Launch Your Box Podcast with Sarah Williams | Start, Launch, and Grow Your Subscription Box

Latest Episodes:

110: It's Not Too Late to Pivot Your Offer with Rustic Glitter Feb 22, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever felt the pull to change what you’re offering? Sometimes, pivoting and offering something different to your audience results in success in the form of a growing, thriving subscription box. That’s exactly what happened with Launch Your Box member Joanne Jurica of Rustic Glitter.

There are so many things I love about Joanne’s story. A former lash stylist, Joanne was forced to close her salon during the pandemic and lean on her hobby, Rustic Glitter, to bring in some income. Joanne had been personalizing items and making old things new again since 2017. Rustic Glitter helped her deal with the stress and challenges of a chronic illness as well as the pandemic.

One day, Joanne was inspired to create DIY craft kits to sell. When she sold them all quickly just within her own neighborhood, Joanne realized this could be something - she started dreaming about a subscription box. Along the way, Joanne found me and joined Launch Your Box. She dove into the training and learned all she needed to know to launch her DIY Home Decor Box in September of 2020.

After two years of The DIY Home Decor Box, Joanne started thinking about how she could offer a different, simpler subscription box. Something easier for her to produce and manage and something at a lower price point. She leaned into her love for tiered trays which are very much on trend. Joanne’s decision to pivot paid off. In only one year she has already surpassed the number of subscribers it took her two years to gain with her original box. And the new box is so much easier to fulfill.

During this pivot, Joanne discovered something important. Something so many of my DIY and craft box subscription owners discover. You don’t have to give subscribers all the things. It’s okay - and in fact better - to keep things simple. Simple for you and simple for your subscribers.

Joanne’s decision to pivot was based on personal life challenges and a feeling that she could do more and grow faster by going in a different direction. She shows up consistently on social media - including some super entertaining and engaging videos on TikTok - to connect with her audience and attract new followers.

Join me for this episode as Joanne shares her subscription box journey, including a decision to pivot that has turned out better than she imagined.

Find and follow Joanne:

Join me in all the places:

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!

Get 30 Days FREE when you switch to Subbly: https://join.subbly.co/sarah-williams

Use code LAUNCHWELCOME at https://www.boxup.com/ to get 10% off your first order

109: 10 Ways to Build Your List - Every Month Feb 15, 2023

Show notes

What one thing can you do in your business every single day that would help you be the most successful? Work to build and grow your email list!

If you’re not replenishing the pool of people you’re selling to, you won’t be able to grow your business the way you want to. Growing your email list gets new, fresh eyes on your stuff. It allows you to present your offer to new people. And that allows you to grow.

One of my main goals for my business in 2023 is to double the size of my email list. I challenged the ladies in my Elevate Mastermind to make growing their lists one of their goals for 2023 and now I’m challenging you to do the same thing.

List-building activities need to be at work in your business every day. I’m sharing ten different ways you can build your email list. And no, you don’t need to do all of them at once.

Add a pop-up on your website - have a pop-up at work on your site at all times capturing email addresses.
Create an opt-in on your website with a way to serve your audience - give them more information about something (box opening with a freebie or additional information like a style guide, a free printable to go with your home decor box, a checklist to go with a beach themed box, tips about caring for your pet for a pet box, etc.) Think about the industry you’re in and what you can provide to serve your audience.
Run a giveaway - a great way to build your list when you’re new and as a quarterly list-building strategy for seasoned box owners.
Post a lead magnet on social media and run ads to it - pulling people in and onto your list. (ebooks, checklists, gift with purchase, etc.)
Add an email opt-in at checkout - capture people who buy from you but may not be on your list.
Create a fun quiz that requires an email address to get results - make it something your audience will want to share!
Offer a discount or free gift - use this carefully to prevent training people to only shop with you when there is a sale or a discount.
Host an event or workshop - free or low-dollar offer. Works great for DIYers or crafters.
Tease sneak peeks or exclusive behind the scenes content with opt-ins - early access gives feelings of fun and exclusivity.
Get in front of new audiences - collaborate with other brands, businesses, and influences who have the same customer but sell different items for a joint giveaway or a way to serve each other’s audiences.

Note: Make it clear to people that they will be receiving emails from you when they provide their email addresses.

Pick one thing to work on right now. Get that going and then add in another strategy. The more of these you do, the more people you’ll reach and the more people you’ll add to your email list.

Join me for this episode where I challenge you to grow your business by growing your email list this year and give you 10 simple ways to do it!

