Hi Friends. Let’s chat about the shop, mkay? Last week was tough. I put up a blog post about my shop and then pulled it down. It didn’t seem fitting so much once I realized that I need to promote my shop and what I do on a more regular basis. I think most people know that I teach classes, but I’m not sure that they know that I sell stuff too. I make things. I love making things. I love using my hands. I’m not the most creative person but I do like to make. And bake. And garden. But you all know that. What you might not know is that I source ingredients for my products as locally and sustainably as I can. So, for example, my salves. They are made with only 3 ingredients and there’s a reason for that. The reason being is that I can source those 3 ingredients within 200 miles from where I live. And that’s important to me. I think people like to see that kind of product, but unless I tell you about it I don’t think people realize or understand. So my lesson from last week was to promote my business more. I think I’ve tended to shy away from being a ‘sales person’ because I want to teach people and interact and I always think that if I try to sell my products that people will be turned off by that and not want to interact. But then I look around the internets and people are really trying to sell their stuff and we don’t seem to shy away from that too much. And really, if someone doesn’t like that I am trying to sell my small business and the items I make and teach, then they aren’t my customer anyway right? So. Here I am pretty much screaming that I am going to start advertising and selling and talking about my products and business more. I’m not going to make every post about it but I’ll start including more information about it here and on social media. I love what I do and I want to make it work. I want to live this dream that I’ve had for a long time and I would love it if you all came along on the complete journey with me!
Last week I put out the call on Instagram that I needed some love and the response was fantastic! Not only did they come together and share my stuff, but my shop is almost sold out! Talk about needing to feel loved. I still feel the love. It was a total boost and I needed it. And then Tracy put out the call on social media and her blog about supporting small businesses (mine included) and now I’m happy to give back by sharing shops and small businesses over on instagram. If you’d like to be featured please let me know!
So, with all that said, let’s talk some products in my shop and what I love about them. I’m working on restocking the shop this week after I take inventory and purchase some more supplies. But I also have a couple of limited edition items as well as some one-offs that I am listing in the shop. The limited edition items are two different kinds of salves. One is a basil lemon salve. I infused sunflower oil with basil preserved from my garden last year. And then I used that oil with local beeswax and then added basil and lemongrass essential oils. I made it last week when I was helping with a class from my local cooperative extension. And then I made a ditch daisy salve. I, again, infused sunflower oil with daisies that I picked and then dried from around the homestead. Then I add the local beeswax and again used lemongrass essential oil. Boy they are the sweetest salves! And they have the same uses as my other salves. And I’m happy to report that before I could even get the Ditch Daisy salve listed in the shop, it sold out! I won’t have any more until daisies are in bloom, but I will have other fun infused salves soon. Stay tuned.
I’m also listing some one-offs. They are lip balms that just didn’t set up as nicely as the other ones. Or they’re tins of salve that are only half full and I can’t really sell them as full containers. So I’m listing them as discounted items in the shop. If you’ve wanted to try something but didn’t want to commit to a full bottle of something, now’s your chance. Oh I also have a one-off candle that I made and unfortunately made a mistake when it was drying and it has a big line through the top. So it will be sold as a one off as well. I was making a custom candle and had just enough ingredients left over to fill a sweet little vintage creamer and make a cedarwood candle. It was so nice. The smell was great. And then in the drying process I botched it! So in the one-off sales it goes.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my kits (you can see them here, here, here, and here). I love these kits. They are so near and dear to my heart. I love everything about them from the actual hand-stamped logo to the contents in those cute little reusable containers to the recipe card. Moving forward I’ll be adding in the containers for each kit. I was leaving that out but I think I’ll start adding that in once I restock everything. So stay tuned for details on that. But these kits…why do I love them so? It’s because they’re like a class in a bag. I know a lot of people can’t make it to one of my classes for various reasons and this kit is like having a class in your own home. WIthout me there of course. But still. If someone wanted to learn to make something this is a way for them to do it. All the ingredients and instructions are right there. I love teaching and this just seems like an extension of that.
So I’ll be chatting about my shop more. And I’ll be chatting about my classes--both the virtual ones and the in-person ones (once we’re able to have those again). I’ll be chatting about my business. I’ll be chatting about making and doing and sharing with you all the things that I’m doing both in the shop and outside the shop. And that makes me excited and happy again. Thanks for this friends! And thanks for your continued support.
