Posts in marketing
192 | Attracting a diverse audience with visual branding with Dana Kaye, Bouquet Stock Photo
192 | Attracting a diverse audience with visual branding with Dana Kaye, Bouquet Stock Photo

Hey friends! If you’ve used stock photography, you may have noticed how difficult it can be to find diverse imagery. Enter Dana Kaye of Bouquet Stock Photo.

Visual branding can be a huge factor in who we attract to our business. So how can we use visual branding to be more inclusive?

In this episode, Dana and I dig into the importance of visual branding and why creating meaningful connections with our customers is such an important piece of doing business. She also shares her definition of what makes a value based business.

We all want to see ourselves in the products and services we shop for. This is such an important conversation and there are so many actionable take-aways in this episode!

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191 | Why Your Email List Is More Important Than Any Social Media Platform with Meera Kothand
191 | Why Your Email List Is More Important Than Any Social Media Platform with Meera Kothand

Hey friends! Are you utilizing your email list to its full potential? If you aren’t there yet then you’re definitely going to want to tune into this episode with Meera Kothand, email marketing specialist and three-time Amazon best selling author.

This topic is so near and dear to my heart because email marketing is such a powerful tool yet it’s so underutilized by independent brands that sell physical products.

In this episode, Meera and I dig into why your email list is the most valuable platform you have (yes, even more powerful than your favorite social platforms). She talks about how to build your email list with creative lead magnets and strategies for nurturing your audience through a welcome sequence and ongoing, consistent emails.

We also break down some key pointers on how you can get comfortable with selling to your email list so you’ll want to stick around to the end to make sure you hear her advice on this!

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marketingKatie HuntComment
184 | 18 Million Thanks with Juliana & Ryan Kissick, Good Juju Ink
184 | 18 Million Thanks with Juliana & Ryan Kissick, Good Juju Ink

Hey friends! You’re in for a fun episode today. I have Juliana and Ryan Kissick on the show to chat about their business, Good Juju Ink. Juliana founded Good Juju Ink in 2014 and the company is now run by herself, husband Ryan and their dear friend Marina Lieban.

The trio attended Paper Camp Conference in 2018 and it has been so much fun to watch their business blossom since. I was thrilled to talk to them in this episode about an amazing campaign they’ve been working on since the start of the pandemic called 18 Million Thanks.

You’ll hear how they’ve incorporated a give-back program into their business model, their experience working with sales reps and the challenges they’ve faced as their business has grown. Juliana and Ryan share their perspectives on how they divide their responsibilities among each other and how you can get involved in their campaign to send handwritten thank-you notes to America’s 18 million healthcare workers.

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product, marketingKatie HuntComment
182 | How She Got 34,000 More Views on Her Website Using Pinterest with Rachel Ngom
182 | How She Got 34,000 More Views on Her Website Using Pinterest with Rachel Ngom

Hey friends! I am really excited to be sharing the conversation I had with Rachel Ngom who is a business and lead generation expert. Rachel has a super interesting backstory where she went from being on food stamps with negative $400 in her checking account to running a multiple six-figure online business.

Rachel shared her entrepreneurial journey and what led her to where she is today. She talks about how she increased her web traffic by 34,000 views per month using Pinterest! She also shares her advice on using content to create a strong customer experience and putting yourself into the mind of your audience.

She and I discuss the importance of mindset work and professional development and why this is incredibly important for business growth. You’ll also hear her tips on tools to use in your Pinterest strategy, what challenges she faced within her own business and why she recommends people use Pinterest as a part of their marketing strategy.

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marketingKatie HuntComment
179 | How to Host an Instagram Giveaway with Becca Stevens & Alison Tsang
179 | How to Host an Instagram Giveaway with Becca Stevens & Alison Tsang

Hey friends! If you’ve considered joining the Proof to Product LABS community then you’ll enjoy today’s episode. It’s a really fun sneak peek of what we’re doing inside the LABS community as I shared a snippet of a live Coffee Chat we had with our members on the things that they’re trying within their business.

