Bring Your Product Idea to Life

Would you love to see your products featured in a magazine, newspaper or online publication, but have no idea how to make it happen? Or perhaps you've assumed you need to hire a PR agency before anyone will take your brand seriously?

In this episode, I'm joined by Bianca Barratt, a journalist who has written for Forbes, Vogue, The Sunday Times and Cosmopolitan, and cofounder of Press Flow, to talk about how to get into the press as a new brand, even if you're doing your own PR.

One of the things I found particularly interesting about this conversation is that getting press coverage isn't necessarily about having the biggest brand, the most exciting product launch or the best connections. It's about understanding what journalists are looking for and finding a story that their readers will genuinely be interested in.

Bianca shares what makes a journalist pay attention to a product business, why your experience and knowledge as a founder could open up opportunities you hadn't considered, and how to approach journalists without feeling like you're just sending another sales email.

We also get into some really practical questions. What should you include in a pitch? Should you send product samples? Is it worth following up if you don't hear back? And how far ahead should you be thinking about Christmas gift guides and other seasonal coverage?

If you've been wondering how to get into the press as a new brand, but don't have the budget for a PR agency, I think you'll find this conversation really encouraging. Bianca makes the process feel much more approachable and shares plenty of advice you can start putting into practice yourself.

Whether you're preparing to launch your first product or you've been selling for a while and want more people to discover your brand, this episode is a great place to start.

Find Bianca here:

Website: https://www.pressflow.io/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisispressflow/

Personal IG: https://www.instagram.com/bianca_barratt/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bianca-barratt-media-pr/

Timestamps based on the 38 minute 28 second recording

00:00 Meet Bianca Barratt and her journalism background

01:22 What makes a journalist notice a new product brand?

03:44 Finding the right audience for your product

05:09 How to find different press angles for your brand

09:03 Using your expertise and founder story to attract coverage

12:24 What makes a compelling pitch to a journalist?

16:52 Making your story relevant right now

20:13 How to get press coverage without hiring a PR agency

23:30 What to include in your pitch email

27:18 Why journalists might respond to an old pitch

29:20 Following up with journalists

31:11 Should you send product samples?

33:18 When to pitch for Christmas gift guides

35:07 Common mistakes that stop brands getting featured

36:48 Bianca's number one piece of advice for getting press coverage

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Find out more and book your place on the next call here: https://calendly.com/vickiweinberg/new-meeting

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If you sell products online, you’ve probably put a lot of time, money and energy into building your brand. But how well protected is it?

In this episode, I’m joined by Sam Turton, a UK Chartered Trade Mark Attorney, to talk about protecting your brand online, and some of the things it’s worth thinking about before a problem arises.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that registering a company name, buying the domain or securing the social media handles means the name is yours to use. Unfortunately, it isn’t quite that simple, and finding that out after you’ve ordered stock and packaging could become a very expensive problem.

We get into the practical questions product founders often have. What should you check before settling on a brand name? Is it more important to protect your name or your logo if your budget is limited? What happens to your protection when you start selling overseas? And what should you actually do if someone copies your brand, or you receive an infringement notice yourself?

We also look at protecting your brand online when you sell through platforms such as Amazon, including what Amazon Brand Registry can and can’t do for you.

If you’re starting a product business, already selling online or thinking about expanding into new markets, this is one of those episodes that could help you avoid some costly mistakes later on.

Find Sam here:

Website: https://www.secerna.com/

Sam Turton - Trade Mark Attorney | Secerna LLP

Twitter https://x.com/Secernallp

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SecernaLLP/

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/secerna/

Sam Turton | LinkedIn

00:00 Meet Sam Turton

00:45 Why selling online creates additional risks

02:27 What to check before choosing your brand name

04:38 Does owning the company name or domain protect you?

09:21 Should you protect your name, logo or both?

12:30 What happens when you start selling internationally?

19:56 What to do if you receive an infringement notice

21:47 What if someone copies your brand?

26:29 Protecting your trade mark after registration

29:04 Common trade mark mistakes

30:13 Amazon Brand Registry and protecting your brand online

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Have you ever looked closely at what’s actually in the products you use on your dog?

My guest this week, Kiera Harrison, did exactly that after noticing that her Labrador, Buddy, was itching and uncomfortable after every bath. What she discovered led her down a rabbit hole of ingredients, pet cosmetics and regulation, and eventually to creating her own natural dog grooming brand, Fido and Oak.