Join me in all the places:

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!

Get 30 Days FREE when you switch to Subbly: https://join.subbly.co/sarah-williams

Use code LAUNCHWELCOME at https://www.boxup.com/ to get 10% off your first order

108: 5 Emails Subscription Box Owners Can Send Every Month Feb 08, 2023

Show notes

“Email marketing needs to be part of your audience building strategy.” - Sarah Williams

You know social media is an important part of audience building. You’re showing up consistently, creating engaging posts and reels, connecting with your followers. But… How often are you sending emails to your email list?

Just as important as your social media (and maybe even more important) is your email list. You own your email list. Unlike your social media accounts, you can’t get locked out or hacked. Your email list won’t suddenly disappear.

It’s time to treat your email list like the valuable asset it is and talk to the people on it. They’ve opted in, they’ve told you they want to learn more about you and what you offer. Give them what they want!

You should be emailing your list at least once a week. But what should you put in those emails?

Don’t let not knowing what to say in those emails get in the way of connecting with and nurturing your email list. Here are FIVE types of emails all subscription box owners can send to their lists:

Monthly Unboxing - connect with subscribers, create excitement for them and FOMO for non-subscribers!
Subscriber Shares - create excitement and FOMO when you share pictures, messages, and comments from subscribers telling you how much they loved this month’s box.

5 Ways to Use Your Box - encourage subscribers to consume the contents of the box. So important!
Sneak Peek - get your subscribers excited about the next box and let non-subscribers see what they’re missing out on - more FOMO!

Behind the Scenes - your audience LOVES getting a peek behind the scenes of your business! Take them along as you design or make products or even pack boxes.

Choose one of these emails to send to your email list each week. I’ve given you five - that means most months, you’ll even have a spare. Put your email list to work for you - connect with your audience and nurture them.

Join me for this episode where I talk to you about the importance of emailing your list once a week and answer the question every subscription box owner asks, “But what do I put in those weekly emails?”

Resources from this episode:

Grab my swipe files of ALL five types of emails HERE!

Join me in all the places:

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!

Get 30 Days FREE when you switch to Subbly: https://join.subbly.co/sarah-williams

Use code LAUNCHWELCOME at https://www.boxup.com/ to get 10% off your first order

107: Creating SEO Friendly Content for Your Subscription Box Business Feb 01, 2023

Show notes

“SEO doesn’t have any fuel without content.” - Sarah Williams

How do you get your stuff in front of people right when they’re looking for it? The answer, in part, is SEO. I brought a special guest to the podcast to talk about how and why to create SEO content for our subscription box businesses.

Crystal Waddell is an e-commerce seller and content creator. She’s also one of the hosts of The Smart and Simple SEO Show, a podcast that does its best to make SEO easy for online entrepreneurs to understand and implement.

We discussed the importance of not just creating content, but creating good, relevant content. Content that serves your audience.

Get clear on your answer to the question, “What do I want to be known for?” and then create content that allows you to be your own best advocate. Your goal is to create content for your ideal customer before they need you so that when they’re ready to buy, you’re the obvious choice.

So what kind of content do you need to create in order to optimize SEO on your website? Blogs are a great way to establish your authority and serve your customer. But they’re not the only way. Other types of SEO friendly content include:

YouTube Videos
How to Guides or Tutorials
Checklists
Customer Testimonials or Reviews
Product Descriptions
Image File Names

Remember, when it comes to SEO, every word counts. Make sure you’re using words that make it clear who you are, what you sell, and who you’re for!

The smartest place to put your content is on your own website - after all, that’s where you want your audience to end up - followed by evergreen platforms like Pinterest. Did you know that Pinterest is my #2 source of traffic for my retail business?

Join me for this episode where Crystal and I talk about how you can use content to drive SEO traffic to your website and she reveals which keyword planner is her favorite.

Tools and Resources Crystal Mentioned:

Surfer SEO

Find and follow Crystal:

The Simple and Smart SEO Podcast

Join me in all the places:

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!

Get 30 Days FREE when you switch to Subbly: https://join.subbly.co/sarah-williams

Use code LAUNCHWELCOME at https://www.boxup.com/ to get 10% off your first order

106: 7 Ways to Market Your Subscription Box Cost Effectively Jan 25, 2023

Show notes

Do you think growing your subscription means spending tons of money on ads? It doesn’t need to be that way! There are so many low and even no-cost ways to market and grow your subscription box business.

