Proof to Product

In an industry and business where your time is valuable and your products are essential for creating a successful and sustainable business, sales reps have your best interest in mind and serve a greater purpose than simply selling your products. A valuable sales rep is someone you can build a trusted relationship with who can navigate catalogs, inventories, deliveries, and even curate products just for you.

In today's episode, I'm joined by Carina Murray, founder of Crow and Canary, a sales rep group that works with a diverse line up of stationery and gift brands to sell their products and support their customers with top-notch customer service.

Listen in as we discuss how sales reps were affected by Covid, how wholesalers and sales reps can work with Faire and other third party wholesale platforms, plus we're highlighting unique benefits that sales reps bring to the sales process!

For full show notes, resources and a transcription, please head to prooftoproduct.com/232

For more support with your marketing & sales strategies, check out LABS at http://www.prooftoproduct.com/labs

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With the new year right around the corner, my team and I have been making time to really reflect on the past year. It's been a year of introspection–about our businesses, about the state of the world, and about how we balance our work and personal lives. But I'm proud to say that Proof to Product and our students have grown and accomplished more this year than ever before.

In today's episode, I wanted to share all the milestones the Proof to Product team and our students have reached in the past year. Plus, I'm giving you a sneak peek at all the exciting things we're planning for 2022.

You'll learn:

• How my team and I are reflecting on the year so far
• Our LABS and Paper Camp students' big wins
• What you can expect from us in the new year

For full show notes, resources and a transcription, please head to bit.ly/PTPEp231

For more support with your marketing & sales strategies, check out LABS at http://www.prooftoproduct.com/labs

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Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

For most designers and makers, our relationships with retailers can make a major difference in our businesses. And while I know it can be discouraging to watch your outreach emails go unanswered, this kind of slow, steady work is the path to a sustainable and successful business. The key is to keep showing up, put your best foot forward, and get yourself seen by the right people.

In this episode, I'm talking to designer, illustrator, and store owner Genesis Duncan about her experience being both a retailer and a wholesaler. She's sharing the mindset shift that happened when she got to see the industry from the other side. Plus, she's explaining how zip code protection in Faire might actually be limiting your business.

You'll learn:

• Making the mindset shift from "maker" to "business owner"
• How your Faire zip code settings might be limiting or excluding buyers
• Why it's so important to keep showing up, even if it doesn't feel like you're being heard

For full show notes, resources and a transcription, please head to bit.ly/PTPEp230

For more support with your marketing & sales strategies, check out LABS at http://www.prooftoproduct.com/labs

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Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

Insurance. It's admittedly one of the least fun parts of owning a business, but it's also one of the most important. Not only does it protect your business from misfortune, but it also protects you, the business owner. And with a little research, insuring yourself and your business isn't as expensive or complicated as you might think it is.

In this episode, I'm breaking down the different types of business and personal insurance that small business owners need. I'll explain how they're different, what they cover, and why they're each important. Plus, I'll share which providers I personally use to protect myself, my business, my team, and my family.

You'll learn:

• Which types of business and personal insurance you should look into
• Why both business and personal insurance are vital for small business owners
• The companies and providers I use for my own insurance

For full show notes, resources and a transcription, please head to bit.ly/PTPEp229

For more support with your marketing & sales strategies, check out LABS at http://www.prooftoproduct.com/labs

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Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

Oxford Languages defines imposter syndrome as the persistent inability to believe that one's success is deserved.

Imposter syndrome is very common in the entrepreneur space. That feeling that we haven't truly earned the success we've had. Imposter syndrome can mean feeling like a fraud or phony — like we're not truly talented or good at what we do.

In this episode, I'm sharing a sneak peek into one of my monthly coaching calls inside the Proof to Product LABS program. During these calls, I answer pre-submitted member questions about how to run - and grow - a product based business. In this call, I shared four strategies for combating imposter syndrome, avoiding burnout, and building your confidence as a business owner.

You'll learn:

• How imposter syndrome shows up in your businesses
• Four strategies for combating imposter syndrome and avoiding burnout
• How to rest and recover after an energetically-taxing launch

For full show notes, resources and a transcription, please head to bit.ly/PTPEp228

For more support with your marketing & sales strategies, check out LABS at http://www.prooftoproduct.com/labs

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Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

Feeling confident with your organic digital marketing and ready to scale even further? Why not dip your toe into the world of paid advertising? Paid digital marketing might sound intimidating, but with a solid strategy and clear goals, it can truly help you increase exposure and leads for your e-commerce business.