In this episode, Kiera shares how she went from having an idea for a better dog shampoo to developing a range of products here in the UK.

We talk about how she found the right manufacturer, what it was actually like developing the formulations and testing samples, and why creating a shampoo alone wasn’t enough for the experience she wanted to give customers. Kiera ultimately developed a three step grooming collection with a shampoo, conditioner and coat mist.

We also talk about some of the decisions that have gone into creating Fido and Oak, from natural ingredients and sustainability to packaging and branding, and why Kiera has chosen not to launch certain products rather than compromise on what she wants the brand to stand for.

There’s also a really interesting conversation about pet cosmetic regulation and what Kiera believes dog owners should know about the products they’re using. This has become such an important part of the mission behind Fido and Oak that Kiera is now campaigning for higher standards across the industry.

If you’re interested in how an idea becomes a physical product, particularly when you’re creating something where ingredients, formulation and your choice of manufacturer really matter, I think you’ll find Kiera’s story fascinating.

Find Kiera here:

Website: www.fidoandoak.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/fidoandoak

Instagram: www.instagram.com/fidoandoakofficial/

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@fidoandoak

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kieralharrison

Change.org petition: https://c.org/vgjcyGZWFY

Want some support with Amazon?

Join me for Amazon Seller Support & Connect, my free monthly online session held during the first week of every month. Bring your Amazon questions, get practical advice and connect with other product-based business owners.

Find out more and book your place on the next call here: https://calendly.com/vickiweinberg/new-meeting

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Have you ever wondered what actually happens to your products once you send them into Amazon FBA?

I recently visited Amazon’s LCY3 fulfilment centre in Dartford, the biggest Amazon distribution centre in Europe, and in this episode I’m taking you behind the scenes and sharing what I learnt.

I followed the journey products take through an Amazon fulfilment centre, from arriving at the loading bays and being checked into stock, through to stowing, picking, packing and eventually being sent out to customers.

There were quite a few things that surprised me, including just how much of the process still involves people, despite all the automation and robots you might expect to see.

More importantly, I came away with a couple of things that I think are really useful to know if you sell on Amazon. Some of the information you enter into Seller Central has a very real impact on what happens to your products and customer orders inside the Amazon fulfilment centre, so there are some simple things worth checking in your own account.

If you sell through Amazon FBA, or you’re simply curious about what happens behind the scenes after you send your stock to Amazon, I hope you find this episode interesting and useful.

Want some support with Amazon?

Join me for Amazon Seller Support & Connect, my free monthly online session held during the first week of every month. Bring your Amazon questions, get practical advice and connect with other product-based business owners.

Find out more and book your place on the next call here: https://calendly.com/vickiweinberg/new-meeting

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00:00 Inside Amazon’s biggest European fulfilment centre

02:21 What happens when your FBA stock arrives

04:43 How Amazon stores your products

07:02 Why Amazon deliberately spreads your stock around

09:21 How customer orders are picked and packed

11:46 What happens before an Amazon order is dispatched

14:05 Damaged stock and Amazon returns

16:30 The important Seller Central checks I’d make now

Mentioned in this episode:

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Join me for Amazon Seller Support & Connect, my free monthly online session held during the first week of every month. Bring your Amazon questions, get practical advice and connect with other product-based business owners.

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What does it really take to start a product business when you have no experience in the industry and no idea where to begin?

In this episode, I’m joined by Louie Watkins, founder of Clear for Men, a British skincare brand with a mission to encourage more conversations around male mental health. Louie didn’t have a background in skincare or business. In fact, before starting Clear for Men, he was working on the railway and thought that was where his career was heading.

We talk about how Louie took his idea and turned it into a real product, from finding a UK manufacturer and developing his cleanser to getting his first customers and gradually building trust in the brand.

Louie is also really open about how difficult those early stages were. His first year brought just 31 orders, and without a big advertising budget, he had to work out how to get people to discover and trust a completely new brand.

We also talk about building a brand around a genuine purpose, why community comes before product for Louie, and what he’s learnt about focusing on what works for your business rather than getting distracted by what everyone else is doing.

If you have a product idea but feel like you don't have the experience or knowledge to make it happen, I think you'll get a lot from Louie's story.

