1 00:00:04,530 --> 00:00:05,080 Hi there. 2 00:00:05,350 --> 00:00:08,400 It's Sue and thanks for joining me for Tips and Talk 3 00:00:08,400 --> 00:00:12,880 Day. These are bite-sized topics that I pull from community questions 4 00:00:13,060 --> 00:00:16,200 and things that I'm observing in the world of handmade small 5 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:18,600 business. If you'd like to submit a topic, 6 00:00:19,290 --> 00:00:22,800 DM e over on Instagram at Gift Biz Unwrapped, 7 00:00:23,830 --> 00:00:27,680 gosh, I've rolled out a number of new opportunities for you. 8 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:31,120 Here. There are the bashes where you have a chance to 9 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:34,360 showcase your business to this entire listening audience. 10 00:00:34,890 --> 00:00:36,480 There's the new OWL app. 11 00:00:36,480 --> 00:00:38,960 When you have a quick question where you'd like my input 12 00:00:39,340 --> 00:00:44,960 and now I'm excited to bring you gift Biz boosts, 13 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:48,400 think of these as free strategy sessions, 14 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:52,040 leaving you with a clear action plan to boost you forward. 15 00:00:52,610 --> 00:00:56,000 Whether you're at the beginning of your business journey and need 16 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:58,040 concrete steps on how to start, 17 00:00:58,730 --> 00:01:01,880 or you've been doing this for a while and could use 18 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:02,680 a fresh approach, 19 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,040 these boosts are for you. 20 00:01:05,610 --> 00:01:07,460 You'll know a podcast is a boost. 21 00:01:07,470 --> 00:01:09,140 If you see that word in the title, 22 00:01:09,810 --> 00:01:11,700 want to get your own free boost? 23 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:14,980 I'm taking these on a first come first serve basis. 24 00:01:15,330 --> 00:01:19,460 Head over to gift biz unwrapped.com/boost 25 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:22,460 and sign up for your session today. 26 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:26,420 How will it fail? 27 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:28,500 I'm sure first glance, 28 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:31,620 you think I'm referring to the success of your business. 29 00:01:33,020 --> 00:01:34,060 Actually, I'm not. 30 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:39,940 I'm talking about your product and now you're saying not my 31 00:01:39,940 --> 00:01:43,780 product. I'm make it myself with quality materials, 32 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:48,500 not to mention my top-notch professional production skills. 33 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:50,370 Hold tight. 34 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:52,090 I know that this is true, 35 00:01:52,510 --> 00:01:56,330 but your product can fail because of things that are completely 36 00:01:56,350 --> 00:01:57,570 out of your control. 37 00:01:58,590 --> 00:02:02,920 Your cookies taste horrible because they were eaten a month after 38 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:04,160 the expiration date. 39 00:02:05,010 --> 00:02:09,460 Your knitted headbands are falling apart because the yarn wasn't meant 40 00:02:09,460 --> 00:02:10,540 for machine washing. 41 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:13,810 Your jewelry is sterling silver, 42 00:02:13,910 --> 00:02:17,370 and a customer doesn't understand how they need to take care 43 00:02:17,370 --> 00:02:19,170 of it to keep it from tarnishing. 44 00:02:20,090 --> 00:02:22,180 Your ceramic face is leaking water, 45 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:25,460 but it's meant only for dried flowers. 46 00:02:26,690 --> 00:02:30,580 Your leather goods are made from real raw hide and each 47 00:02:30,580 --> 00:02:32,980 one will look different with unique markings. 48 00:02:33,210 --> 00:02:35,380 They aren't scratched or damaged. 49 00:02:36,410 --> 00:02:38,820 Your product is meant for inside, 50 00:02:39,040 --> 00:02:40,300 not outside use. 51 00:02:41,330 --> 00:02:46,180 Your product requires a certain knowledge or skill level to operate 52 00:02:46,180 --> 00:02:46,780 it properly. 53 00:02:47,110 --> 00:02:49,020 There's a learning curve involved. 