How to Sell Online

“It’s like a big warm hug.” 

Okay, how do you argue with a sentiment like that? You don’t—which is why Tien Nguyen has seen such incredible eCommerce success with her soft, customized and beautiful hand knitted blankets.  

My friend, as you’ll learn on today’s podcast, Tien didn’t always have that level of success. In fact, when she first joined the 0-100K System—one of the courses I teach—she only had $300 in her bank account. 

THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS. Can you imagine? 

But she took a leap of faith and started her amazing journey—and it’s a journey that I think will fascinate you. Here’s why: because as she shares it with you on the podcast, she identifies the very specific steps she’s taken (and still takes) to keep her business growing. 

So get ready to learn about hugs, reels, TikTok videos…and how many amazing hand knit blankets Tien has shipped out. (Warning: your jaw is probably gonna drop a bit.) 

Listen now. 

Additional Resources:

Shop with Tien: IsabellaRoseStore.com

Special Offer: Use the code ICAN to enjoy 15% off your order for Tien’s entire store 

Follow Tien on social media: 

Instagram: @isabellarosestore.com

Facebook: @isabellarosestore.com

TikTok: @isabellarosestore.com

Connect with Alison: 

Facebook: @alisonjprince

Instagram: @alisonjprince

Website: https://www.alisonjprince.com/

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Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping)

Click here to join the 0-100K System

Do you ever procrastinate? 

Or maybe overthink things a little too much?

Or do you allow yourself to become a tiny bit distracted when really you should be working on your online business? 

My friend, I have BEEN there way too many times to count. Especially when I need to post a product. 

Yep—even after all this time I can stare at a blank screen, my fingers hovering over the keyboard, and come up with about 135 things I could be doing outside or in the house. Like taking our dog Goose for a walk, or sweeping the kitchen floor, or dreaming up a new business idea.

Procrastination is the real deal!

But I recently was listening to a podcast featuring Jack Conte, CEO and co-founder of Patreon. His insights into procrastination and distraction made me start thinking about them—and about the idea of finishing something—differently. 

Get ready to take some notes and have a few “aha” moments! 

(And if you like this episode as much as I think you will, I’d appreciate it if you’d leave a 5-star review.) 

Connect with Alison: 

Facebook: @alisonjprince

Instagram: @alisonjprince

Online: https://www.alisonjprince.com/

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Get your FREE product ideas here

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Click here to join the 0-100K System

Whenever someone comes to me about selling t-shirts online, but are afraid to get started because they hear that the product is “saturated…”

…I kinda can’t help myself. 

I laugh. 

And the REASON I laugh is because I know Mae Cee. 

Mae has CRUSHED selling t-shirts online. She and her kids have worked together to take their company from basically a print business in their living room to a 7-figure company. 

Her shirts are produced in small batches, and she only uses quality products to create them. That’s why companies work with her on a wholesale basis AND why her retail customers keep going back to her.  

Oh—and if you ask HER about whether or not there’s room for more t-shirt creators and sellers online, she emphatically says YES. 

In fact, in this podcast episode she shares tips to help you start selling t-shirts online faster while avoiding the problems she ran into when she got started. Here are 5 of them—and you’ll want to listen to get all the details: 

1. Simplify, and use the resources you have available.
2. Use transfers to get started instead of trying sublimate or screen print on your own
3. Start with the basics, which means getting a high-quality heat press
4. Start with 2 colors of t-shirts with a wider number of sizes, instead of offering lots of colors while not being able to afford a balanced inventory
5. Sell quality pieces; you’ll keep garbage out of landfills while also increasing customer satisfaction and the likelihood of repeat business

And I’m excited to share that Mae Cee is rolling out the Graphic Tee Academy. It designed to help newbies in the world of selling t-shirts online. So again, you are going to want to listen to this podcast to learn more. 

Additional Resources:

Mae’s Website: 923byDesign.com

Mae’s Academy: Graphic Tee Academy

Special Offer:  The first 100 people to register get a specialty prepared box of items designed to help them.

 Mae's Other Podcast Episode: Increase Sales, Don't be the Low Priced Leader

Connect with Alison: 

Facebook: @alisonjprince

Instagram: @alisonjprince

Online: alisonjprince.com

>>>

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Click here to join the 0-100K System

Forgive me if I start these show notes with one word: ugh. 

