Ep 77: How to turn your small online store into a 7-figure empire

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Transcript

0:00

Welcome to the show today, we're going to discuss how you can turn your small online store into a seven figure business. What I'm going to do is pop in an Instagram live that I recorded. And it's a 20 minute live and I really feel like it. Describes what it takes in order to make this happen for you in your business. So without further ado, let's get into the live.

Speaker 10: 0:25

We are going to talk about how you can turn your small online store into a seven. figure empire. I know you're out there and you feel like you want to build something really big for yourself. Most people, when they start an online store, they just kind of are doing it as a side hobby or maybe it's just something they want to make a little extra money. But I know that you are totally different. You don't just want to be another online boutique. You don't just want to be another quote unquote online store selling Judy Blue Jeans. You want to build something super unique and super authentic that feels really good and really fun to show up and be in every single day. So today I'm going to talk about the way that I help small online stores actually totally change the game in how they show up and create content so they can start creating more regular online sales. So, oh my gosh, Nicole's over here too. Nicole, we just got off of TikTok live. Now we're over here on Instagram. Hannah's in the house. Hannah's in VIP. Hannah, I was just talking about you on TikTok, by the way. Um, I didn't say your name, but I was talking about how you had that awakening where you're like, I am still playing small. What the F is going on? That was just so cool. Such a great moment. Um, yeah, Nicole, you're just going to be like. And all the, the, you know, the stuff today, seeing, hearing all the good tea. But what I wanted to talk about today in this live is more about Um, how you can create content that's actually going to draw customers to you and make it feel so much easier for you to actually build a big business. Because so many times when we show up and we start selling, and this is like across the board what I see the most when people start selling online, or even if you've been doing this for a while and you feel like you're not getting results, usually this is what I see when I look at your content. It's just like very different. Product heavy so it's over and over and over again pushing product pushing product pushing product And what happens is that? Gets to be very number one frustrating for you because you feel like you're posting all the freaking time and you're not seeing results But also it gets lost in a sea of noise because there's so many stores online trying to sell their products And this is what I call, and what most people get stuck doing, is product based marketing. And this is what a lot of people are freaking telling you to do. So don't feel bad if this is you and you're out here and you're like, Girl, they're telling me to post three to five times a day and I'm doing it and I'm still not seeing anything. But yeah, um, it comes down to the fact that you're You're doing product focused marketing. And again, people are teaching you to do this. So this is not something that you should feel bad about. And it's also like innately what we feel like we should be doing. Most people think if I want to sell my products, I need to just show all my products. Here's my new arrival. I have this new unboxing. I got this cute dress in, here's a selfie picture of me in it. But what happens is, That, again, time after time after time, ends up falling flat online, so you feel like you don't have a brand or a business that's stopping the scroll. You don't have people engaging with your stuff. People aren't commenting, and they're certainly not buying the inventory as quickly as you're pushing it online. So instead, what I like to teach my students, the women inside Trendsetter, anyone in my community, is we do customer focused marketing. So, this is a whole new way of showing up online and selling your products and it feeling way easier, way less like icky salesy, and way more fun at the end of the day. Because what you're doing is you're putting the customer as the primary focus of your marketing. Meaning anytime you're posting content, It's about them, their life, their needs, their desires, and how you can help them with the products that you have. Instead of you trying to like force it on them, like, I've got this dress, you need this dress, I've got this shirt, I've got this, you know, whatever the case may be, whatever you sell. A lot of times we're just like, look at me, look at my great stuff. And they're over there going, okay, yeah, you and everybody else has this great stuff, so what makes you different? I mean, they're not saying this, but this is like subconsciously what happens. So instead what you have to do is you have to post content that speaks directly to your target market. And this is, again, a whole different way of showing up online that honestly, I was saying in my Instagram stories today, sometimes it feels illegal. Because once you figure out this strategy and you nail down your ideal customer and you nail down this strategy and it comes together, things are gonna feel way easier and almost like you're