Our Coffee Chat conversations cover a wide range of topics but in this episode, you’ll hear a small segment from our most recent session focused on Instagram Giveaways. I spoke with two business owners who have experience in hosting giveaways, Alison Tsang of Love Through Letterpress and Becca Stevens of Botanical Bright.

These two generously shared their experiences with recent Instagram giveaways. They touched on their goals, the structure they used for the campaigns, technology tools they used to assist and the outcomes they had. We all shared our opinions on the best time to do a giveaway, group giveaways and strategies to incentivize your customers during the purchasing process.

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178 | 7 Ways to Enhance Your Customer Journey with Katie Hunt
178 | 7 Ways to Enhance Your Customer Journey with Katie Hunt

Hey friends! Today’s episode is focused on 7 ways you can enhance your customer journey. Oftentimes we’re so focused on capturing the sale and everything leading up to it. In reality, your customers’ journey begins the moment that they learn about you.

This means the customer journey could start weeks or months before they ever step foot into your store or open your website to look through your shop. That’s why it’s critical to nail down the customer journey so you can create a tribe of raving fans for your brand. Take a listen, jot down some notes and begin to think about some of these tips and how you can implement them in your business to strengthen your customer’s experience.

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176 | Stop Relying on Social Media to Pitch Your Products with Mei Pak, Creative Hive Co
176 | Stop Relying on Social Media to Pitch Your Products with Mei Pak, Creative Hive Co

Hey friends! I am super excited for you to listen in on today’s conversation with Mei Pak, founder of Creative Hive Co. and Tiny Hands. She’s been running her creative, handmade business since 2006 and coaching makers since 2014. She even taught her husband how to start selling personalized art and now makes over $55,000 per month in sales!

Mei is all about creating a consistent income without relying too much on social media. In this episode, you’ll hear the 4 steps for pitching your products to media outlets and the difference of proactive versus reactive marketing.

She talks about leveraging Facebook ads to generate sales and why she recommends learning, testing and DIYing over hiring an agency. We also touched on why you HAVE to know your numbers and ensure that your products are priced correctly before jumping into paid advertising.

This episode is jam-packed with SO much tactical, strategic advice and concrete examples - so grab a notebook and let’s dive in!

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product, marketingKatie HuntComment
175 | Feeling Fragmented with Katie Hunt
175 | Feeling Fragmented with Katie Hunt

I know 2020 hasn’t been an easy year for any of us so I wanted to share a quick episode with you today about feeling fragmented.

This was a vulnerable episode for me to record, because I’m sharing my personal experience of feeling depleted and unfocused.

But, having talked with close friends, colleagues, clients and members of my communities -- I know I’m not alone in this.

People are tapped out. We’re exhausted. We’re mentally, emotionally and physically drained.

Take a listen to hear my experience with feeling fragmented this year and 5 important things to keep in mind as we continue to navigate through this “new normal”.

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Operations & Sales, marketingKatie HuntComment
174 | What are 3PLs or Fulfillment Centers with Allen Befort, Givington's
174 | What are 3PLs or Fulfillment Centers with Allen Befort, Givington's

Fulfillment has been a hot topic in our Proof to Product communities lately so I wanted to bring on a special guest to chat about how fulfillment works from the 3PL side of things.

I was joined by Allen Befort of Givington’s, a fulfillment company that pays attention to the small details so you can focus on the bigger picture of your business. Allen jokes that he kind of fell into starting this business with a friend. Seven years later they’ve seen great success and pride themselves on the relationships they’ve built with their customers and the genuine, personalized experience that they can create with their partners.

Allen and I covered a lot of ground in this episode and it's rich with information for anyone who may be considering outsourcing their warehousing and fulfillment process. We went over the logistics of working with a 3PL including how to know if you’re ready, technology integrations they have, questions to ask when interviewing fulfillment centers and common pricing models. We also talk about why it’s critical to build trust and relationships when outsourcing fulfillment.

