Today I’ve got a really great conversation to share with you. I have my friend Erin Jennings on the podcast today. He was on about three years ago, and I had him on the show to discuss an Amazon business he was working on at the time.
Today we’re going to get caught up on that business and dive into what he is currently working on how. We’ll also discuss how to create content and how to use Facebook to drive and grow a business. You’ll also see where Erin currently is and what direction he is planning to go in the future.
Today actually be talking about two different businesses. One is a brand new business, and the other is much more established. Erin is going to share how he is working to help grow the new brand and what he has been doing so far to make it successful.
Keep in mind that while you’re building your own brand, your also building a skillset that you can use in your future. Remember that there is a difference between learning and doing. If you don’t go out and take action, you’ll never see success. Erin has learned by doing and has shown that if you’re looking for success, you have to be productive in your business. This will allow you to learn from your experiences. Let’s get right to here and hear what Erin has to share with us!
Erin’s Bee Keeping Business
A few years ago, my wife and I had started a beekeeping business. The business was doing well, but we ended up spending too much time and money making it work. We were in Whole Foods and 60 other stores around the time we realized this. We weren’t able to keep up with the demand. It was just my wife and I doing everything, and we couldn’t keep up.
It became overwhelming, and we had to eventually step back from that. We brought in six figures, but we were putting most of that back into the business. Now we are a much smaller business and only work with local stores to sell our product.
We did try selling a product specifically for Amazon. It was a spicy honey cider. We had a lot of success on Amazon with it, but we couldn’t make the economics make, long term. Again it cost too much to make and ship.
Four Sisters’ Rice
I recently started working for Four Sisters Rice. The company has always dealt with bulk orders but has been looking to get into the retail business. They launched the new brand at the beginning of 2020. There was a big rice shortage due to COVID-19, so they were able to rapidly get into over 3,500 stores because they were able to meet the demand. They are currently in several nationwide stores, including Wholefoods, Walmart, and Kroger.
I’ve been working with them to figure out the best way to approach the digital side of things. We’re looking at how to figure out how to sell on Amazon and other online shops. The shipping cost is going to quickly add up, and the price to purchase is fairly low, so it’s been a challenge to figure out how to balance that and make sure we bring in a decent profit selling online.
We’re trying to answer the question of why people should purchase from us instead of other businesses. Our rice is organic, and the product can be purchased from farm to table, so it does give us an advantage as long as we target the right people.
My wife has her master’s degree, and she is working with plants a lot but isn’t directly working with the brand right now. Right now, I’ve been doing a lot of programming and web development.
However, because I’ve had prior experience with Amazon and being in retail, I’m helping with all of that. Amazon is actually all under my control. In regards to marketing, there are other people who are creating content, though. I’m most concerned about conversion instead of engagement.
On the ad side of things, I’m working to identify who the ideal customer is and how to market to those specific people.
Scott’s Advice on Using Facebook Ads For Your Business
I would focus on the Facebook ads side of things to start. I would use engagement ads to warm up your audience, and from there, you’ll use conversation ads. Your ad costs will be reduced once you start focusing on conversation ads because you’re reaching the right people.
You can always send someone to Amazon, but it may be better to send them directly from your website. Especially if you’re looking to get people to purchase your product, start by testing out several audiences and let the numbers tell you which ones to spend the most time and energy on.
If you have a physical product you want customers, that’s going to be the main goal. You need to test out different audiences, images, and titles to see what works. You won’t know until you test these things out. Right now, I’m doing the same things in my own businesses. It’s all about testing so you can identify what works the best.
I would also build your customer email list. If you can get more people to join a recurring purchase list, you’re going to be in better shape.
How to Track Digital Conversations
One of the problems I’ve noticed that many people struggle with is getting accurate tracking information. It’s been so difficult to track how making is making the decision to purchases in the store. They could have seen an ad online, found our website, or just make an impulsive decision while looking for rice.
However, it’s not easy to determine which one it is. The key is to focus on what can be tracked. It’s easy to track how many people are coming to your website and making a purchase from your website after they saw an ad. You can only focus on what stats you have control over.
Erin’s Next Beekeeping Project
I have often thought about writing a book. However, I didn’t want to write just another beginner’s guide to beekeeping. There are so many out there, and they are very similar. When I was running my beekeeping business full time, I was swamped. I had no extra time to work on any other side products, and the book was never a possibility.
I’m happy to report that I now have some time on my hands. I actually have a similar project that I’m working on right now. The book that I want to write is going to be more of a conversational guide to beekeeping and to help people understand the process instead of a step-by-step guide.
It’ll be a digital book that I eventually want to turn into a hard copy. I’m also working on a related website that I can house additional content.
This coming bee season, I’ll be documenting the process and talk more about the principles of how to do it. I’ll also be taking lots of pictures to include in the book. The way that beekeeping is down around the world will vary, and all the step-by-step guides taught in the beginner books are not always applicable.
So, I want to create something that is helpful to anyone looking to get into beekeeping but wants to know more about the history and the principles. I have a lot more coming down the road in the future. I just have had to find the time, energy and find my own authentic voice.
So, I don’t want to just push something out just to push something out. I want it to be coming straight from me and be something that I am truly passionate about.
I loved having Erin on the show today! It was a blast catching up and helping him brainstorm about the new business venture he is working on.
Thanks For Tuning in!
- If you found today's show to be valuable, please share it.
- Additionally, please consider taking a couple of minutes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes.
- They're very beneficial when it comes to the show's ranking. I can guarantee to read each one of them myself.
- Finally, don't neglect to subscribe to the show on your preferred app.
“Remember, I'm here for you, I believe in you, and I'm rooting for you! Now it's time for you to take action and go rock your brand”!
Take-Aways From Today’s Episode
- Erin’s Bee Keeping Business (4:20)
- Four Sisters’ Rice (6:39)
- Scott’s Advice on Using Facebook Ads For Your Business (15:55)
- How to Track Digital Conversations (37:50)
- Erin’s Next Beekeeping Project (41:11)
- Take Action Crew: https://takeactioncrew.com
- Coffee Talk: https://brandcreators.com/coffee
- Playbook: https://brandcreatorsbook.com
- Checklist: https://brandcreators.com/checklist
- Brand Creators Event: Grab Your BAL Recording HERE
- Email List Workshop – https://learn.brandcreators.com/email-workshop-sales-page
- Digital Product Creation Fast Track – https://learn.brandcreators.com/offers/Zo37wCyz/checkout
- Niche Finder Fast Track Workshop: https://brandcreators.com/NFW-Enroll
- Seven Day Content Creation Challenge: https://launchyourcontent.com
Remember that there is a difference between learning and doing.