not doing nearly as much work as you did before because Your work is so much more specialized and focused on results as opposed to just check it off a box that you posted today. Feeling like you, you know, showed up and did your job. But at the end of the day, you still aren't doing the actual right things to get you sales from strangers on the internet. This is a whole learned skill. Again, this is not something you're born with. Most people are born with the idea that they're gonna sell and they're gonna create an online store or create a boutique. They're gonna show up online, they're gonna post about their products and people are gonna buy. How many of us know that that's not how it works now, right? We're like, okay, I'm great at buying inventory, but it's the whole selling it where I get stuck. And this is what I see time and time again with women that are just coming into my community or we're just starting to work together in trendsetter or in VIP. It always is like very eyeopening. Cause it's like, okay, I see that that was, was just kind of like not going to be the way that it's going to actually generate sales. So instead what we do is we focus on a few like super important things and I want you to think about this and even audit your own content. So if you're watching this live or you're watching this as a replay on my page, what I want you to do is look at your own content today. Like when this live is over, exit out, look at it. Even if you're inside the membership. Even if you're working with me already. And go, how, how much of my content is really just me pushing products? Now, when you're building a following, You really need to hone in on the customer focused marketing. Once you've got a following and people are obsessed with you and your brand, you can start adding in more and more about your products. But really, and not even, not always that's the case, but for some people that is the case. But really what you need to do is look at your content and go how much of this content is product based marketing. Meaning all I'm doing is showing up, saying I have a new arrival, and showing a picture of it. Or maybe it's a reel, like it's you in the outfit and you're talking about it. And how much of my content is truly me showing up with my customer at the forefront of my content. This is the whole freaking key here. The better and better you get at putting your customer at the forefront of your content, the more they're scrolling and they see something from you and it literally feels like you are talking to them. Like, you see them as a human. It's not just another person that you're trying to get their credit card to cha ching so you get the noise from Shopify that we all love. All of a sudden they feel seen and they're like, Wait. Who's this girl? What has she got going on? And they connect with you on a different level. Then they go to your page and they see what you sell, they see the messaging that you have, they see how you communicate, and post after post after post feels like you are speaking to them. And they go to your website and they get that same messaging and that same experience where it's not about you trying to do like a money grab on them. It's about you connecting with them and being like, I know what you need because I, most of the time, you're just like your customer. So you already know what they freaking need. So you just show up with that leading the content. And a lot of times, like 99 percent of the time, this is totally missing out of anybody's content strategy. And it's why it feels very frustrating selling online. But as soon as you start adding this element in, and I'm telling you the better and better you get at this, it's almost like every single time you post, and I have women that have said this, and I think I posted it in my Instagram stories, you get to the point where every single time you post, you know you're gonna make a sale. Because you know exactly how to speak to your customer, what they need, and how you can help them every single day in their life by what you sell. And this is how you truly go from just being another online store that's trying to grow to actually building a seven figure empire. It's this strategy works for anybody, anywhere in the world that sells products online. And more and more and more, this strategy is a must have. Ten years ago, it wasn't like this. Back in the day, you could post something online and it was still a new thing. So people would be buying it up like crazy. Even during COVID, right? Because everyone had all this extra money that the government was sending. And it was like, let's just shop online. But now that the dust has settled from that, and online shopping has been around for years. It takes more skill to be seen and heard and to make sales online. I remember the days of the Wild Wild West when we all had Facebook pages and you could post like a pair of shoes on your Facebook page you were selling and you would get like 20 comments and sell out instantly. Because it was new, there wasn't a lot of people doing it. Now there's hundreds of thousands of online stores vying for attention and the way you win someone's attention is by connecting with them, not selling to them. So that's why this whole customer focused marketing, this term that I've been using that I feel like I've coined, I don't know, I haven't heard anyone else