Find Louie here:

Website: https://clearformen.co.uk

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/louis-watkins-29637126a

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weareclear_

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@weareclear_

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weareclear1

00:00 Meet Louie Watkins and Clear for Men

00:28 Where the idea for Clear for Men came from

05:17 Developing a skincare product from scratch

07:59 Finding the right UK manufacturer

13:46 Creating packaging and the customer experience

16:27 Putting community and mission before product

18:44 Conversations around male mental health and self care

25:40 Finding the first customers

28:30 Building an audience through live streaming

32:48 The reality of growing a product business

37:04 Where to spend your time as a solo founder

41:10 Focusing on what actually works

45:37 Business, purpose and wellbeing

47:11 Louie’s number one piece of advice for product founders

49:36 Why you don’t need to do what everyone else is doing

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Mentioned in this episode:

Amazon Made Easy is now open

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Join me for Amazon Seller Support & Connect, my free monthly online session held during the first week of every month. Bring your Amazon questions, get practical advice and connect with other product-based business owners.

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What happens when you decide to build a business in an industry where you don't necessarily fit the mould?

In this episode, I'm joined by Lizzie Lane, founder of Carparts Queen. Lizzie started working in the motor parts industry at 18 and spent more than a decade learning the trade before deciding to take everything she'd learnt and start a business of her own.

We talk about what growing a product business has really looked like for Lizzie, from making her first sales to experiencing much faster growth than she expected, and some of the challenges that have come with that.

Lizzie also shares her experience of building a business in a traditionally male dominated industry, why making car parts easier and less intimidating to buy is so important to her, and how she's using customer service to create a business that feels very different from others in the industry.

There's a really interesting conversation about growth too. We talk about the pressure to keep pushing for more, knowing when you might need to slow down and get your processes in place, and the parts of growing a product business that aren't always visible from the outside.

• How Lizzie went from working in the motor trade to starting Carparts Queen

• Finding a way to stand out in a competitive industry

• Building trust and confidence with your customers

• The realities of running a business in a male dominated industry

• Managing unexpected growth and knowing when to slow down

• Staying true to what makes your business different

If you're starting or growing your own product business, I think you'll really enjoy Lizzie's openness about what's worked, what's been challenging and what she's learnt along the way.

Find Lizzie here:

www.carpartsqueen.co.uk

00:00 Meet Lizzie Lane and Carparts Queen

02:05 From employee to business owner

04:42 Starting Carparts Queen

07:22 Women in the motor parts industry

13:23 Helping customers feel more confident

20:07 Making car parts easier to buy

23:07 Building trust with your customers

30:18 Running a business in a male dominated industry

36:07 Managing unexpected business growth

40:35 Growing the team and looking ahead

44:17 The reality behind running a business

46:33 Lizzie's advice for product founders

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If you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

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Want some free Amazon support?

Join me for Amazon Seller Support & Connect, my free monthly online session held during the first week of every month. Bring your Amazon questions, get practical advice and connect with other product-based business owners.

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If you sell on Amazon, Q4 can creep up on you incredibly quickly. One minute it's September and Christmas feels ages away, then suddenly you're dealing with increased traffic, more expensive ads, stock deadlines and everything else that comes with the busiest shopping period of the year.

The good news is that you don't need to do everything at once.

In this week's episode, I'm sharing my practical Amazon Q4 preparation checklist, including the things I'd be looking at now to make life easier later in the year. This isn't about adding lots more to your to do list, it's about getting a few important things sorted before you're busy and don't have the time or headspace to deal with them.

We start with your Amazon listings, including the new 75 character product title limit, updating your images and A Plus Content, and why September is a good time to get new products listed if you want them selling during Q4.

I also talk about inventory planning and some of the important dates to be aware of, as well as checking your account health, building up reviews, using Amazon Vine and getting your advertising and budgets ready for potentially higher costs.

We'll also look at Black Friday and Cyber Monday, why you absolutely don't have to take part in Amazon's deals, and a quick reminder about the potential increase in returns after Christmas.

• Getting your Amazon listings ready for Q4

• Amazon's new 75 character product title limit

• Planning your FBA inventory and when to send stock

• Checking your Amazon account health

• Building up reviews before Q4

• Preparing your Amazon ads and budgets

• Planning for Black Friday and Cyber Monday

• Using FBM as a backup during the busy period

• Preparing for returns after Christmas

Getting ahead with your Amazon Q4 preparation now means there'll hopefully be much less to worry about when things get really busy later in the year.

I've also got a free Amazon optimisation checklist to help you quickly audit your account, and you can join me at my next free Amazon Seller Support and Connect call if you have any questions. I'll put the links to both below.

