie French. She’s a mindset coach and healer who works with women in business to overcome self-doubt and reach their full potential.

In this episode, we dive into how subconscious beliefs can hold you back, the fears of judgment and rejection that many business owners face, and practical strategies for building resilience and confidence. 

Sophie also shares her journey from copywriting to coaching and how entrepreneurs can cultivate a healthier mindset to thrive. 

[00:00] The impact of a sales mindset

[02:51] How mindset drives success in business

[05:05] What stops most people from promoting themselves

[06:39] How unconscious beliefs shape business decisions

[13:56] Becoming aware of your deep-rooted beliefs

[18:53] The entrepreneurial journey

Grab your essential FREE guide - How to clear excess stock without damaging your brand.

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Turning a passion project into a recognized brand isn’t easy. But Jamie Watkins of Divine Savages is here to share how they did it, including how they used PR and great imagery to stand out.

Divine Savages is a bold and innovative interiors brand known for its striking wallpapers and fabrics. Jamie and his husband Tom turned their side project into a thriving business that has captured the attention of prestigious names like the Natural History Museum and Heal’s.

In this episode, Jamie shares their journey from humble beginnings to industry recognition. He also offers practical insights on leveraging PR, creating standout imagery, and navigating the ever-changing retail landscape. Plus, he reflects on his experience in the mastermind.

[00:00] Meet Jamie Watkins 

[02:06]  What led Jamie decide to start an interior business

[07:42] The highlights of running an interior business

[10:58] How important is PR for an interior brand?

[14:36] Tips from Jamie on how brands can approach partnerships

[21:45] How they're navigating Instagram's changes

[25:14] What Jamie has learned through the mastermind

Resources:

Show Notes

The Resilient Retail Club  

Way back in episode 28 of The Resilient Retail Game Plan I spoke about where to sell your creative products. Each of the better-known e-commerce platforms tend to have their own kind of community and fulfil a certain niche - but in today’s episode, I want to focus on the marketplace offering unique crafts, personalised products and DIY designs: Etsy.

To help me better understand what makes Etsy so special I’ve enlisted the font of e-commerce knowledge that is Silvina De Vita - designer, paper artist and founder of My Papercut Forest.

Etsy was the first place Silvina ever sold her stunning paper miniatures online and has seen her success and sales grow exponentially since setting up her account in 2012. She’s such an Etsy pro that’s even a regional Team Captain for Brighton, helping local sellers and makers to also succeed on the platform.

In this podcast, we discuss the value of Etsy’s global reach and how perceptions of the platform have shifted from it being viewed as a hobbyist shopfront to a driver of style and fashion. We also touch on the bonuses of unexpected PR and how the platform, if used to full effect, can be the main revenue driver for your business.

Check out Silvina’s beautiful paper-cut miniatures at https://mypapercutforest.co.uk/ and you can follow and connect with Silvina at:

https://www.instagram.com/mypapercutforest/
https://twitter.com/silvina_dv
https://www.facebook.com/silvinadevita

Whether this is your first festive sales season or you’re a Christmas retail veteran there’ll always be challenges to overcome and surprises you didn’t anticipate. Everyone's business is different and operates with its own set of rules and idiosyncrasies, which means even with the best direction from dependable sources it can feel like much of the advice available is a bit abstract when comes to trying to apply it to your own business.

So, for today's episode, I’ve enlisted the help and perspectives of three of my Resilient Retail club members to try and give you some real-life examples of how to prepare yourself and manage your business this Christmas. I am delighted to introduce Rani of ‘Plant A Bloomer’ - who offers gifts and cards to plant and craft, Annabelle of ‘Copper and Holly’, who runs a Brecon-based Autumn and Christmas pop-up shop and Emily, the owner of Cotswolds gift boutique ‘Wild At Heart’.

From organising online sales fulfilment to staffing physical stores, the experiences of these wonderful business owners hopefully go some way to speaking to some of the challenges you might experience this season.

In this episode, we discuss working with fulfilment centres and managing third-party relationships, the time it takes for trends to filter through to different communities, the importance of organising training, purchasing early for the big day and much, much more! 

Use the links below to check Rani’s, Annabelle’s and Emily’s businesses and to connect with them on social.

Rani Deshpande

https://www.plantabloomer.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/plantabloomer/
https://www.facebook.com/plantabloomer/

Annabelle Summerfield

https://www.copperandholly.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/copperandholly/
https://www.instagram.com/copperandhollychristmas/

Emily Wild

https://www.wildatheartgifts.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/WildatHeartGifts/
https://www.instagram.com/wildatheartgifts/

We know that starting a business is not for the faint of heart. Even those who are full of confidence can sometimes be plagued with the fear of losing everything we have built. 

In today's episode, I spoke with the inspiring Toks Aruoture, owner of the Baby Cot Shop. Toks has an incredible journey to share with us. After losing her store in the US she returned to the UK and reopened her business online with a goal to have a physical location on the high street. But despite achieving that dream, she still faced fear as she grew her business. Along the way, she learned that having a goal doesn't define the end of the journey - but that life is a constant evolution.

Toks believes that she is bigger than her business and that her value extends far beyond the products she sells. She knows that the fear of losing a business can be more damaging than the actual situation, and she credits her faith and the support of her friends for helping her through the tough times.

Throughout this episode, we'll dive deep into Toks' journey and explore the mindset shifts and strategies she used to bounce back from the loss of her business. From determination and faith to journaling and seeking outside perspectives, Toks has valuable insights to share with all of us.

[00:00] Welcome Toks Aruoture

[02:49] How did Toks get into luxury interior design for babies and children

[05:14] How did Toks rebuild after the loss of her business in the US

[08:16] What was Toks mindset has she faced the fear of losing her business a second time.

[12:18] There are two ways to face fear in business. We offer some suggestions to not let fear paralyze you. 

[16:01] A journaling practice to help you focus on what is fact and how to handle assumptions that can affect your mindset

[24:35] How does Toks manage negative self-talk?

Connect with Toks Aruoture

www.thebabycotshop.com

www.toksaruoture.com