← The Product Boss with Jacqueline Snyder
The Product Boss with Jacqueline Snyder
704. How to Create Consistent Sales and Stop the Revenue Roller Coaster
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Hi, I'm Jacqueline Snyder and this is the Product Boss podcast. I've helped launch and grow thousands of product based businesses, even one of my own. And over the last 20 years, I've seen behind the scenes of businesses just like yours. Whether they are makers, manufacturers, artists, or food and beverage businesses. I have spent so many hours studying it all. I've discovered what makes them successful, what mistakes they could have avoided, how did they turn their ideas into successful business, and what are the strategies that they have used to make more sales and be discovered by more customers. And this is what this show is all about. Whether you're just starting out or you're looking to become a million dollar product boss, I'm here to give you the permission to chase your dreams, no matter how big or small. All you need is the right mindset, a little courage, strategy and support, and you too can be the next million dollar product boss. Let's do this. Oh my goodness. Friends, if you are anything like me, you probably spend more time running errands than running your business. Am I right? Like, everything needs something, we gotta run around. And I knew that this was like a major issue for me back in the day, which is why I decided to get help where I could. And I decided to let Instacart handle all of my grocery shopping. So I no longer had to worry about running all the errands and having to run out and get more almond mil for my lattes. Rather, I was like, you know what, we're just gonna let Instacart handle that. So I want you to imagine skipping the store and getting back to designing packaging, orders, making, or maybe actually taking a break, even a nap. Remember those? Okay, so with Instacart, you can get groceries and essentials delivered in as fast as an hour so you can focus on growing your business without sacrificing a meal. Plus, less stress and more focus. And here's a tip. I've actually used Instacart before to order gifts from my daughter's friend's birthday parties because I haven't had time to run out and get presents. And I've been able to get the packaging, like the gift bag and the g, like hello, Sephora, delivered to my house while I was in the middle of coaching sessions so that I could have the present right. It's like having a personal assistant without having a personal assistant. So if you want to do what I do and get the help where you can, you can try it now if you head to the Product Boss.com Instacart hey, hey, product bosses. Okay, really, really quick. Are you spending more time making all your products or maybe packaging your boxes and actually growing your business? I know. Okay, so if you've ever wished that someone would just tell you exactly what works when it comes to scaling your product brand into real money, right, like good profit and making sales and growing this business that I know you've dreamed of, then I have something really special for you. I pulled together a special bundle of our top podcast episodes that every product based business needs to hear. So think of this as your shortcut straight to the strategies that help you grow your sales, build a brand that lasts and avoid that burnout that no one is actually talking about. Enough. So we're talking mindset shifts and marketing strategies and those behind the scenes lessons. And yes, you're going to have some quick action plans and strategies that we're going to share in here as well. So it is my top episodes playlist and it's totally free. We just wanted to gather it up so you didn't have to scroll through hundreds of episodes and think, what do I want to listen to? Right? Let's make it easy. So all you have to do is head to www.theproductboss.com top or click the link in the show notes, pop in your email. I'll send over those exact episodes that have helped thousands of product based business owners like you move from the hustle to sold out. Right? I want you to go from where you are to getting you seen and sold. And that's all going to happen with this compilation of episodes for you. I just want to make it super easy. So let's start building your business with clarity, strategy, ease and freedom. Hey, product bosses. Okay, so quick question. Do your sales feel like a roller coaster? So some months you're celebrating and you're feeling really awesome, right? It's just like, yes, this is working. And others you're wondering if it's all going to work. Now I think that this feeling happens at all stages of business. Sometimes when you're just starting out, you, you get a major influx of sales or somebody's like, yes, I love this and they buy and then no one buys again. Sometimes you go to markets and you're like, you're crushing it at that market. And then other weekends you're not crushing it at the market or there's no sales in between. Maybe you, you know, sometimes you get sales because an influencer posted, but then nothing happens. And sometimes you're actually selling and there's just Dips in the season, right? Maybe you have a business that's making 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, $50,000, maybe a hundred thousand dollars a month. And some months feel really, really good and cash positive and other months are just like, oof. I don't know what is happening here, right? So if you feel like your sales are on this roller coaster and you're like, some are great and some you're just not sure if it's gonna work, then you're not alone. So in fact, and this is for all entrepreneurs, but I'm gonna talk about our small product based business owners, right? Most feel this way because the truth is, is that sales just don't happen, right? Like they don't just like come out of nowhere. They're not random. They're actually a result of a system. They're a result of plans and planning and systems and repeatable systems and efforts. So today what I'm going to do is I'm going to walk you through why your sales feel unpredictable no matter what level you're at and what you can