I do not like social media. Okay—wait. It’s not that I don’t like social media. It’s that I would about a billion times rather be working on product development or helping my students launch their online stores than making videos.

Truth: TikTok nearly TRAUMATIZED me. 

My friend, the very idea of me having to dance and point…oh dear heavens...makes me want to lie down. 

And the thing is, so many of my students are the same way. They feel very uncomfortable about the idea of creating Instagram reels or TikTok videos that showcase themselves—and that ultimately require them to be the face of their brands.

So that leads to this question: are TikTok and Instagram reels REALLY necessary tools to use for ecommerce brands?

We will let my amazing guest Elise Darma answer that question.

Elise is an authority on Instagram and TikTok and educates business owners on how to make the most of these platforms in ways they’re comfortable with.

Listen along to this episode—the first of a three-part series—as Elise shares must-know information based on her knowledge and insights.

Additional Resources:

Look for Episodes 2 and 3 featuring Elise Darma, coming soon.

Where to Find Elise: 

Online: EliseDarma.com

On Instagram: @elisedarma

On YouTube: youtube.com/ElisaDarma

On TikTok @elsedarma

Connect with Alison: 

Online: alisonjprince.com

Facebook: @alisonjprince

Instagram: @alisonjprince

>>>

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Click here to join the 0-100K System

My friend! Thank you for joining me on the podcast today. I think you’ll be glad you did, because I have yet another great guest—and we’re chatting about where to buy products to sell online. 

Posey Duncan is one of my students, and she is one of those people who has a never-give-up spirit. As you’ll hear, she’s had kind of a crazy pants experience getting her business license…but she is NOT backing down. 

I love her tenacity! 

This podcast is the third in a series of hotseats (random students are interviewed and we talk through their ecommerce questions) I enjoyed during a recent workshop I led. That workshop focuses on how to find success by using marketplaces to sell physical products. 

During our conversation, Posey and I talked about where to buy products to sell online, the difference between wholesalers and manufacturers, and what to look for in choosing where you purchase products. 

If you missed the first two hot seat interviews about product pricing and products not selling, click to go listen now!

Connect with Alison: 

Facebook: @alisonjprince

Instagram: @alisonjprince

>>>

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Click here to join the 0-100K System!

I’m not sure who originally coined the phrase “the riches are in the niches,” but can we all just agree that they were a genius? 

I mean, whether you pronounce it “nitch” or “neesh”, the fact is that when you’re looking to sell products online, the more drilled down you can get when it comes to your customers, the better.

Which is why I’m psyched to have Maria Simpson as a guest on this week’s episode. 

Maria found a profitable niche just by looking around her. Her customer base boils down to others who love the great 208—the beautiful state of Idaho. It’s been so successful in fact that, in her words, she’s “close to that hundred thousand mark” and cannot wait to get there. 

Her story is 100% the perfect example of how when you really niche down, you can explode your business. 

And here’s what else she does that I think will drop your jaw a little: she’s created a profitable partnership with a local company who takes care of all of the production, packing and shipping for her. That means Maria gets to do what she enjoys most (designing her products and marketing them) without having to carry inventory or buy any specialty equipment. Talk about winning!!

Listen now to learn more about Maria, her marketing strategies, and how she’s making Idaho an even cooler place to be. 

Additional Resources:

Where to Shop: 208SupplyCo.com

Follow on Facebook: @208supplyco

On Instagram: @208supplyco

Connect with Alison: 

Facebook: @alisonjprince

Instagram: @alisonjprince

>>>

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Click here to join the 0-100K System

Do you remember that Friends episode with the couch? With Ross yelling “PIVOT!!!!!!” as Rachel and Chandler tried to navigate the staircase? 

I seriously cannot even THINK about that episode without laughing. And you KNOW that when my husband Jared and I are in the process of moving furniture at least one of us says it. 

All humor aside, though, pivoting—or being willing to pivot—is such a huge deal in business. That's why I’m really excited to have you get to know Donna Evans, who I’m interviewing in this episode of my podcast. 

When Donna decided to start her online store, it was a time in her life when she was already pivoting. A change in her job led her to pursue a dream she’d held for 6 years: starting an ecommerce business. 

But as you’ll hear in the podcast, that wouldn’t be Donna’s last pivot. And one pivot probably won’t be the last you experience when you start your own business. Here are three reasons to pivot in your online business: 

Reason 1: When you test products, but they don’t sell. 

Reason 2: When products are selling, but you don’t feel interested in them/ passionate about them. 

