Teaching Tuesday: How To Manufacture Green Products

Tara Kelly submitted this question to our survey:

What is the best way to manufacture a product in a green way and what is the best way to know if JVing with a manufacturer would be in the best interests of all involved?

I decided to bring in a natural (green) business expert, Carrie Lauth of Natural Mom Business Guide, to answer this question.

She suggests several ways to ensure that your product is manufactured and distributed in a way that is not harmful to the earth.

Carrie’s recommendations include:

• Use organic ingredients in your product.
• Package it with recyclable packaging. For beauty products, there is nothing like good old glass for aesthetics - and glass is infinitely recyclable. If you’re using plastic, be sure it’s a type that can be recycled and it should also be BPA and phtalate free.
• You can buy packing peanuts that are compostable and biodegradable.
• Use recycled or reused paper for your packing slips and tags.
• Another fun idea would be to include eco living tips with your product shipments to help raise awareness.
• Consider creating online FAQs and reports to answer customer questions instead of printing out customer instruction sheets.
• Buy energy offsets and advertise the fact that you do this on your website (This is what I do!).

My response: Now, for your question on creating a joint venture partnership with the manufacture. This would depend on the terms of the agreement. If the terms are beneficial to both of you, then I say go for it!

If not, then you might consider another relationship (perhaps you can buy at wholesale or become an affiliate) or find another vendor.

Do you need answers? Submit your question to our Product Seller’s survey!

Prevent Business Failure By Taking Action

I recently wrote a list of top 6 reasons why businesses fail, which I published on the Self Starters Weekly Tips forum. Owner of the forum and long-time Internet Marketer Lynn Terry also published the list on her blog, Click Newz.

Some of my readers requested answers to these top reasons businesses fail. What can you do to prevent your business from failing for these reasons?

I’ll start with the #1 reason businesses fail today, and will continue with a six-part series.

#1 Lack Of Action

This reason often dooms a business to failure before it even starts. As I said originally, some people will read all kinds of websites and ebooks, but never put what they learn into action.

I also see some of my clients who have actually took the step of purchasing a website — but never went any further. Others loaded their products and site design, but stopped short of actually letting other people know about the site.

The solution: Take action! It’s better to take a wrong action and learn from it, than no action at all. You can’t possibly know all the answers without any experience. Get out there and do your best. Then listen to your customers. Once you start receiving feedback from the people in your target market, you’ll know what you need to change and how you can improve.

Come Hear Some Awesome SEO Advice

Do you have questions about search engine optimization? Would you like to hear an expert talk about what you should avoid when trying to optimize your website?

Head over to the Winning Sisters Skype room at 11:30 a.m. Central Time today. I will be discussing SEO and my new product, SEO Power Up.

Wise Words Wednesday: Top 3 Reasons For Mom To Work At Home

If you are considering working at home, you probably already have your own very good reasons. I’ve heard many over the years.

One client started a business because her children had moved out and she discovered that cleaning the house got boring after awhile, especially since no one was around to mess it up.

Other clients had an idea for a product that they wanted to create, and it only made sense for them to go into business for themselves. Renting a brick and mortar store can be extremely expensive for a startup business with little capital, so it only made sense to stay at home.

Perhaps this list will help you add to yours, or validate your thoughts. If you’re new to the home business concept, perhaps this will give you some concrete ideas to go along with what you’re feeling.

These ideas apply whether you want to start your own product selling business, or work for someone else at home.

1. If you have young children, working at home allows you to continue being their primary caregiver. The first three years of your child’s life are especially important. Even better, you’ll no longer miss those major milestones like the first step and first words. If you are breastfeeding mom, you can nurse your baby while working at the computer. Your toddlers can play at your feet and your preschoolers can help you type. (OK, so mommies of preschoolers might want to do some outsourcing…LOL!)