The bottom line? You can’t rely on just one marketing channel or strategy. You need to build a multi-channel marketing plan, layering one type of marketing on top of another. Don’t worry - building this plan doesn’t have to be time-consuming or costly.

I’m sharing seven cost-effective ways to market your subscription box business. But I don’t want you to try to implement all of them at the same time! If you’re just getting started, choose one, get consistent with it and then layer on another. If you’re already doing one or more of these, choose another one to add to your marketing plan.

Leverage social media.

These accounts are FREE.
Figure out where your ideal customer is and start there.
Have FUN with it. Get social - serve and engage with your audience.
Partner with micro-influencers in your space.
Offering affiliate commissions is super cost-effective - you don’t pay them unless they sell something for you.

Influencer or affiliate marketing.

Very inexpensive.
Still a very effective way to reach your audience.
How will you get people onto your email list?
How will you market to them once they’re on your list?

Email marketing.

Create valuable content to attract your ideal person.
Blogs, videos, eBooks, etc.

Content marketing.

Word of mouth is so powerful!

Customer reviews.

Where does your ideal customer go? Farmers Markets, expos, shopping events, etc.

In person events.

It’s not about the stuff - it’s about the people.
A strong community creates raving fans - the kind that market your subscription for you!

Build an online community.

Take one of these ideas and build it into your routine. Get comfortable and consistent with it. Then layer in another strategy. Continue to grow your audience, reach more of the right people, and ultimately gain new subscribers.

You can’t rely on one marketing channel or strategy. And you don’t need to spend a lot of money on ads to market effectively. Join me for this episode as I take you through seven cost-effective ways to market your subscription box.

Join me in all the places:

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!

Get 30 Days FREE when you switch to Subbly: https://join.subbly.co/sarah-williams

Use code LAUNCHWELCOME at https://www.boxup.com/ to get 10% off your first order

105: Scaling Your Subscription Box Business with Cheryl Ham Jan 18, 2023

Show notes

I have a special episode for you today! Cheryl Ham is a long-time member of Launch Your Box, an OG member of Scale Your Box, and the founder of the wildly successful Yarnable subscription box. She’s here today to catch us up on all that’s happened in her business since her last visit to the podcast almost two years ago.

Cheryl’s business started as more of a hobby. She had a full-time career and a love for all things knitting and yarn, especially hand-dyed yarn. She became an independent yarn dyer with no formal training and no business training. Cheryl launched her subscription in 2019 but struggled to grow. Then she found and joined Launch Your Box.

When Cheryl launched again, following the teachings inside Launch Your Box, she doubled the size of her business within days. And it just kept growing. It exploded, really. Cheryl’s next launch saw her gain 400 subscribers in only 24 hours. She blew past the 1,000 subscriber mark and ended that launch at 1,100 subscribers!

Cheryl’s challenge quickly became how to manage the incredible growth of her business. How to scale in a way that was manageable. She needed to hire and she needed space - badly. But it took so much of her time and effort just to keep up with her subscriptions that she couldn’t seem to make the changes that needed to be made. This is right about the time Cheryl joined the beta version of my Scale Your Box course. She knew she needed help - and she knew where to go to get it!

I’m happy and Cheryl’s happy to share that she did make those necessary changes. Cheryl now has a team of people working with her - and that team makes it possible for her to work only four days a week and to end those days by 2:30 in the afternoon. Oh, and they’re doing all this work in a new space. A space that allows them to be efficient.

Cheryl shared the challenges and opportunities of 2021 and the very different challenges and opportunities of 2022. She and her family have moved into their dream house and are living their dream life, so much of which is thanks to Cheryl’s subscription box business.

Cheryl credits Scale Your Box with helping her see which pieces of her business strategy were lacking, how to beef them up, and how all the moving parts need to work together as she scales! Cheryl is joining me again this year for another round of Scale Your Box and I can’t wait to see where she’s going to take her business next!

Join me for this episode as Cheryl shares her journey, the ups and downs of amazing business growth, and why she’s coming back for another round of Scale Your Box.

Catch the early parts of Cheryl’s story on episode 16 of the Launch Your Box podcast.

Find and follow Cheryl:

Join me in all the places:

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!