Reason 3: When products you are handcrafting are becoming too much for you, and it’s time to bring in a manufacturer

Listen as Donna tells you more about her story, where she’s headed next, and how she and her daughter are figuring things out together. 

Additional Resources:

Shop with Donna: Rockthisout.com

Follow on Instagram: @rock_thisout

On Facebook: @rockthisout

Connect with Alison: 

Facebook: @alisonjprince

Instagram: @alisonjprince

>>>

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Click here to join the 0-100K System

Do you know how many people talk to me about how much they’d like to have an ecommerce store? Unfortunately, there’s always some sort of “but” involved in the conversation.

As in:  I have dreamed of selling products online for years, BUT… 

…I’ve got little kids—where would I find the time?

…I don’t even know what I’d sell. 

…where would I get the money? 

…I’ve never run a business before.

I could go on and on and on.  

What I’ve learned from these conversations about starting online stores…and the reasons why people say they can’t…is that oftentimes people seem to need PERMISSION to live their dreams. 

It sounds silly, right? I mean, we’re adults! 

But at the end of the day, people—maybe even you—need someone to say, “You have the right and the permission to go after your dreams. Whatever your age or situation or background may be, you can do this…and I can even show you how.” 

This episode shares one of my “aha” moments—and tells you about why I’ve written my new e-book, Permission to Sell.  As you listen, I hope you have an “aha” moment of your own. 

Additional Resources 

Connect with Alison:

Facebook: @alisonjprince

Instagram: @alisonjprince

>>>

Download my free e-book, Permission to Sell, here.

Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping)

Click here to join the $0-100k System!

Today’s a big day on the podcast—the kind that makes me want to start dancing in the middle of my kitchen. I’m so, so, SO excited because the one and only Lisa Bilyeu is joining me, and we’re talking about her new book, Radical Confidence. 

If you’re not familiar with Lisa Bilyeau, get ready to become a fan. She is smart and funny and wise—and she uses her unique brand of storytelling to help people keep moving forward.

That’s why I 100% believe that everyone who has an online store or is thinking about getting into ecommerce should listen to this episode. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t had to face pretty much everything that Lisa outlines. 

• If you’ve ever felt like you don’t fit in…
• If “life” got in the way of you living your dreams…
• If you’re willing to ask yourself some tough questions…
• If you’ve thought about starting an online business but are afraid of failing…
• If you’ve ever let your emotions get out of control …

…and pretty much if you’re BREATHING, you should listen to this episode (then go order Radical Confidence).

One note: If you’re a regular listener, you already know that my podcasts tend to fall firmly in the G-rated space. This one, however, includes language that moves it up to more of a PG-13 rating. Depending on your own preferences, you may want to listen without little kiddos around. 

Got it? Great--start listening now: 

Additional Resources:

Order the Book: radicalconfidence.com

Follow Lisa on Instagram: @lisabilyeu

Listen to Lisa’s Podcast (Women of Impact) on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, YouTube, or whatever podcast platform you prefer.

Connect with Alison: 

Facebook: @alisonjprince

Instagram: @alisonjprince

>>>

Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping)

Click here to join the 0-100K System!

I am so dang happy to introduce you to one of my fantastic students, Angela Taylor. Even though she was incredibly nervous because she’s a fellow introvert, she was a great sport about being selected for a hotseat during a recent training. 

Now, this is actually my second hotseat interview—my first one was with Norma. If you haven’t given that a listen, be sure to listen to it after you enjoy this one. I’ll drop the link in the notes.

And let me take a sec to explain hotseats and how I use ‘em. 

I choose students at random to talk one on one with me so I can work with them if they’re stuck…and celebrate them for everything they’re doing. It’s such an awesome way to learn, because even if you’re not the one in the hotseat. 

I like to call it “we” learning instead of “me” learning. 

Okay, back to Angela. 

I’ve gotta give her some big “woots!” for what she’s done. She is an ACTION taker and is so, so, SO willing to learn.  

Where she’s had a bit of a struggle, however, is knowing just how many products she should bundle together to sell online…or whether bundling is the right option for her!

Plus, we take a dive into the 5 things to check if your products aren’t selling online—and what you can do about ‘em. 

Ready to learn more?

Additional Resources 

Connect with Alison:

Facebook: @alisonjprince

Instagram: @alisonjprince

>>>

Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping)

Click here to join the $0-100k System!