This was my main reason for staying at home when my son was born in 2000. I couldn’t imagine leaving him for 8 hours a day. And it wouldn’t work since I was nursing him. Most of my ecommerce clients stay home for the same reason – they have nursing babies and toddlers running around.

2. Save a boatload of money on childcare. If spending extra time with your children isn’t enough to convince you or your significant other, perhaps saving piles of money is. Childcare for just one kid can cost upwards of $70 per week — even if you don’t use the childcare all day, every day. If you must have some time, then a Mommy’ Day Out program can give you a few hours a couple of days a week and still save you tons of money.

My virtual assistant, who works out of her home in Ohio, has four children. Working outside the home would be financial disastrous for her. Even if she were to find a job outside of the house, she wouldn’t make enough money to cover the childcare costs. At that point, she might as well stay at home and find a way to earn extra income.

3. You can set your own schedule. Notice, I did not say that you are free from a schedule. I’ve learned over the years that having a schedule is terribly important. But you can schedule around school plays, field trips, doctor’s appointments, etc. Not to mention, it’s just nice to be able to take a day off, here and there, to enjoy the weather.

With the help of my assistants and tech support people, I’ve been able to attend my children’s award ceremonies, most of their baseball games and practices and help out in the office at my church.

Even better, when both kids are in school, I’ll be able to attend Chamber of Commerce meetings, teach a web design class at the local technology center and spend more time developing projects. And when the school bell rings, I’ll be right there to pick up the kids and hear all about their day. Of all the reasons I’ve given, I’d say this one is the best.

Teaching Tuesday: Do I Need A License To Sell Products Online?

Debra LoRusso submitted this question to our survey:

Do I need any type of license besides a “seller’s permit” or a city business license to sell my product on the internet? I live in California and I have to do a little sewing to make the product. Thanks for your advice.

My response: You do not need a license to sell products online — at least not if you live in a desert island in the middle of nowhere. Or maybe on the moon.

However, if you live in a city, you may need a permit or a license from your municipality. You may even need to check the zoning of your home. In most cases though, if you aren’t going to have a ton of inventory stashed in your house, or people stopping buy to shop, you shouldn’t have any zoning issues. I would check with your city though.

If you live in the U.S., you most likely live in a state (insert tongue in cheek). As a business owner, you need to file a DBA (doing business as) form with your state, and you’ll need to register your business as either a sole-proprietorship, LLC or corporation, and you’ll need to request a state tax ID.

I also recommend that fill out the paper work for a federal tax ID, also known as an Employer Identification Number. You’ll use this when filing your taxes.

Since you’re a California resident, you can go to the California Secretary Of State website for more business information.

Do you need answers? Submit your question to our Product Seller’s survey!

Top 6 Reasons Online Businesses Fail

Did You Know That You Were Selling People’s Information?

I sure didn’t? I bet you didn’t either!

But apparently, we’ve been pegged by PC Magazine as a bunch of unscrupulous small businesses owners. Instead of spending our days creating the products we love, changing diapers, teaching our preschoolers how to read and answering boatloads of customer service emails, we’re actually sitting back waiting for someone to enter their email address so we can sell it.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I have no idea who would want to buy my client’s email addresses. I don’t even want to know who would want to do that.

I have also take the necessary precautions to protect my client’s data — and my client’s customer’s private data, including using PCI complaint servers and scripts, encrypting my client database, using strong passwords and an SSL connection.

My friend Lynette from Tech Based Marketing quotes PC Magazine software expert Neil J. Rubenking:

When you buy something at a small, lesser-known online store, there’s a decent change they will sell your address to spammers … Sign up for a newsletter? Your address could certainly get sold.

What?! As I pointed out before — how many of us even know how to sell an address? Most of us are just trying to figure out how to setup our store, run our business, sell our products and make however much money we need to cover costs and make a small profit. We’re more concerned with providing our customers with customer service and a product that they will love, than with figuring out how to sell a few hundred email addresses.