54 00:02:50,500 --> 00:02:54,110 Your product is fragile and shouldn't be handled by children, 55 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:55,150 or it will break. 56 00:02:56,170 --> 00:03:00,800 Your product requires two pieces and it won't work unless you 57 00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:01,400 have both. 58 00:03:02,670 --> 00:03:06,550 Think about what you make from a customer perspective and consider 59 00:03:06,690 --> 00:03:08,470 all the off the wall, 60 00:03:08,910 --> 00:03:10,710 crazy as they may seem, 61 00:03:10,900 --> 00:03:12,750 ways they may be handled. 62 00:03:13,770 --> 00:03:17,500 Also, think about the expectations that may exist about your product 63 00:03:18,030 --> 00:03:23,380 to an unknowing mind and notice that I didn't say uneducated. 64 00:03:23,730 --> 00:03:24,780 They just don't know. 65 00:03:25,670 --> 00:03:28,950 These are ways your product could fail in the eyes of 66 00:03:28,950 --> 00:03:29,510 your customer, 67 00:03:29,930 --> 00:03:32,870 and no matter how much you explain after the fact, 68 00:03:33,260 --> 00:03:37,110 some people will still blame the product or you for the 69 00:03:37,110 --> 00:03:37,910 perceived failure. 70 00:03:38,850 --> 00:03:42,640 It goes without saying you don't want word of mouth about 71 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:46,200 that to get around even knowing full well that it's not 72 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:50,350 true. The best approach is to prevent it from happening in 73 00:03:50,350 --> 00:03:51,070 the first place. 74 00:03:51,350 --> 00:03:54,030 Which brings me back to my initial question, 75 00:03:54,850 --> 00:03:56,790 how will your product fail? 76 00:03:57,860 --> 00:04:01,470 List all the ways that this could occur and then circumvent 77 00:04:01,470 --> 00:04:02,270 it from happening. 78 00:04:02,890 --> 00:04:06,670 One way to identify these is to think through past customer 79 00:04:06,990 --> 00:04:10,230 complaint calls or questions that you get when making a sale. 80 00:04:11,060 --> 00:04:14,590 This can actually be a fun thought exercise and lead to 81 00:04:14,590 --> 00:04:16,750 some great social media content too. 82 00:04:17,290 --> 00:04:20,630 You could do a spoof on how not to use your 83 00:04:20,630 --> 00:04:25,030 products and for social reels or even blog articles. 84 00:04:25,270 --> 00:04:29,270 Think about topics that educate and inform your current and potential 85 00:04:29,550 --> 00:04:33,710 customers. Things like how to clean your handmade knitted items, 86 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:38,430 display suggestions for your hand-blown glass vases, 87 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:41,590 storage and guidelines for sterling silver. 88 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:45,860 How to make your candle retain its scent and burn longer, 89 00:04:46,840 --> 00:04:51,230 or a guideline on how long different foods stay fresh. 90 00:04:51,730 --> 00:04:53,070 You get the idea here. 91 00:04:53,710 --> 00:04:56,170 You might even consider including warnings, 92 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:57,290 care directions, 93 00:04:57,300 --> 00:04:59,530 or other guidelines along with each order. 94 00:05:00,490 --> 00:05:02,270 Yes, it's true. 95 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:03,990 No matter what you do, 96 00:05:03,990 --> 00:05:06,750 there will be some customers who don't pay attention. 97 00:05:07,270 --> 00:05:12,150 Don't read product enclosures or flat out wanna test the system. 98 00:05:13,220 --> 00:05:15,160 You can't do anything about that, 99 00:05:15,620 --> 00:05:17,120 but you can do a lot, 100 00:05:17,290 --> 00:05:21,480 perhaps more than you're doing already to ensure every customer has 101 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:23,440 the best experience possible, 102 00:05:23,820 --> 00:05:26,320 and it all starts with asking this question, 103 00:05:27,100 --> 00:05:29,000 how will your product fail? 104 00:05:31,630 --> 00:05:32,600 That's a wrap. 105 00:05:32,900 --> 00:05:34,760 I'm a get to the point kind of girl, 106 00:05:34,860 --> 00:05:37,840 and this is what you can expect from these quick midweek 107 00:05:37,840 --> 00:05:40,480 sessions. Now it's your turn. 108 00:05:41,010 --> 00:05:43,560 Go out and fulfill that dream of yours. 109 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:45,960 Share your handmade products with us. 110 00:05:46,370 --> 00:05:48,640 We want them and they bring us both. 111 00:05:49,010 --> 00:05:50,240 So much happiness.