do to change that. You ready? Okay, let's jump in. Okay. So if you've had a few big months followed by silence, or a few big weekends followed by silence, or whatever you do, right, you're on that roller coaster. It's not because your product suddenly got worse. And I'm going to tell you this because I know this thought has crossed my mind. It's not like the doors aren't shuttering, you're not done, it's not over. It's usually because your sales are pretty much happening by chance, not by design. So what does that mean? Okay, so that means something like you might be writing seasonal demand, right? Some of you sell a lot at the holidays and you've got, you're like, yeah, I can sell Christmas ornaments at Christmas, but then what else? Or you're hoping. I talked to my husband about this yesterday. He's like, oh, I, he teaches voice lessons. And he's like, I need three more students and I'm gonna just post a reel. And I'm like, okay, but that's hoping that that reel goes viral to get the you the results that you need in the next 24 hours. Like that's like a little bit like post and hope, but unsure. And sometimes it's, you know, a random feature or something, something magical happens that, that puts you out there and all the stars align and an influencer talks about it or you're put in the right place at the right time at a Booth or something just magical happens and you make the sales. But then, then, then, then what happens when that momentum slows down? What happens when the magic fairy dust disappears? You're back at square one. You're back at feeling like, oof, I don't know what I'm actually doing here. And that's the sales roller coaster. And I see it all the time with my students. I see it all the time with product based business owners. I see you. I know you're working hard. I know you're showing up, you're posting on Instagram or you're doing pop up events, you're posting more and more product on marketplaces or you're packing up all your stuff, you're going to markets on weekends, then you're packing all up and leaving. You're calling wholesale stores and you're trying to get in the doors, you're getting your products listed on Amazon and just trying to refine, refine, refine, Right. But a lot of times, and you could tell me if you agree or not, but there's no real sales system. There's actually just no real system in place that's going to make your sales happen predictably. And so I want to kind of talk about what's causing this roller coaster. And here's what I typically see that causes that inconsistent revenue. Okay. One, you're probably relying on seasonality. So maybe you get a boost of Mother's day or during Q4 or back to school. That's all awesome. But what do you do in the in between? A second thing that I see that's causing this roller coaster is that you're dependent on the algorithm. And P.S. hello, the algorithm is not stacked in our favor. So maybe something goes viral. Maybe you get reach and then you get sales. And then when you don't, it's crickets. So it's really hard. It's like, I don't know. To me, sometimes the social media feels like casting a coin and a wishing well, or like throwing a coin into the Trevi fountain and like praying that my wish comes true. Right. Do you feel that way? And then also maybe you don't have a proactive sales plan. Whether you're an introvert or an extrovert, it doesn't matter. You have to have a sales plan. Okay? We don't want to sit back and wait for sales. And when you do that, instead of creating them, that's where you're staying stuck. So I say this with love, but you know me. And so I'm constantly kind of like, what do I do? What do I do? Which may be not always. Like the doing is not always the being. And when I feel like I've got a system in place, when I feel like I've got a plan, I feel more calm, I feel more strategic, I feel more powerful. And then with that, right? Then I can come at it with a sales plan. But not when I'm just flailing and feeling that overwhelm comes. Because you're flailing, you don't have a plan. It's like, oh, it feels like I've got all the things to do. And that's not where that proactive sales plan lives. And another thing that might be happening is that you're running promotions and sales and offers reactively, not strategically. So you might be like, the only way I can sell is I'm going to run a discount, I'm going to run discounts all the time. Or you might be afraid and be like, I'm not running discounts because if I run discounts, my customers are going to think the only way they get my stuff is if it's on sale. Right? But what if you were proactive and strategic about it? What if you knew when your next product was going to launch? What if you had a structure? What if you're like, this week I'm promoting and selling it like this. Next week is this, next week is this. And you had a plan, right? Because without structure, it's literally just chaos. It's like a toddler running around and bashing things up and no one that's like what overwhelm feels like to me. There's like a toddler in my brain running around out of control and it's chaos. We gotta calm it down. So there's a difference, right? So imagine, you know, maybe business A, you're a business and that business is guessing, right? You're thinking like, I'm guessing, but it's like up and down, up and down, up and down, right? You think of like a heartbeat monitor and it's like sometimes it's up, sometimes it's down, but it's really dramatic. And then think about the businesses. And this is my sales accelerator students. These are my standout society students. These are. Or they're. They might be you, like a well established business or someone who has the experience and you've gotten it together. And those of you out there, you have a system, you have a plan, you're following, you have a strategy, right? I know my students know what they're promoting, right? Shout out sales Accelerator students, right? You know, when you know how. And some of you out there, maybe you're not a student, but you are, you're nailing it because you understand promotions, you understand sales, you understand the rhythm of that. And some of you out there might have your