Talk about lumping a bunch of honest small business owners in with a bunch of unscrupulous scammers who really have no interest in running a legitimate business.

Another friend, Alice Seba, remarks in the comments area of Lynette’s site:

Morals and ethics aside, I don’t think most smaller online retailers are aware of or would know how to get into the lucrative opportunity of selling personal information. It’s the big companies that know and do this, unless they explicitly state they don’t.

For the record Lynette, I don’t think it’s illegal to do so. I think it becomes illegal if you state you don’t, but do anyway.

Interesting point, huh?

I take great care with my client’s information, because I am one of them. I am a WAHM, too. I know what it means to have your information leaked. I would not do this.

It’s the big companies, as Alice says, with their inch-thick terms of use that collect millions of names — and then suddenly you start receiving all kinds of junk.

That’s my opinion. And I see it’s shared by Lynette and Alice.

What do you think? What has your experience been?

Have you had a small product-selling business sell your information? Have you had a large business do this? Would love to hear your stories.

Customers Really Can Be Wrong, Part 2

After yesterday’s post, I thought it would be a good idea to clarify my position on customer service.

As I’ve said before, customer service is a partnership. The customer and the business have responsibilities, kind of like in a marriage.

The businesses’ responsibilities include:

• Providing the advertised product or service
• Working with the customer to give them what they ask for
• Being respectful and considerate
• Being honest

This reminds me of a customer service experience when I was in high school, working at McDonald’s. A man walked in and very sheepishly said that his wife, who was waiting in the car, wanted a bread and butter sandwich. Was there any way we could provide one?

My co-worker, who took his order, said, “Sure!” She found two hamburger buns, buttered them and toasted them slightly. Then wrapped this sandwich and sold it to the man. I don’t know how much she charged, but that’s not really the point. She found a way to provide him with what he needed.

This brings me to the customers responsibilities, which include:

• Asking for exactly what you want
• Working with the company to figure out what you want
• Being respectful and considerate
• Being honest

Now, if the man at McDonald’s had come into the store, rudely demanded a bread and butter sandwich, complained that it was made on a hamburger bun and not a slice of white bread and then expected to receive it for free — I’d say he was wrong and should be sent packing.

Wise Words Wednesday: Customers Really Can Be Wrong

I know, I know. I’ve been harping on this one for awhile now.

I just don’t like it when I hear stories from my clients or design partners who have been bending over backwards for someone so long and so far, that they risk breaking their back, rhetorically speaking.

So, when I saw this article called “Customers Can Be Wrong” at 3tailer, I had to share it with you.

One woman who frequently flew on Southwest, was constantly disappointed with every aspect of the company’s operation. In fact, she became known as the “Pen Pal” because after every flight she wrote in with a complaint.

She didn’t like the fact that the company didn’t assign seats; she didn’t like the absence of a first-class section; she didn’t like not having a meal in flight; she didn’t like Southwest’s boarding procedure; she didn’t like the flight attendants’ sporty uniforms and the casual atmosphere.

Her last letter, reciting a litany of complaints, momentarily stumped Southwest’s customer relations people. They bumped it up to Herb’s [Kelleher, CEO of Southwest] desk, with a note: ‘This one’s yours.’

In sixty seconds, Kelleher wrote back and said, ‘Dear Mrs. Crabapple, We will miss you. Love, Herb.’”

Wasn’t that great? Herb’s response illustrates exactly what we should do when we have a customer who refuses to be happy.

Alex at PositiveSharing.com has a list of Top 5 reasons why the maxim “the customer is always right” is actually wrong.

Here are my thoughts as a WAHM on his reasons:

1. It makes employees unhappy.

You may think this doesn’t apply to you because you are a solopreneur — no employees. But you’re forgetting someone — YOU. I have heard many stories of women who started a business, doing what they love, serving others. They were providing great service.

But then the jerks came along and demanded more than they paid for, bellyached when things didn’t go they way they wanted them to, nevermind that this is not what they’d paid for.