In this episode, I'm talking to Alex Rossman, founder of Rossman Media, an award-winning social media agency, about the ways small e-commerce brands can leverage paid advertising in their businesses. He's sharing his tips for getting started with paid ads, which platforms are the most beneficial right now, and how much money you need to invest in your ads to see results.

You'll learn:

• How to leverage TikTok for your e-commerce business
• Three steps to getting started with paid advertising
• The common mistakes small e-commerce brands make in their digital marketing
• When to DIY your paid advertising and when to outsource it

For full show notes, resources and a transcription, please head to bit.ly/PTPEp227

For more support with your marketing & sales strategies, check out LABS at http://www.prooftoproduct.com/labs

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Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

We all know that Search Engine Optimization is vital to ranking on Google and attracting website traffic. But if you've never worked on your site's SEO, where do you start? How do you find the right keywords? And once you find those keywords, where do you put them?

In this episode, I'm talking to SEO expert Jessica Freeman of Jess Creative about how you can use SEO to attract new customers to your website. She's sharing her workflow for finding and implementing the right keywords, and she's also explaining how you can use SEO in your product development process.

You'll learn:

• How to find and implement the right keywords
• The three SEO tasks you should tackle first
• How to use SEO to forecast trends and develop new products

For full show notes, resources and a transcription, please head to bit.ly/PTPEp226

For more support with your marketing & sales strategies, check out LABS at http://www.prooftoproduct.com/labs

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Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

Oftentimes in business, we set our sights on the next big thing–the next product, the next launch, the next program–that we forget to rethink the systems that are already working in our business. But most of the time, those systems could run even better and make us even more profit with just a few small tweaks. Take a listen for my four-step brainstorming exercise to help you identify what's working in your business and make minor adjustments to improve your systems even further.

You'll learn:

• When it's best to make improvements to your current systems instead of starting from scratch
• How to determine which systems could use optimizing
• How to prioritize those improvements in your business

For full show notes, resources and a transcription, please head to bit.ly/PTPEp225

For more support with your marketing & sales strategies, check out LABS at http://www.prooftoproduct.com/labs

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Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

Your business has a lot of moving parts. It's easy to let opportunities to make a little extra money (or eliminate sneaky expenses) slip right past your radar. So how can you optimize your revenue and minimize those "leaky pipe" expenses? The answer is right on your website!

In this episode, I'm talking to e-commerce conversion expert Reese Spykerman about all the hidden places you can find extra money in your business. She'll share her tips for crafting a beautiful and functional e-commerce website, and we'll chat about a few of the trends we're seeing in the online business world right now.

You'll learn:

• Where to find extra money (and sneaky expenses) in your ecommerce business
• Why you might be doing your business a disservice by making your website too pretty
• How to put yourself in your customers' shoes and make them feel understood

For full show notes, resources and a transcription, please head to bit.ly/PTPEp224

For more support with your marketing & sales strategies, check out LABS at http://www.prooftoproduct.com/labs

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Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz

You want to develop a new product, but how do you know how much to spend on supplies? It can be tricky forecasting for upcoming product drops, especially for products you've never sold before. But with the right data, you can make educated estimates about your upcoming products to order supplies and budget with confidence.

In this episode, I'm sharing a sneak peek into one of our monthly coaching calls inside the Proof to Product LABS program. During these calls, I answer pre-submitted member questions about how to run - and grow - a product-based business. In this call, I helped members forecast their spending for project development and budget for upcoming launches - even years in advance.

You'll learn:

• How to budget for product development and repeat launches
• Tips for managing your books when you're buying supplies well in advance
• Strategies for forecasting your next year's spending and revenue

For full show notes, resources and a transcription, please head to bit.ly/PTPEp223

For more support with your marketing & sales strategies, check out LABS at http://www.prooftoproduct.com/labs

Mentioned in this episode:

Take the free quiz!

Map out your next 90 days here: http://prooftoproduct.com/quiz