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product, marketingKatie HuntComment
173 | Creating Social Change Through Products & Intentional Business Practices with Betsy Garcia, Bloomwolf Studio
173 | Creating Social Change Through Products & Intentional Business Practices with Betsy Garcia, Bloomwolf Studio

Hey friends! I am really excited for you to listen in to today’s episode with Betsy Garcia of Bloomwolf Studio. Betsy was on her way to medical school when she decided she wanted to pursue the small business life and sell her art. Bloomwolf Studio is a Latina owned & operated illustration and design studio based in Orlando that strives to create change through art and messaging.

In this powerful and transparent episode, Betsy and I talk about the mission behind Bloomwolf and how Betsy and her husband Luis actively weave their personal beliefs into their everyday business practices.

Betsy shares details about developing and expanding her product line, including mistakes they made in their first product runs.

We also talked about business finances. At the beginning of 2020, Betsy and Luis set out to increase their annual revenue by 25% and they exceeded this in the first 8 months of the year. Betsy talks about tools they use to track their financial progress and what they’ve done to pivot their business model to stay on track with these financial goals, despite the pandemic.

And, we capped off the convo talking about TikTok. How she’s using it to promote her brand and products, how she gained 7,500 users in her first month on the platform and what she does to plan out her marketing for the year.

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product, marketing, wholesaleKatie HuntComment
172 | Faire Summer Market Recap with Katie Hunt
172 | Faire Summer Market Recap with Katie Hunt

Hey friends! Today I want to chat with you about the recent Faire Summer market and share both insights and concerns after leading hundreds of people through what is likely our first of many online trade shows.

I’m happy to report that our Paper Camp alumni community and LABS members had some strong sales during the show. Some received a handful of orders, while others secured more than 40 orders in a two day span. In addition to the cash influx, I was pleased to hear that many in our community received wholesale orders from new stores they had never worked with and many had reorders from past accounts who were reconnecting.

In this episode I’m walking you through pros and cons of these types of shows, why I’m not a fan of discounting your products to get sales and why you should continue your marketing post-show.

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tradeshows, wholesale, Operations & Sales, marketingKatie HuntComment
171 | How to Take Professional Product Photos with Your Smart Phone with Chaitra Radhakrishna, PinkPot Studio
171 | How to Take Professional Product Photos with Your Smart Phone with Chaitra Radhakrishna, PinkPot Studio

Hey friends! With the world being such a visual place, more and more of our customers are relying on product photography to tell them a story. We only have a few seconds to quickly grab our customers’ attention and get them engaged in what we’re selling.

That’s why in this episode I’m talking with Chaitra Radhakrishna. Chaitra is the founder of PinkPot Studio, a Shopify design and photography studio specifically for product-based business owners.

Chaitra shared so much valuable information in this episode about how to nail your product photography. You’ll hear about the 7 different product shots that you can take (and tips on deciding which shots to take). She also shares her 5 step process for taking photos with your smartphone which, spoiler alert: you don’t need to invest in fancy equipment or tools.

Be sure to listen with a notebook handy because she gives us so many insider tips on using the “rule of thirds”, apps she recommends for editing photos and her secret formula for editing photos in lightroom: making the whites low, turning the highlights up, going high on shadows and low on blacks.

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product, marketingKatie HuntComment
169 | Strengthening Our Customer Experience with Jordan Kentris, A Good Day
169 | Strengthening Our Customer Experience with Jordan Kentris, A Good Day

Hey friends! Have you ever considered what it might be like to marry your interests and passions within your business? In this episode, I brought on Jordan Kentris of A Good Day, a bespoke experience studio specializing in custom stationery, events, branding and user experience.

Jordan has taken his love for physical products and his background in User Experience (UX) to create a better customer journey for his clients. We talk about what he’s done to create this process for his customers and the benefits that come with developing a strong focus on customer experience.