sales feeling really steady, even in slower seasons. Because guess what? In slower seasons, what are you doing? Maybe you're selling wholesale. Maybe you're selling to a different country. There's lots of different ways that you can sell. Maybe you're selling to a hotel boutique, right? So the difference between business A and business B is business A is guessing and business B has a system and a plan, right? Hey, friends. Okay, so I don't know if you're anything like me, but sometimes it feels like my self care routine is slipping through the cracks. Because when I'm juggling and wearing all the hats and in my business and doing all the things, I mean, the last thing I have to do is like really fulfill that self care routine that my daughter's talking about. She's like, mom, so listen, so when it comes to running a successful business, you can't really pour from an empty cup. And a lot of times that self care is like one of the first things to get yourself recalibrated. So that's why I want you to meet Glossy. Now Glossy is my favorite daily beauty supplement designed to transform your skin and gut health from the inside out. And I'm actually an investor in this business because I, I so believe in this idea of science backed ingredients for digestion and skin hydration. And Glossy makes it really easy to look and feel your best without that whole 10 step routine in the mirror. The thing I don't actually have time for, all I have to do is simply mix the stick into my water and I'm good to go. So if you want to try this, because I so believe in this business, I think it's amazing. It's done so many wonders for my skin and my gut, which are two things that I need help with. And you want to simplify your wellness and, and your beauty. All you have to do is click in the show notes and you can use the code Jacqueline Snyder. So it's my full name. Use the code Jaclyn Snyder. And I'm hooking you up with 15% off your order. So cheers to glowing skin and a thriving business. So what are we learning from all this? Right, here's the fix. Here's how you get these predictable sales and create the system. Sales happen because of a planned activity, not Hope not hope. We are not in fact throwing a coin into a wishing well. We're creating plans. So that's why successful product based business owners have something that is called a sales funnel. Okay, so I'm not going to talk about a sales funnel, like not the bro marketing kind and not the kind that exists in like the digital marketing world, but I mean a simple repeatable process that moves buyers from someone being a stranger to a browser to a buyer, right? And at its core, this is what a funnel looks like. So imagine a funnel, an upside down cone. At the top is awareness. The top is the biggest space and that's where the most people can come in. And there, there's just a lot, right? It's a big space, you're gathering a lot of people. But once you start to go to the middle of that cone, the middle of the funnel, that's where the engagement happens. Okay? And then at the very bottom, when they come out the bottom, that's conversion. That's where the sales happen. So let's break it down in terms of product biz terms. Okay? So the top of the funnel is. This is how your customer discovers you. Maybe it's on social media at an in person market. Maybe you're on a podcast, a referral, something's wearing it, wearing it. And they're like, oh my God, I love that. Where'd you get it? Right? There's the awareness perspective that they didn't know you existed and now they do. They are a stranger and now you've met and they're like, huh, Okay, I see you then. Engagement is how your customer learns about you when you sell. So they're on your website and they understand it. They understand your brand story. They get your emails and they're following you on social media. They're starting to kind of engage. Imagine again, you're at a bar, you see someone across the room. You're like, ooh, that person's cute. This is what us older people used to do. We used to meet people at bars. Now you might just swipe right and swipe left. But let's go back to in real life. So in real life you see someone and you're attracted, right? That's that awareness. Oh, I see you, I see you across the bar. The engagement is when you're like, hey, what's your name? Tell me about yourself. Do you ask me about myself? Right? Do we align? Are we engaged? Does this feel good? That's that engagement section. That's the middle of the funnel. And then conversion, Conversion is the bottom of the funnel and that's where the customer buys. That's where they're on your online shop, at your market, placing a wholesale order, ready to click to buy. That's when they're like, here it is. And so in dating terms, maybe it's here's my number, let's go on a date. Did you know that that's my reference point. That's where I always go back to. So if you don't have this mapped out, you're probably relying on luck, right? So if you've just been like willy nilly out there doing all the things, you're just, you're really relying on luck. But when you do understand this concept of awareness, to engagement, to conversion, the funnel, which is ultimately your sales engine, how do people become aware of you? How do they start to engage with you and how do they convert? This is where you get to start to forecast, you get to start to think forward, you get to plan your inventory. What am I selling? When am I selling it? How many people are coming? What do I normally sell? You get to prep your marketing. Oh, I see that, I see that season. I know how I'm going to get the awareness. I know I'm going to engage, I know how I'm going to convert. And finally you get off that sales hamster wheel because you've really got a plan. And I see this as this repeatable funnel for different sales engines. Perhaps it's using social media for awareness, right? How do we go viral? How do we get random people to find us? Then how do we get them to engage? And then when we finally make them an offer like new color, new drop, buy this, there's a discount, that's a conversion. The same thing happens with you might be using social to get awareness and engage, but