ubure Posted June 4, 2013 Share Posted June 4, 2013 Hi there,I haven't been here very often during the last few years. My candle business is kind of a sleeping beauty:rolleyes2 since a few years now. There were constant health issues from which resulted big financial losses and problems which caused further health issues (mainly mental of course)...to cut a long story short: there is a workshop full of material that waits to be transformed into candles, there are still major financial problems that scream: "Go do something, boost your business!" and there are so many ideas and project in my head, but when it comes to getting active my fears come back. I have an online shop and I have relaunched it some weeks ago. I'm working on it every day but so far only one customer and visitor numbers are still very low. I'm trying Adwords with a miniature budget (only since yesterday so no effect from there as well), I'm doing my best to get my shop SEO optimized, but I'm really scared that people won't buy because of my former not so good reputation with some of my customers (who got their orders extremely late because of my illness issues, or who got wrong products etc. I know it was completely my fault but at this time I just had no chance, I had no life, it was just hell and I couldn't handle anything anymore.).I do have some loyal customers among my friends and acquaintances here where I live. I'd love to sell only from my home, I do have the space but I don't have the money for any furniture and getting flyers printed. I almost hate all this online business crap where you have to fear cease-and-desist letters from over-eagerly lawyers everyday (Germany is world champion in regulations, especially in internet business), envious competitors ( who are the initiators of those cease-and-desist letters) etc. So much pressure and I don#t knwo if I can cope. But the worst thing, I guess, is that I am just no sales person. Im so absolutely not into it. It is astonishing enough that people keep calling again and again if they don't reach me only to get some candles or hand cream. I could easily expand my home business but I need a plan and I just cannot come up with one. especially because it has to be a no-financial-investment-included plan.You will probably say I should quit but I need to make money now (!)...I sound confusing, right?Thanks for listening anyway,ubure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftsbychris Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 Spread the word through word of mouth, that you are back and better than before. Can you try a local craft show? Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubure Posted June 6, 2013 Author Share Posted June 6, 2013 Thanks Chris, very kind!Yes, I think I iwll try boosting my business locally...giving out samples, maybe with some flyers etc.Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cynthia3030 Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 Start out slow. Take it one day at a time. Everybody makes mistakes. Learn from your mistakes and don't make the same mistakes again. Situations that we fret about have an uncanny way of working themselves out. The best of luck to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubure Posted June 6, 2013 Author Share Posted June 6, 2013 Thank you Cynthia!Today I feel much better - I try to think positively in every area of my life, but I'm still learning. I have so many ideas, now I need to structure them and sort out the things that don't make much sense. Yesterday I had a soap making class. Only 6 people but they had fun and want to do more classes. I'm going to make a plan on some classes which i can offer.Thanks again,ubure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joym Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 Great start - keep the momentum going! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScentsibleLady Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 That sounds awesome ubure!You could advertise you classes on places like meetup.com and get potential customers that way as well.On the other hand, I understand what you must be going through, it can be very mentally and physically draining to have so many things to consider and worry about, especially when there is a time constraint on each issue. Best of luck to you dear, we are all rooting for you xoxo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salvation3 Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 (edited) Hi Inez! I'm a one woman show and there isn't enough hours in the day for me so I'm not on here a lot but I felt that I needed to respond to your post because I've kinda been there. I developed horrible depression and went to a psychologist which was hubby's idea because he didn't know what to do! It turned out that I had undiagnosed Hashimotos which had my thyroid out of whack. But during the depression it was very dark and scary and the only way I could try to describe it was that I felt "stuck". I couldn't move forward from that horrible place. When I was finally coming out of that season (thanks to my thyroid meds) I had to move slow. Too much or too fast just overwhelmed me. So my suggestion is to take all of your ideas and write the down on paper. Don't worry about organizing them or how much money it requires...just get them down in a tangible form out of your head. After this, organize them into a) what can you do right now, this moment what requires more info or research before you can move forward and a best guesstimate time wise and c) which ideas require more money and how much. Hopefully you can take a and b ideas and make them pay for c ideas!I hope this helps and I wholly agree that word of mouth is the best free advertising out there! It sounds like you're off to a good start with the soap class.I'll be praying for you! Edited June 6, 2013 by salvation3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubure Posted June 7, 2013 Author Share Posted June 7, 2013 Hello there,thanks again so much for your encouragement!Every single idea from you is great and I will make use of the all. The organizing of my ideas is a great idea, too!I guess I will start by thoroughly tidying and cleaning my workspace which has become a mess since I haven#t used it only occasionally. You caanot work there in the state it is in at the moment. Then I will make a layout of a flyer I'd like to give to shops and persons.I do have business all the time but it is very small. Long-time customers always order some candles and I could surely sell more if my selling room was filled with candles, soaps etc....so far there are only some shelves, most of them empty. Not very welcoming.salvation, Hashimoto is very often the reason for depressionm but nobody seems to care. I'm a voluntary helper with an organisation that helps women suffering from PPD and PPP (as I was one of them) and it is a shame what doctors are telling those women here, or aren't telling them, probably because they don't know better.Thank you so much again and have a sunny, healthy and prosperous day,ubure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salvation3 Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 Inez,I'm glad that I could help in some way! And yes I can only imagine the lack of or false info that circulates. It happens here WAY too much. In fact some of the info has changed concerning testing numbers and a lot of our old school doctors still rely on the old numbers! Very frustrating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.