Just last week, one of my design partners had a client purchase one template. By the end of two months, my partner had created five templates for different sections of her site and the client was complaining that things were taking too long. Well — one template normally takes two weeks. Five templates — we’re looking at a little more than two months! This client still had only paid for one template.

Had my partner stood by the customer is always right maxim, she would still be working on the site, creating new templates and losing money every minute for a client who did not know what she wanted and was never going to be happy.

2. It gives abrasive customers an unfair advantage.

If you think that all customers are going to be so happy with your product that they’ll never even dream of uttering a complaint, must less make unreasonable demands in abusive and uncivilized ways — you are wrong.

You can have the best product in your industry and there will be someone who doesn’t like it. Interestingly enough, the more successful you become, the more of these abrasive customers you will find.

You must remember that no one has a right to treat you with disrespect and to demand more than they have paid for. Respect yourself and get rid of those whiners!

3. Some customers are bad for business

Respect and dignity, the terms Alex uses in his post, are more important than money. If you are wanting to be treated rudely and disrespectfully, go get a job on Hell’s Kitchen.

Otherwise, this is your business. You get to decide you who work with. Pick those people who have great attitudes, respect you and WANT to work with you.

4. It results in WORSE customer service.

When you give yourself the power to say no to a customer, to tell them that you no longer wish to do business with them, you improve your customers service. Here’s why:

• You’ll be able to care more about other people, including customers
• You’ll have more energy
• You will be happy, which means more fun to talk to and interact with
• You will be more motivated

On the other hand, if you are constantly dealing with customers who try to run over you, you’ll quickly become demoralized:

• You are not valuing yourself
• You’re telling yourself that being treated fairly is not important
• You’ll convince yourself that you have no right to respect from customers
• You’ll have to put up with everything from customers

If you were an employee of your company, handling your customers, would you want to work for you?

5. Some customers are just plain wrong.

There. I said it. (Again, right? LOL!)

Alex puts it like this:

The fact is that some customers are just plain wrong, that businesses are better of without them, and that managers siding with unreasonable customers over employees is a very bad idea, that results in worse customer service.

And in my words:

The fact that some customers are just plain wrong, that businesses are better off without them and that you siding with unreasonable customers over your own rights as a human being is a very bad idea, that results in worse customer service.

Teaching Tuesday: Should I Start A Separate Businesses?

Pat Sandy submitted this question to our survey:

I am trying to help my mother-in-law get her business on line and I also want to do the same for myself with a different product. My mother-in-law designs counted cross stitch graphs and wants to sell them (she completes a sample of which a photo has been take). I make quilts and wall hangings. I think these need to be two separate businesses and would appreciate your advice. Thanks.

My response: Whether or not you run separate businesses, or start one business depends on a few factors.

First, do the two of you have the same vision for where you want the business go to? This is very important. Let’s say person wants to start a business, but is really just in it for fun. She just wants to sew when she can and really is interested in making some money from a hobby. On the other hand, the other person is serious about building a business, earning a profit and paying off some debt.

If these two people start one business, there will soon be friction over where the business is going to go. In many cases, this can result in lost relationships, and sometimes in loss of the business altogether.

So, my advise is to make sure you’re on the same page with your mother-in-law.

Second, are the two products related. If one person is selling baseball bats and the other person is selling baby slings, you’re going to run into trouble. Those two products have nothing to do with one another, making marketing one business tough. In this situation, I’d recommend two businesses.

Since your product and your mother-in-law’s product are similiar — handmade crafts — you may be able to get away with running one business.

Third, you need to consider the target market. Do the same people who buy cross-stitch graphs also buy completed quilts and wall-hangings? It seems to me that a person who buys a graph is not going to be the same person who buys a completed craft item. I recommend you study your target market to find out.

If you’re still not sure which option you should choose, you’re welcome to try my one-on-one business coaching services.

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