saying it. But this is why this this concept that I'm teaching and around my seven figure formula This is what the difference maker is for women that truly want to build a big business Now if you're out there and you're like, oh, I just want to get a sale once in a while I don't care. I just love to shop. I love buying stuff like and really this is just a side hobby I'm over here like full time doing another job and this is just for fun. Great. I love that for you Super cute, but here in our community. That's not what we're trying to do. We're trying to build Really massive big seven figure online stores where we can build wealth for ourselves for our family Maybe you're like first generation entrepreneur and you're like going all in and it feels scary and it feels exciting But you know, this is what you want. That's what this Community is about and that's what this style of marketing is for that person that person that really wants to have Loyal freaking customers. Like, I've had customers that have been buying from me for ten years! And it's like, it's not that different stuff, like, but they just love what we stand for. And they love the connection that they have to the community. And that's one thing I was talking about on my Instagram stories today as well, is how so much of this is, like, when people buy clothes, and they buy, like, especially when it comes to clothes. So if you're a boutique, listen up, or a apparel. It's not just about buying the clothes, there's more that goes into it, especially when you're selling online, they have to feel a connection. So for me, like, for example, like, this says Long Live Cowgirls, okay. This is one, something you can buy from my brand. This is like a bumper sticker. It may, you know how people like to put bumper stickers on their car because they claim something like funny, or like it's like something bold, or maybe it's political, it's because people want the world to know about them. What they stand for, what, like, who's their vibe, right? We, we like to feel part of something as humans. This is like human psychology, okay? We, we like to feel a part of something. And this is the same thing when you're selling clothes. You're selling, uh, a community. You're selling, you know, a, a status, maybe. You're selling a connection, a bumper sticker. Now, maybe you're like, okay, I don't sell t shirts with graphics on them. It doesn't matter. Let's say you're selling athleisure wear. Two piece outfits, whatever. And you do the trendy, like, you know, cute cross body bag with the chunky sneakers. And like, you know the look, the cute bag and the sunglasses. That is a whole lifestyle. You're selling being a part of that. And so when women are looking at your stuff, they're not just looking at clothes. They're looking at, is this going to fit my lifestyle? And this is like, literally, this chat, this live will change your life. And I'm not even being dramatic. Because this is how you build a million dollar company, selling online. It's not from showing up and doing what everybody else is doing and, you know, getting lost in a sea of other businesses. It's from, from understanding that this is part of human psychology. And connecting with people on social media is part of growing your business and you have to understand how it works. It's not just, let me tell you what my new arrivals every week. It's building. A community that they want to feel a part of, they feel seen. So that's why my customers have been with me for 10 years. You know how many times I put cowgirls on t shirts and sweatshirts? Thousands! Okay? But every single I just scared my dog on that. It's okay, Noodle. But thousands of times. Thousands of times in 10 years. And it's about buying, being a part of the culture. Right? Showing that you, showing the world that you love everything cowgirl and that's who you are and you want people to know that. You want to be walking around Walmart and someone's going to look at you and go, I get what her thing is. Maybe not Walmart, that's like what we have here, but maybe it's, you know, I don't know, Neiman Marcus. Maybe it's going to coffee, right? Like, think about your clothes, your wardrobe says something about who you are. It's just, it just does. So when you start looking at it from a perspective of like, it's not just about putting on, you know, these jeans. They've got pockets in the front and the back and a stretchy waist. It's like, okay, great, like everybody's making jeans like that. What's, what's the lifestyle of the person wearing the jeans? Do they need something to wear change into after they're nine to five to go, you know, bar hopping with their college girlfriends that they've all in their first corporate career. They like, they go to the bar afterwards every single Thursday to talk about all the shit that went down in the office that week. Like you got to get into the heads of your customers. Imagine you sold jeans and that's what you're talking about in your content. And like, let's say that's like kind of you, right? Or that's who you relate to and that's who you feel like you can help. And you're like, and you say, I know that on Thursday nights, you guys have gossip about what goes down in the office and like you want, you know, the perfect dress to go to this like highfalutin place that you guys show up to and you drink like all the fancy cocktails, even