Episode Summary: The Product Boss Podcast - Episode 648 Title: "How do I attract and serve my ideal customer to get more traffic and sales?" | Coaching Session
Host: Jacqueline Snyder
Release Date: December 19, 2024

Introduction

In Episode 648 of The Product Boss Podcast, host Jacqueline Snyder delves into a real-time coaching session with Asla, the owner of Boutique Butterloo and My Four Little Chicks. Asla specializes in personalized picture frames tailored for various family roles, such as godmothers, grandfathers, and grandparents. Despite her initial success on Etsy, Asla has experienced a decline in sales and seeks guidance on attracting and serving her ideal customers to boost traffic and sales.

Guest Introduction and Business Overview

[00:00] Asla begins by expressing her challenge:
“I know the godmother and Godfather frames are such a huge part of my business. I don't know how to find my ideal customer, how to serve them.”

[00:14] Jacqueline introduces herself and outlines her extensive experience in launching and growing product-based businesses, emphasizing her mission to help listeners become million-dollar product bosses through the right mindset, strategy, and support.

[04:38] Asla provides an overview of her business:
“I sell personalized picture frames for all occasions. They hold 4 by 6 or 5 by 7 photos. I have two different shops I have only been selling on Etsy...”
She mentions her struggle with declining Etsy traffic despite high order volumes (over 71,000 orders) and her efforts to explore additional sales channels like TikTok and Instagram.

Identifying the Problem: Declining Etsy Sales

[06:12] Asla observes a broader trend of declining sales on Etsy:
“I think it may have been an overall Etsy slowdown.”
She notes that competitors are also experiencing reduced traffic, suggesting a platform-wide issue rather than a problem specific to her listings.

[08:38] Despite running Etsy ads, Asla hasn’t seen significant improvement:
“I do run ads on Etsy, yes.... No.”

Strategic Recommendations

Jacqueline proposes a multifaceted approach to address Asla's challenges:

1. Niche Down and Focus on Top Sellers

[12:14] She advises Asla to concentrate on her best-selling categories, such as godfather frames and specialized familial titles like "Mimi" and "Gigi," instead of maintaining over 600 diverse listings.
“When you're selling to everyone, you're selling to no one.”

2. Build a Strong, Emotionally-Connected Brand

Jacqueline emphasizes the importance of creating an emotional connection with customers:
“People ultimately want to buy things because they want to be seen heard.”
She suggests positioning Boutique Butterloo as a family-focused brand that offers meaningful, personalized keepsakes.

3. Explore Additional Sales Channels

Shopify:
Jacqueline recommends setting up a Shopify store to diversify beyond Etsy, offering features that enhance the customer experience without requiring extensive tech skills.
“Shopify is going to give you the tools to showcase your products beautifully... so you don’t need the tech skills.”

Amazon and TikTok:
She highlights the potential of Amazon for reaching gift buyers and TikTok for tapping into new, dynamic audiences.
“People are using Amazon as instant delivery for last-minute gifts.”
“If you find that your customers are on TikTok, you could try an all-in strategy...”

Deep Dive: Understanding Ideal Customers

[25:03] Asla seeks advice on connecting with her ideal clients beyond Etsy.
Jacqueline introduces the concept of identifying Customer Avatars and solving specific problems or fulfilling desires:
“What solution can my product provide for my customer?”
She encourages Asla to consider the emotional significance of her products, such as being a meaningful gift for unique family roles.

Focusing on Product Segmentation: Family and Pet Frames

Asla manages two Etsy shops: one for family frames and another for pet loss frames. Jacqueline advises treating these as distinct segments with separate marketing strategies:

Family Frames:
Targeting gifts for godparents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, emphasizing personalized familial titles like "Gigi" and "Nana."

Pet Loss Frames:
Focusing on the niche market of pet memorialization, which caters to an emotionally driven customer base willing to invest in commemorating beloved pets.

[35:53] Asla considers collaborating with influencers or pet-related platforms to expand her reach in the pet memorial market.

Marketing Strategies and Seasonal Campaigns

Jacqueline outlines the importance of aligning marketing efforts with seasonal events and emotional milestones:

• Mother’s Day and Father’s Day:
  Intensify marketing for grandparent and parental frames during these peak gifting seasons.