Get 30 Days FREE when you switch to Subbly: https://join.subbly.co/sarah-williams

Use code LAUNCHWELCOME at https://www.boxup.com/ to get 10% off your first order

104: Niching Down Your Ideal Customer Can Improve Your Visibility Jan 11, 2023

Show notes

“20% of your customer base generates 80% of your revenue.” - Sarah Williams

Identifying your ideal customer is not something you do once. It’s something you need to tweak and get clearer about in your business on a daily basis. In this episode, I’m talking about how to figure out who the 20% of your customers are who are responsible for 80% of your revenue and why you should focus all of your efforts on them. Oh… and one other thing. Stop trying to please everyone!

When you try to please everyone, you dilute your focus. Instead of spending your time and energy on what you know works for your most loyal customers - the ones who buy from you every day - you spend time, energy, and money trying to satisfy one-off requests from customers who are not your ideal person.

If you’re just getting started and even if you’ve been in business for a while, you might have an idea of who your ideal customer is, but you’re probably not sure. Start by asking yourself questions about your ideal customer and get as specific as possible with your answers.

Who is your ideal customer? Start with the basics.
Where does your ideal customer live?
What are your ideal customer’s interests?
What are your ideal customer’s challenges or pain points?

Nail down the basics and then get more specific. Is your ideal customer “a mom” or “a mom of preschoolers who works outside the home and wants to provide quick, easy, and healthy meals to her family?” It is much easier for me to speak to “a mom” when I know who she is and what her pain points are!

Once you get a good picture of who your ideal customer is, it’s time to talk about how to get them into your world and build the know-like-trust factor that makes them want to buy from you. Get to know your ideal customer and let them get to know you by:

Hanging out in common Facebook groups offering advice and engaging in conversations.
Speak their language in your posts, videos, and emails.
Target their interests in your social media advertising.
Serve before you sell. This is SO important. Provide value without asking for money.

This month inside Launch Your Box, we’re talking all about SEO and how it can help your subscription box business grow. The purpose of SEO is to help the right people find you online. The more we can niche down, the more completely we define who our ideal customer is, the better we can be at messaging, copy, and SEO.

Join me for this episode as I talk about how and why niching down your ideal customer can improve your visibility and increase your revenue!

Join me in all the places:

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!

Get 30 Days FREE when you switch to Subbly: https://join.subbly.co/sarah-williams

Use code LAUNCHWELCOME at https://www.boxup.com/ to get 10% off your first order

103: From the Food Network to Starting a Subscription Box with The Cheerful Baker Jan 04, 2023

Show notes

I’ve got some star power for you on this episode of the Launch Your Box podcast! Lauren Jacobs, a.k.a The Cheerful Baker, is a member of Launch Your Box and the creator and curator of a successful cookie decorating subscription box. She’s also one of the stars of a recent episode of The Christmas Cookie Challenge on The Food Network!

There is so much to love about Lauren’s story and how she went from being a mom and art teacher who loved to bake cookies for her children’s classmates and friends to a full-time entrepreneur who designs and produces her own cookie cutters, an online and in-person cookie decorating instructor, and a successful subscription box owner. Oh, and there’s the whole competing on a cookie decorating competition on The Food Network thing, which is of course the holy grail of any cook or baker.

I talk a lot about the importance of knowing your why, keeping your why in mind as you start, launch, and grow your subscription box business, and sharing your why with your audience. Lauren does all of that. Her why is part of what makes her story special and it will speak to the heart of any parent who has had a child who struggles in school.

Lauren also shared how she used short videos to build and engage with her audience. She understood early the power video would have in helping her stand out from all the other cookie decorators on Instagram. By maintaining a strong focus on her why and the needs of her audience, Lauren’s subscription box business grew quickly and continues to grow.

I wanted to know all the things about her Food Network experience. How she got chosen, behind the scenes secrets, and how being on the Food Network affected her business. You’ll be as fascinated as I was by how it all came to be - and you’ll laugh as hard as I did about what Lauren shared during her initial interview.

Lauren’s plans for 2023 include continuing to grow her subscription - her goal is to double her current number of subscribers and I have no doubt she’ll do that and more!

Join me for this episode as Lauren shares her inspirational journey from mom and art teacher to successful entrepreneur with a quick stop off at the Food Network!

Find and follow Lauren:

Join me in all the places:

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!

Get 30 Days FREE when you switch to Subbly: https://join.subbly.co/sarah-williams

Use code LAUNCHWELCOME at https://www.boxup.com/ to get 10% off your first order

102: Sarah’s Strategies to 100 Subscribers and Beyond Dec 28, 2022

Show notes

Have you launched your subscription box but found yourself struggling to grow? Launching your subscription box is a HUGE milestone. Celebrate that! The next HUGE milestone for so many of my members is reaching 100 subscribers. Some - those with large, engaged audiences - do this during their first launch. Most don’t. I didn’t.

