Our member, Christine Laureano of Ba6 Botanicals in Hampton Bays, New York, is featured in Long Island Business Newsday this week for her new business strategy to use direct mail catalogs as a marketing tool. I am excited to see Christine create a niche publication that will reach her customers directly, providing them with colorful content direct from the Maker and CEO. As Christine says, it's worth it to put her brand in qualified customers' hands while simultaneously rising above the “noise” in today's small business landscape.
If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know that I feel strongly that a big difference between a successful business and an unsuccessful one is often the frequency with which the brand publishes consistent and relevant content to customers and strong prospects. (See: Your New Carrer: Publisher) The more they hear from you in a relevant and useful way, the more they think of you as relevant and useful. And since customers buy what is relevant and useful for them, well — you get the connection. I asked Christine to share a bit about how the article came to be, and her perspective on her new marketing strategy, and here is what she told me:
The article was the result of fabulous Indie Sisters Roberta Perry and Angela Carillo referring me to a reporter they both have worked with! We can plug along on business “solo” or we can embrace the amazing partners we have within Indie to help each other grow – and rock – our businesses.
I feel so grateful for the opportunity to have worked with Long Island's biggest regional paper – Newsday – to talk about a business challenge I have, and how I'm going back to basics — using the good old marketing medium – the catalog – to cut through all the crazy Internet noise and reach my clients directly.
My list is super qualified, I'm stepping out of the direct marketing model, of buying a list and sending material out blindly, and doing it my way. I have a small marketing budget as a Maker and want it to have the biggest impact.
And, honestly, it's because of Indie, and ALL your hard work, that I have the resources and inspiration to grow and challenge myself!
Congrats Christine! Keep us posted on how things go!
You can read the online version of the article at this link.
(And in case you didn't notice, the article mentions that Christine uses Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in her studio. Notice the gloves, lab coat and hair net she uses to ensure the clean manufacture of her products. Christine was a student in the GMP event IBN hosted last year. Taught by our member, Lela Barker of Bella Luccè and Lucky Break Consulting, the GMP class covered everything you need to create clean systems in your cosmetics making processes. It was an incredible class and I'm so excited at how Christine embraced everything she learned and made it real in her business.)
Best and success,
Question
I love Christine's innovative spirit, and am inspired by seeing her step out from “what everyone else is doing,” and make her mark in a unique way. I am sure her customers will love having her catalog magazine in their hands. What do you think? Have you published a color catalog before? What do you think of the idea?
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