• Christmas and Holidays:
  Promote frames as meaningful gifts that capture cherished memories.

• Birthdays and Milestones:
  Highlight frames for occasions like "Baby’s First Christmas" or birthday milestones, ensuring year-round relevance.

[45:43] Asla inquires about positioning her products as must-haves, to which Jacqueline responds by leveraging emotional significance and scarcity related to gifting deadlines:
“Tap into the emotional significance of the calendar dates of the holidays.”

Implementation Plan: Niche Focus and Brand Building

Jacqueline outlines a step-by-step plan for Asla:

1. Select Top Products:
   Focus on Asla’s best-sellers, such as:

   • Godfather frames
   • Grandpa’s buddy frames
   • Mimi and Gigi frames

2. Optimize Listings:
   Reduce the number of listings to ensure each product receives adequate visibility and attention on Etsy.

3. Enhance Brand Presence:
   Develop a cohesive brand story that emphasizes the emotional and familial value of the frames.

4. Diversify Sales Channels:
   Launch a Shopify store and experiment with Amazon and TikTok to broaden market reach.

5. Leverage Seasonal Marketing:
   Plan targeted campaigns around key gifting seasons and personal milestones.

[40:11] Asla acknowledges the need to narrow her focus:
“When you're selling to everyone, you're selling to no one.”

Conclusion and Next Steps

Jacqueline wraps up the session by reiterating the importance of niching down, building a strong emotional brand, and diversifying sales channels. She highlights her ongoing commitment to work with Asla through the Inner Circle Mastermind, aiming to implement and refine these strategies throughout 2025.

[50:00] Jacqueline encourages listeners facing similar challenges to consider her coaching programs, Design to Scale Lab and Inner Circle Mastermind, to receive personalized support in scaling their businesses.

She concludes with an empowering message:
“Nothing is easy when you're doing things that are pushing you to your growth edges... You are incredible, and you are amazing.”

Key Takeaways

• Niche Focus: Concentrate on top-selling products to enhance visibility and reduce product overload.
• Emotional Branding: Create a strong emotional connection with customers through personalized and family-focused products.
• Diversify Sales Channels: Utilize platforms like Shopify, Amazon, and TikTok to reach broader audiences and reduce dependence on Etsy.
• Seasonal Marketing: Align marketing efforts with key gifting seasons and personal milestones to maximize sales opportunities.
• Customer Understanding: Develop clear customer avatars and solve specific emotional needs to drive loyal customer relationships.

Notable Quotes

• Asla:
  “I know the godmother and Godfather frames are such a huge part of my business. I don't know how to find my ideal customer, how to serve them.” [00:00]

• Jacqueline:
  “People ultimately want to buy things because they want to be seen heard.” [12:14]

• Jacqueline:
  “When you're selling to everyone, you're selling to no one.” [40:11]

• Jacqueline:
  “Nothing is easy when you're doing things that are pushing you to your growth edges... You are incredible, and you are amazing.” [50:00]

Resources Mentioned

• Jacqueline Snyder’s Programs:

  • Multi-Stream Machine: Signature course focusing on systems, visibility, and sales growth.
  • Design to Scale Lab: A three-month program for businesses making $100k to $300k.
  • Inner Circle Mastermind: Exclusive coaching for businesses making $300k and above.

• Guest Platforms:

  • Sarah Cornwell Jewelry on Etsy

• Tools Recommended:

  • Shopify: For building a robust e-commerce platform.
  • Crafty Base: Inventory management and bookkeeping software specific to product-based businesses.

Follow Jacqueline Snyder

• Podcast: The Product Boss Podcast
• Website: www.multistreammachine.com
• Instagram: @BoutiqueButterloo

Whether you're an established product entrepreneur or just starting, this episode offers valuable insights into overcoming sales plateaus, refining your ideal customer profile, and leveraging multiple sales channels to achieve sustained growth. Jacqueline Snyder’s expert coaching provides a blueprint for transforming challenges into opportunities, empowering you to elevate your business to new heights.