00:00 Getting your Amazon business ready for Q4

01:05 Amazon's new product title limits

03:50 Updating listings and launching new products

05:45 Q4 inventory planning and important dates

08:15 Checking your Amazon account health

09:20 Getting more reviews before Q4

12:10 Preparing your Amazon ads and budgets

14:35 Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Amazon deals

16:00 Preparing for returns after Christmas

17:05 Your Amazon Q4 preparation checklist

18:05 Amazon Seller Support and Connect

USEFUL LINKS:

My free Amazon audit checklist: https://checklist.vickiweinberg.com/audit

Everyting you need to know about Amazon Vine: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/31085d58-6597-4221-8627-35e4846480ba/

How to get your first reviews on Amazon: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/071d0e68-5b91-414a-93a9-f6b8dc823f35/

Join the next Amazon Sellers Support & Connect call: https://calendly.com/vickiweinberg/new-meeting

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Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To Life

If you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

Mentioned in this episode:

Amazon Made Easy is now open

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Want some free Amazon support?

Join me for Amazon Seller Support & Connect, my free monthly online session held during the first week of every month. Bring your Amazon questions, get practical advice and connect with other product-based business owners.

Amazon Sellers Support & Connect

If you sell on Amazon, there's a chance you're missing out on money without even realising it.

Lost inventory, invoice discrepancies, overbilling and fulfilment issues can all add up over time, but many sellers never spot them, let alone know they can claim the money back.

In this week's episode, I'm joined by Liam from Threecolts to talk about Amazon reimbursement claims, how they work, what Amazon sellers should be checking, and why recovering lost revenue doesn't have to become another job on your to do list.

We also explore marketplace expansion and how brands can grow onto platforms such as TikTok Shop, Temu and Walmart without creating unnecessary manual work.

Whether you're an established Amazon seller or you're starting to think about expanding beyond your own website, this episode is packed with practical advice to help you make informed decisions and protect your profitability.

Find Liam and the team here:

Website: threecolts.com

Instagram : threecolts_com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/threecolts/posts/?feedView=all

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Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To Life

If you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

Mentioned in this episode:

Want some free Amazon support?

Join me for Amazon Seller Support & Connect, my free monthly online session held during the first week of every month. Bring your Amazon questions, get practical advice and connect with other product-based business owners.

Amazon Sellers Support & Connect

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Have you ever wondered what it really takes to launch a skincare brand in one of the world's most competitive industries?

In this week's episode, I'm joined by father and son team Mark and Malachy Mitchnick, the founders of Burnd Sunscreen. Mark is a paediatrician and product developer who spent decades creating products for some of the biggest names in skincare. Malachy left a career in technology to help build a consumer brand from the ground up.

What I loved about this conversation is that it isn't just about sunscreen. It's about innovation, building a product people genuinely need, creating a brand customers connect with, and having the confidence to launch something even when plenty of people think it's a bad idea.

We also talk honestly about the reality of building a business. From living at home to keep costs low, to making decisions without having all the data, Mark and Malachy share the lessons they've learned while launching a skincare brand in a crowded marketplace.

If you're developing your own product, or thinking about bringing an idea to market, this episode is full of practical advice, honest reflections and encouragement from founders who are building a business one step at a time.

Find Mark and Malachy Here:

getburnd.com

@burndskincare

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mitchnick-a9a71311/

***Get 15% off sitewide by using code vicki***

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If you sell on Amazon, things don't stay still for long, and over the past couple of months there have been several updates that could affect how you manage your business. From new virtual bundles and returns tools to changes to product titles, AI shopping features and important dates for Q4, there's plenty to be aware of.

In this episode, I'm rounding up the latest Amazon seller updates, explaining what they mean in practice and, most importantly, what action you might want to take now. Whether you sell through FBA or FBM, these updates could help you improve your listings, increase your average order value and prepare for the busiest time of the year.

If you want to stay ahead of changes on Amazon without having to read every announcement yourself, this episode will bring you up to speed.

If you have any questions regarding the episode my next Amazon Sellers Support Connect is on Thursday 3rd September, for more information on this head to my instagram below and pop me a message.

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Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To Life

If you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/support

Mentioned in this episode:

Want some free Amazon support?

Join me for Amazon Seller Support & Connect, my free monthly online session held during the first week of every month. Bring your Amazon questions, get practical advice and connect with other product-based business owners.

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