Apparently one of those people I mentioned in my blog post titled "Decide Today" thought it would be awesome to post an anonymous comment on my post telling me I did not clarify the reasoning behind these comments said about my business. Please let me clarify!
Please let me clarify this. One day in class, my professor taught a lesson on targeted marketing. "You wouldn't try to sell your new brand of dog food to an antique store now would you? No, and that is why all businesses use the approach called targeted marketing." So the lesson went on about how you should market and try to sell your product to businesses with the type of store front you want your products represented in as well as stores that carry like products. I took my notes home and simply applied the concept taught in class that day by using social media outputs as a way to target my market and spread the word about my business. I searched on Facebook for cute little boutiques, checked out other soapers to see where they had their products, and also searched on Google for bath and body boutiques. I gathered a number of stores I would like to approach from big box stores to small little gift boutiques.
After this, I found these places on Facebook and posted a comment to this extent on their walls - "We believe our products would be perfect for your store! Please visit our website for more information on wholesale!"
What I did not know is that some people took this as an unethical business practice. However, how in the world can this be unethical? If small businesses like myself never approached stores, how would they ever hear about your brand or products? I bet Whole Foods gets numerous emails daily about bath and body companies, but you don't see companies like Hugo Naturals or Pangea Organics writing rude/harsh/anonymous comments about those businesses? No? I did not think so!
The fact of the matter is, some people will not or cannot get over their jealousy or just hate the fact that some people are going to be successful. It is sad to me that instead of banding together and supporting one another, people have to let their jealousy and hate take them over.
Please let me apologize to anyone reading this post who thinks this style of approaching stores to carry my products is unethical. I hate to tell you, but this is a practice heavily taught in business school, so much so that big companies even hire people for this exact reason. I am sorry that I will not stop approaching stores through social media, nor will I stop targeting my market of stores to approach. I am sorry that these practices have lead to almost all of my current wholesale accounts.
If any of you who wrote these harsh comments about myself or my business is reading this, PLEASE feel free to contact ANY/ALL of the stores carrying my products. Please pitch your products to them! I would LOVE to see all of your products right next to mine in the stores. I wish many successes to you!
I hope that clarifies things for anyone who has heard bad things about my company or to anyone who wrote those bad things about my company.
Hope everyone had a great 4th of July spent eating BBQ & watching fireworks!
Happy birthday America!
Caitlin
Targeted marketing is not only a valid concept, it's one of the few ways you can ensure you are hitting the people who will want your products. Especially in the current economy. I see nothing unethical in what you did. I see common sense business practices and a good approach that wastes no one's time. Hugs and love. I know where you got hit and it's common. You have a lot of people who are trying to survive and some are thriving doing it as they always have. Some are struggling for the first time. It's very combative right now and there are a lot of people who cannot understand that going after customers can be the difference between feeding your family and failure.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had the guts to target market like you did. I'm still fleshing out my ideal customer after four years.
Hi Caitlin,
ReplyDeleteTargeted marketing is what I do all the time! How anyone could think that approaching businesses that have the type of storefront that you believe your products would succeed in is unethical???
I was a successful sales person for many years, and it only makes sense to approach the right types of businesses -ones that fit your particular product!
I've also had shop owners tell me that having a "bath & body" section that offers several different brands is what their customers prefer.
People need to take pride in their product, use quality ingredient and perfect their skills in not only creating a quality product (that can hold it's own in a competitive marketplace) but also their marketing skills!
Keep up the good work, and don't let the nay-sayers influence you. You are wise beyond your years, and sure to continue to succeed. :) ~Becky