He gives us a better look into how you can incorporate this into your email marketing strategy and what data you should be looking for to create change within your business. Be sure to take notes because Jordan shares a few concrete strategies you can implement and his favorite tech tools for tracking customer engagement on your website.

If you want to learn more from Jordan, join us in Proof to Product LABS. He’s one of our LABS members and we have a special Coffee Chat coming up where he’ll answer user experience questions for the group!

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Operations & Sales, product, marketingKatie HuntComment
168 | Reframing a 'No' Into a 'Not Right Now' with Tiffany McGraw, Paper Rehab
168 | Reframing a 'No' Into a 'Not Right Now' with Tiffany McGraw, Paper Rehab

Hey friends! It’s no secret that putting yourself out there can be a huge hurdle for many entrepreneurs. In today’s episode, I was joined by Paper Camp Alum and LABS member, Tiffany McGraw of Paper Rehab. Tiffany gives us insight into her own experience of overcoming the vulnerability of pitching herself as an entrepreneur by reframing the word “no” to “not right now” in her mind.

Tiffany has a wonderful mission behind her brand which was designed to normalize and focus on mental health care, especially for those in the African American community. She initially started her business to fulfill her dream of seeing herself reflected on greeting cards.

She shares so much wisdom in this episode about how she overcame challenges that she’s faced in her business, mindset changes she made around making a living selling greeting cards and why you need to know your “why” for doing what you do.

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marketing, pep talk, wholesaleKatie HuntComment
164 | Building a Multi-Faceted Creative Business with Amber Kemp-Gerstel, Damask Love
164 | Building a Multi-Faceted Creative Business with Amber Kemp-Gerstel, Damask Love

Hey friends! Have you ever wondered what it might be like to turn your hobby into a business? That’s exactly what today’s guest, Amber Kemp-Gertstel did and today she came on to talk about her journey in the crafting industry.

Amber is a powerhouse. Not only does she have a blog called Damask Love but she also runs YayDay Paper Co., selling digital products and leveraging a subscription model. You might recognize her from NBC’s TV show, Making It (she was a finalist in 2018) or from being the host of Disney Family Sundays on Disney+.

In this episode, she talks about how she got into her business and how she was able to start working with big brands in the industry. She shares some tips for how she sends pitches and why you have to make it really easy for people to say, ‘yes!’

We also talk about why representation matters and how the creative community can step up to uplift other artists, crafters and makers of color. This is very important work that we’re taking seriously at Proof to Product and I appreciated her for sharing her thoughts and opinions about how we can take steps forward with grace (even though we may make mistakes along the way).

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wholesale, Operations & Sales, marketingKatie HuntComment
162 | Pinterest Strategies with Diana Keeler, A+ Pins
162 | Pinterest Strategies with Diana Keeler, A+ Pins

Hey friends! Does Pinterest sometimes feel like just another social media platform you have to keep up with? I’m here to tell you this: it’s so much more than that. Pinterest is a powerful search engine, much like Google and by leveraging your Pinterest strategy, you could potentially be bringing tons of traffic to your website.

That’s why I wanted to bring on Diana Keeler. Diana has worked for and contributed to some of the biggest editorial outlets in the world and now works with retailers and editors to capture the attention of new readers and potential buyers on Pinterest.

Today Diana and I talk about playing the long game of Pinterest. We talk about everything from how to get started, why you need to optimize your pins and keywords and what tools to use to create a consistent pinning strategy. We also chat about the Verified Merchant Program that Pinterest recently rolled out and why you should consider investing in advertising on Pinterest.

If you’re ready to up your Pinterest strategy or want to learn how to bring over more people to your website from Pinterest then this is the episode for you!

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Operations & Sales, marketingKatie HuntComment
161 | Optimizing our website with Jessica Freeman, Jess Creatives
161 | Optimizing our website with Jessica Freeman, Jess Creatives

Hey friends! Did you know that when someone lands on your website you only have 5 seconds to capture their attention? That’s not a lot of time, so I wanted to bring on an expert to help you better understand how you can maximize those 5 seconds and get people to stick around longer.