though you're like, you can barely make rent, you're like, still, I'll take the 25 drink and this is the conversation you're having with your customer instead of saying, Hey guys, I got a new arrival. I got some jeans, like they're stretchy. It's a big difference. And this, again, through and through, will be what makes or breaks your business online. It's learning to sell to your customers in a way that is not salesy, in a way where they feel extremely connected to you, in a way where they want to buy from you every single week. I have people that, that's me. I could buy from them every single week. If they're on my feed, I'm like, oh my god, I just love them. But you find something I like. Because they get me. And they get, like, what I need. And it's, it makes it a one stop shop for me. I'm not having to, like, scroll for hours on, like, I don't know, frickin Amazon or something like that and trying to find, like, something that I like. They already have everything that I like. It's convenience. And I will, through and through, spend way more money with someone that gets me, and that feels convenient, and that I know that they're going to have stuff that I like, and if I need something for a certain occasion, or whatever the case may be, that's my go to person. That's what is available to you. As a brand owner, a boutique owner, someone selling online. And again, this goes for, I don't care what kind of products you sell, if you sell a physical product, this is the key to the whole equation. Yes, you can learn strategy on urgency and scarcity and SEO and this and that, but it's, at the end of the day, if you don't have this part down, none of that's going to matter. That's the cold hard truth. So, I don't know if it's a cold hard truth, I'm being a little dramatic, but that's the scoop, right? That's how you move product quickly and massively and you gain a big following and you do it over and over for years and years. And you get loyal customers that stick with you for 10 years and they, and you could go from selling like cups to ball gowns. And they will be with you through and through. Cause they're lifers. Cause they, they love you, what you represent, your, the lifestyle that you share with them, like it's the whole package. So don't get, I'm going to say a few things here and then I'll wrap it up cause this is like again a TED talk, right? I don't even know how long it's been, but don't get too wrapped up in all of the little things. They may seem big to you, but they're little in comparison to what you need to learn when it comes to doing customer focused marketing. Don't get so caught up in the learning how to be on the first page of Google, trying to figure out how to run Facebook ads, thinking that that's going to be what's going to scale your business, trying to, I don't know, go viral, chase trends, do all these little things, have the perfect font on your website, like, literally you could have the crappiest website in the entire universe if you master customer focused marketing, which is what I teach you inside Trendsetter, you could have the shittiest website in the entire world and you will still sell out of product. That's the bottom line. That is the truth. Okay? So I really want you to get good at this. Figure out your customers. Again, go audit your content. Look at it top to bottom. How much of it are you just shoving product down our faces? Or are you speaking to your customer like they're a real person? Do you know their lifestyle? Can you talk to me about what they're doing on the weekend? How do they spend their days? Where do they spend their money? What cuts do they like? What colors are they wearing? Do you know all that stuff? That's the important stuff. Switch your focus from your business, trying to make your business perfect, to just talking to your customers. That's the end game. Okay. I love you. Thank you for watching my Ted talk tonight. I hope you enjoyed it. If you have any questions about the trendsetter membership or jumping in VIP, I think VIP is sold out for the first, uh, for the beginning of March. It has been. Like, y'all have been up in the DMs wanting in, and I keep the group very small. So, um, just DM me if you're interested in VIP. What that is, is not only do you get the Trendsetter membership, but you also get upgraded into weekly coaching with me. So this is if you feel like you want that lightning speed momentum, you want results really quickly, you want me in your back pocket giving you that expert support, that expert advice, telling you, you know, exactly what to do, that guidance. That's what you get inside VIP. So you get the trendsetter membership, which has all the amazing trainings, the amazing community of women, but in VIP, you also get weekly coaching with me. So if you have any questions about that, or you want to talk to me about VIP, or you want to jump inside the trendsetter membership, but maybe you still feel like a little bit scared. We've all been there. Just DM me and I am like very approachable. Don't think that like I'm this. Scary person behind the screen. Um, and just ask me any questions that you have. I can't wait to hear from you guys. Thank you again for listening to my TED Talk tonight. Don't forget! Focus on your customers. That's it. Okay? I love you. Have an amazing evening.

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Bye!