Episode Summary: Product Sales Down? The Proven Framework to Continue Growing Your Product-Based Business | Coaching Session

Podcast: The Product Boss: Business Coaching for Product-Based Female Entrepreneurs
Host: Jacqueline Snyder
Featured Guest: Brianne from Texas Cork Company
Release Date: June 12, 2025
Episode: 699

1. Introduction to the Coaching Session

In this episode, Jacqueline Snyder hosts a coaching session with Brianne from Texas Cork Company, a family-run business specializing in cork-based products. The primary focus is on addressing the challenges Brianne faces with declining sales and strategizing ways to revitalize her product-based business.

2. Overview of Texas Cork Company

Brianne provides an overview of her business:

• Products: A diverse range of cork products, including purses, wallets, hats, belts, and home goods made from recycled wine corks.
• Sales Channels: Primarily in-person markets across Texas, supplemented by an online store and limited wholesale activities.
• Best Sellers: Chest bags, crossbody bags, card wallets, and sunglasses.

[05:03] Brianne: "We are Texas Cork Company. That's I run it with my mom, she's my primary business partner... 90% of our revenue is coming from markets that we do all over the state of Texas."

3. Challenges Faced

Brianne highlights several challenges:

• Declining Sales: A recent 30% drop in sales despite increased efforts in online sales and email marketing.
• Product Education: Customers often lack understanding of cork as a material, mistaking it for fragile or associating it solely with wine corks.
• Visibility Issues: Struggling with SEO as "cork purse" and similar terms are not commonly searched, limiting online discoverability.
• Time Constraints: Managing in-person markets while raising twin toddlers, leading to burnout and reduced market participation.

[07:04] Brianne: "Most of the people we interact with don't even know that cork comes from a tree... there's a lot of misconceptions, even with wine corks."

4. Strategies for Increased Visibility and Sales

Jacqueline offers tailored strategies to address Brianne's challenges:

• Wholesale Expansion: Emphasizes the potential of scaling through wholesale channels to reach broader markets without the logistical strain of attending numerous in-person markets.

  [12:43] Jacqueline: "I think that for you, from a visibility and growth standpoint, would be wholesale. That I think you're on track now."

• Ideal Customer Identification: Encourages Brianne to narrow down her target audience to a specific demographic, suggesting a focus on "missy" (contemporary, practical, and fashionable) women likely to invest in quality products.

  [19:16] Jacqueline: "We need to hone in on who your ideal customer is... If you do have models or you're thinking about style, design, print, you're just going for something that your stuff is less trendy."

• Product Focus: Advises concentrating on best-selling products and introducing variations (e.g., seasonal colors for bags and accessories), rather than diversifying excessively.

  [24:05] Brianne: "That was something that, when we were... Royalking Society, we got stuck on that niche thing."

5. Nailing the Ideal Customer and Niche

A critical part of the discussion revolves around defining and understanding the ideal customer:

• Age Demographic: Noticing a discrepancy between the intended ideal customer and actual purchasers, who tend to be older.

  [46:33] Brianne: "Our online store is www.txcork.com and then you can also find us on Facebook and Instagram at Texas Cork."

• Brand Messaging: Shifting the focus from educating about cork to highlighting the aesthetic and functional benefits, such as durability and versatility, to appeal to the ideal customer.

  [29:54] Jacqueline: "The sling bag behind you, it's a cool color... By coming at them and being like it's sustainable and made from this and dah, dah, dah..."

6. Balancing Time and Hiring Help

Addressing the issue of time management, Jacqueline suggests:

• Hiring Assistance: Employing part-time help to manage booths at markets, allowing Brianne to focus on wholesale and other growth areas.

  [38:08] Brianne: "So it's actually my mom, she's... can you hire someone to do your booths? My mom, she's managing all the money stuff..."

• Cost-Benefit Analysis: Demonstrating the financial viability of hiring help by showing potential revenue gains versus the cost of hiring.

  [39:48] Brianne: "The revenue is typically around $2,000...pretty big range."

• Role Division: Encouraging Brianne and her mom to delineate their roles clearly to maximize efficiency and prevent overlap.

7. Actionable Steps and Conclusion

Jacqueline provides a roadmap for Brianne to implement:

• 30-60-90 Day Plan: Break down goals into manageable timelines focusing on immediate actions like expanding wholesale.
• Dream 100 Strategy: Identify and reach out to a list of potential retail partners across various niches and locations.
• Product Bundling: Introduce gift bundles and incentives to increase average order value during in-person sales.
• Self-Care and Delegation: Emphasizes the importance of self-care to prevent burnout and maintain business momentum.

[70:18] Jacqueline: "Just set these micro goals for yourself that are more achievable... Treat your time like it's as valuable of a resource as your money."

In wrapping up, both Jacqueline and Brianne acknowledge the overwhelming nature of the process but commit to prioritizing tasks that yield the highest return on investment.

Key Takeaways

• Niche Identification: Clearly defining and understanding your ideal customer is pivotal for targeted marketing and product development.
• Diversified Sales Channels: Balancing between in-person markets and wholesale can mitigate dependency on a single revenue stream.
• Efficient Time Management: Outsourcing and hiring help can free up valuable time, enabling focus on strategic growth areas.
• Brand Messaging: Shifting from material-focused information to functional and aesthetic benefits can enhance customer appeal.

Resources Mentioned

• Multi-Stream Machine: Jacqueline's signature course focusing on systems, visibility, and scaling sales from $0-$100k and beyond. www.multistreammachine.com
• Standout Society: Program dedicated to nailing your niche and ideal customer avatar.

Connect with Texas Cork Company

• Website: www.txcork.com
• Social Media: Facebook and Instagram at @TexasCork

Notable Quotes:

• Brianne on Sales Decline:

  [55:36] Brianne: "We've done 30% fewer shows thus far in the year, we're still down because all the shows that we've done thus far have been down."

• Jacqueline on Revenue and Hiring:

  [38:38] Jacqueline: "If you can do that, it's just starting to test it... multiply your efforts."

• Brianne on Overwhelm:

  [61:58] Brianne: "I feel a little overwhelmed if I'm just being totally honest... But I feel like I have the tools now to kind of really."

This episode offers invaluable insights for female entrepreneurs in the product-based sector, emphasizing the importance of strategic focus, effective time management, and tailored marketing to overcome sales challenges and drive business growth.