Whether you’ve been in business for many years or are just getting started you’re in for a treat with this guest, Jessica Freeman. Jessica Freeman is the founder of Jess Creatives. She is a web designer, tech strategist, and an expert in all things SEO and website optimization. Jessica is someone who has a wealth of knowledge in this field and has been a huge help to me and my business for the last five years.

She shares so much helpful insight today about leveraging keywords for SEO (including how to research keywords and where to put them on your website). We talk about the mistakes many business owners make on their websites so you know exactly what to avoid!

We chat about everything from navigation bars and product thumbnails to her thoughts on using carousel images. She also shares tools you can use for research and analyzing your audience’s behavior. Be sure to stick around to the end to hear the three takeaways that I want you to get from this episode!

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Operations & Sales, marketingKatie HuntComment
154 | Writing Copy That Converts with Prerna Malik, Content Bistro
154 | Writing Copy That Converts with Prerna Malik, Content Bistro

Hey friends! Are you ready for copy that converts? If you said yes, which I am sure you did then I am positive you’ll enjoy today’s episode. I had a conversation with Prerna Malik, a certified conversion copywriter and co-founder of Content Bistro.

Prerna has mastered the recipe for writing copy that balances persuasion and personality with the scientific precision of conversion science to ensure that you are maximizing sales.

Prerna shares some of her BEST copywriting tips (and mistakes to watch out for!) She goes in-depth on how to use tools such as heat mapping to measure if your copy is working for you. You’ll hear what you should look for when hiring a copywriter including what you should have in place beforehand. She also shares why your copy needs personalization to be effective.

If you’ve got copy that just isn’t giving you the results you desire then you’ll definitely want to hear this episode.

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pep talk, marketingKatie HuntComment
145 | Transitioning From Etsy to Your Own Website With Rebecca Inkrote, Bex Marie
145 | Transitioning From Etsy to Your Own Website With Rebecca Inkrote, Bex Marie

Today’s guest Rebecca Inkrote has a fantastic story that I can’t wait to share with you guys. She gives her insight on the best ways to transition from a third party platform to your own website (plus how to build brand recognition and steps to make it go smooth).

Rebecca got her start in the creative entrepreneur space when she started making soaps as a hobby. It quickly turned into a business that brought her into Facebook groups with other handmade business owners and it was there where she recognized how much she could help entrepreneurs in this space.

As a graphic designer, she was well versed in the areas of technology and found this niche of hers to be an area she could stand out in. In this episode, Rebecca shares how she stumbled into this path, the growing pains one can face when transitioning from a third party platform to their own website and the benefits of having your own eCommerce website.

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Operations & Sales, marketingKatie HuntComment
132 | Creating great photos & social media content with Alisha Cohen, LISH Creative
132 | Creating great photos & social media content with Alisha Cohen, LISH Creative

Today we’re lucky to have Alisha Cohen on Episode 132 of Proof to Product. Alisha is the founder and creative director of LISH Creative, a content agency for vibrant lifestyle and hospitality brands. Alisha took the leap to found her company in 2016 when she realized she had to leave agency life to break out on her own. Since then, Alisha and her team have created content for some of the world's leading brands including Nickelodeon, Nestle, General Mills, Facebook, Dunkin' Donuts, Delta Airlines, and Benefits Cosmetics. 

On today's episode, Alisha shares her start up story and how she grew her business through determination and grit. She tells us how she taught herself to take professional photos using just her iphone and to create engaging content for social media. Alisha and I also talk about tips for preparing for photo shoots, the importance of having a shot list and helpful photo editing apps. We dive into what’s working and not working on social media today, how Alisha has now moved from having an in person team to a virtual team and all of the challenges that go along with that. 

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product, Operations & Sales, marketingKatie HuntComment