Growing your subscription box to 100 subscribers and beyond takes time. It’s important to give yourself grace and time to get there while still staying focused and holding yourself accountable.

Inside Launch Your Box, I walk my members through what it takes to get their subscription boxes launched. But the launch is not the end. There is more work to do to keep it going - and growing - each month. Which is why we talk about much more than just launching inside LYB.

It’s constant curation. Keeping up with trends and what your subscribers want.
It’s constant marketing. Getting yourself out there and in front of new people consistently.
It’s constant retention. So many subscription box owners make the mistake of focusing only on the acquisition of new subscribers, losing sight of the subscribers they already have.

Focusing on these three things should drive your business and create long-term recurring revenue.

So, what got me to my first 100 subscribers and what should you do to get to yours?

Don’t stop talking about your subscription box.
You think everyone has seen it. They haven’t.
You think you’re talking about it enough. You’re not.
Inside the Launch Your Box Training Library - in the Marketing Module - you’ll find a Subscription Box Social Media resource with posting ideas for EVERY day of the month!
Not an LYB member yet? Text LAUNCH to 940-204-0023 for a link to join!

Engage. Consistently.

Be social before and after the sale.
Retention is a HUGE part of growth - make sure you’re engaging with your subscribers, letting them know how much you appreciate them.
Your excitement is contagious.
Create FOMO for those not signed up!
Create connections with and for your subscribers.
I don’t recommend private Facebook groups for our subscriptions - you lose a valuable opportunity to create FOMO.
Create value - it’s not always about the stuff.
What makes you different and unique?
Why should someone buy from you and not a big box store?
Curate the experience your subscribers are looking for - the experience they can’t get from big box stores or even big box subscriptions.

Everyone can do these simple things to grow their subscriptions. Your launch is only the beginning.

When you’re ready to take your subscription box to the next level, when you’re ready to go deeper… you’re ready for my Scale Your Box course. There’s so much to scaling your box - so many things you can do to grow your business in a manageable, profitable way.

Join me for this episode where I talk you through what it takes to get you to your first 100 subscribers and beyond!

Join me in all the places:

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!

Get 30 Days FREE when you switch to Subbly: https://join.subbly.co/sarah-williams

Use code LAUNCHWELCOME at https://www.boxup.com/ to get 10% off your first order

101: 5 Reasons Why You Should Start a Subscription Box in 2023 Dec 21, 2022

Show notes

Did you know the subscription box industry reached 22.7 Billion dollars in revenue at the end of 2021? And it’s expected to more than triple that number by 2027! Why am I telling you this?

Because there IS room for you and your subscription box. If you’ve had your subscription idea for a while, dreaming but not yet doing, make 2023 the year you get it started.

It’s time to stop sitting on the sidelines and start taking action. You CAN get your subscription box up and running this year. And in this episode, I give you five reasons you SHOULD start a subscription box in 2023.

You don’t have to constantly sell.

When I had a physical store, I didn't make any income if I didn’t open my shop and sell things.
With a subscription, you sell to a subscriber one time and receive payment from them every month.
Your subscribers will become your biggest fans and will buy most anything you sell.

With a subscription box, you can create loyal, raving fans!

This relieves the stress and pressure of buying products you may have to mark down later.

The product you’re investing in is already sold.

You get to LOVE what you do. You aren’t just selling stuff, you’re treating people to a carefully curated experience.
Being passionate about your business helps you continue to show up.

You get to create a box and subscriber experience you are passionate about.

You get consistent revenue in your bank account.

Each month, subscriber payments arrive in your bank account whether or not you show up and sell.

Don’t put your subscription box idea on hold any longer. Learn from Debbie, Launch Your Box member and past guest on the podcast, who let fear hold her back for a long time. When she finally launched her subscription box, magic happened.

It’s time to stop sitting on the sidelines. Join me for this episode and get ready to take action to get your subscription box up and running this year.

Listen to Debbie’s story on episode 22 of the Launch Your Box podcast.

Join me in all the places:

Are you ready for Launch Your Box? Our complete training program walks you step by step through how to start, launch, and grow your subscription box business. Join the waitlist today!

Get 30 Days FREE when you switch to Subbly: https://join.subbly.co/sarah-williams

Use code LAUNCHWELCOME at https://www.boxup.com/ to get 10% off your first order

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