’til next time
-k
xoxo
Leslie Susan Clingan
Some day I would like to take either the cheese making or the candle making. Maybe once life settles down? In the meantime, going to look into ordering some salve.
So happy that you are feeling better about things. Maybe this quarantine stuff was just what we all needed to clear our heads and decide what we want to be doing with our lives.
chickenlibrarian
YES! Exactly. I don’t think I realized how much the quarantine was affecting me. But I do feel better now. I feel like my head is clear and I can truly focus on what needs to be done. Someone sent me a message saying they’d ‘been in a funk’ and I thought ‘yes! That’s exactly what’s been going on’.
Anyway, I would love to have you join me for a class or purchase some salve. I’ll be adding more salves and lip balms this weekend. Some will be different than my usual ones I mentioned above. Wink Wink.
xoxo
Tracy
First, thanks so much for the shout outs in your post, Kristin! That is incredibly kind and very much appreciated. Although I’m not “selling” a product on my site (with an exception of those few small Amazon ads), gaining relevant traffic from a like-minded community makes my day. And when people comment, I’m over the moon! 🙂
Here are my thoughts on sales and selling…
There is such a thing as “noble sales.” Selling a product or service – or even a luxury – does not have to be smarmy! If you are providing what someone wants at a fair price, there is no need to feel “embarrassed” about telling people what you offer and asking them to buy it. In fact, it can be a great service to them and a happy experience for all.
I was reminded of this just last night. During the pandemic, we have been avoiding the grocery store completely. An unforeseen benefit of staying in is that we reconnected with a beef, chicken, and pork farmer just up the road that we used to buy from up until a few years ago. They offer a wonderful product and we are happy customers.
And yet, in only a few weeks of purchasing directly from our farmer friends, they reported back: we can’t fill your order this week. We are out!
What were we to do? Here’s where the story takes a twist. A couple of summers ago, we attended a local farmers market. We met a lady who raised beef, pork, chickens, and more. We purchased some of her product and were pleased. But we already had a meat source, so we didn’t need to return.
Fast forward to a couple of months back, before the Covid-19 crisis erupted: I was looking up resources online and remembered that “other farmer.” I thought to myself, I should look up her website, maybe sign up for a newsletter, and learn what they are selling locally. I did just that.
For a couple of months now, I have been receiving her e-newsletter and I really enjoy it. She includes photos and stories, as well as products, prices, pick-up “meat up” locations, dates and times, and more. She writes about her philosophy and what they are experiencing as a result of the pandemic. Her tone is reassuring, helpful, and kind.
Back to last night: Our farmer up the road reported no products for sale until next week. Mr. Gordon and I were shocked – and suddenly worried. We know that sometimes they might be out of a popular item from time to time, like bacon, but… everything?
What to do?
Then I remembered the e-newsletter I received from “the other farmer.” I looked in my inbox – there it was. I re-read the email, noted the specials, the packages, the choices. The products were appealing and priced right.
After a fast email Q&A with the farmer (she provided excellent education on certain items, like A2 milk), we placed an order for $300. We will pick it up at a drive-thru location on Saturday.
And that’s the point of this writing: when “noble selling” happens, everybody wins. The seller (the farmer), the buyer (me), and ultimately, our community wins – because we keep goods and services going as much as we can in a tumultuous economy.
So sell, Kristin, sell! Sell with passion, with honesty, with a noble heart and tongue! Those who choose to be your customers will benefit and will be happier for it. Truly.
(I am keeping the candle-making kit. I want to do something fun. I can always buy another for my friend’s birthday – it’s months away.) 🙂
chickenlibrarian
Tracy!! You are such a dear! It’s been a long road getting to this point where I feel like it’s okay to promote my business. I mean, I can promote the classes like no one’s business, but when it comes to actually promoting my business as a whole or my products, I just feel like I fell short. But the past few weeks have really motivated me to keep plugging away. I feel like I have a renewed sense of purpose with the business too. I can’t explain it. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve seen what promoting the business can do (lots of sales!) or if things calming down here on the homestead have given me a sense of relief. I’m not sure, but I do know that in order to make sales I must promote the business.
Anyway, I do thank you for always being such a dear and such a cheerleader! I’m so happy to have met you and have you in my corner.
xoxo