somehow then you move them over to a place to buy from. You could be your website, could be meeting you in person, could be shopping on your Etsy store, your Amazon listing. This also happens really quickly when you're in person, right? They walk by, do do do do do. They see you, they're like, huh? Then they come up to the booth, they start to look around, they touch the product, they talk to you. That's engagement. Then you get the close. This happens in so many different ways. But what has to happen is that people have to know you exist. You have to be seen. There has to be this way of existence. And I teach my students the multiple ways that I teach. This is sometimes that idea of awareness has to happen. Selling on someone else's sales channel because it's really hard to do it on your own unless you're all in on social and you're bought in on it, or you've got money for ads or, or maybe you already have a following or you're an influencer. But otherwise that awareness is going to come from other people's audiences using influencers in person markets like the foot traffic marketplaces that we sell on. If you sell wholesale on the stores, like on shelves of stores. Right. So we want to get that awareness and once they're aware, they'll start to engage and that's how we get people closer to converting. So I want you to self audit. Okay? So I'm going to ask you a couple questions. So take some time to think about this. If you're able to journal, you can journal it if you want to say it out loud. But what I want to ask you is where do your sales actually come from? And let's look at the last three months. Where did they actually come from over the last three months? And then what caused the biggest spikes? So what happened that made sales happen? Was it that you launched a new product? And like every time you launch, something happens. Is it that someone posted about you on social or there's an influencer? Is it that you got into a store? And then I want you to also ask yourself what months were slow and why? Why were they slow? Maybe you didn't make a new offer, maybe you didn't even try and sell. Maybe it was you were selling the wrong thing in the wrong season or you were at the wrong market with the wrong product in that time. And then as you're thinking about where your sales actually come from, I want you to think of that in two ways. One, where is the awareness point? Where are they engaging with you and discovering you? And then how are they then getting over to the sales channel, which is where they're going to close. So are they discovering you on social and then coming to your website? Are they discovering you in person and then buying from you in person? Are you sending emails? And then they go wherever you tell them to go. So I want you to just look at that. So most people don't pause to ask these questions, right? They don't pause to think. But when you do, you're going to start to see patterns. And it's that slowing down and paying attention to the patterns that's so important. Those patterns are going to help you build a system. Because what works, we want to repeat. So ask yourself, am I running a business? Or am I waiting for sales to happen? I want you to start to run a business. And that's why I show up here for you twice a week, every week, to talk to you as entrepreneurs, to help you run this business. Because I know you want to sell your beautiful, amazing products and make some good money. So here's the truth. If your sales feel random, it's because you don't yet have a structure. And it's not because of you being a bad business owner and has nothing to do with your product. It doesn't have to do with. There's so many things it doesn't have to do with. It's actually not even because of your product. It's not even because of your audience being too small. It's really because you haven't built a plan that moves people through a journey. You're not even on the journey. You haven't even had the map, right? And that map and that journey you're moving them through, that's the thing that makes them want to buy. And when you repeat this, they'll buy again and again. My friend, your sales should not surprise you. They should be predictable. You should know, this is what I'm doing to get this. This is the outreach I'm doing. This is the funnel I'm leading them through. This is how many sales I'm going to get. This is what starts to happen when you start to understand your business, when you start to plan. So. And then you're thinking like, okay, okay, okay, let's do this right. So here's your takeaway that I want you to take away today. If you want consistent revenue, then you don't need to post more. You don't need a following. You don't need ads at this point. I mean, if you have a following, you want to learn sort of social, you have all the money for ads, you've got people to run it. Cool. But if not, you need a sales system. You need to be seen, you need to start to sell. You need this way of how do people discover your products? Where is that awareness point? How do you engage with them? And then how do you convert? That is your sales system. So remember, I want you to look back, look back on your last few months of sales and ask yourself what worked? And then repeat what worked. Refine it and do it better and better and better and build around that, because that's where your next level lives. We're not going to throw out the things that worked and try something new. And try something new. How do we dig in? And honestly, that's something that I've shifted in. You know, I rebuilt my programs this year, and the courses that I support people in, and the first six weeks of sales Accelerator, for example, this is what we're doing. We're refining, we're looking into it. We're really understanding what our sales funnel is so that when we add on an additional sales funnel, it all makes so much sense. Right. And so what I want you to do is I want you to build on what is working and then do it better. I hope that this was a good episode. I hope that it inspired you and got a little bit fire burning and thinking through, like, how do I build this? And I will see you on the next episode.