Building your email list + Outsourcing shipping + Finding a bookkeeper and more...
La Onda is a newsletter by Sandra Velasquez, founder of Nopalera, with actionable insights around brand building, selling, and a recap of the most asked questions during Mentor Mondays.
As I was writing today's newsletter recap from this week's Mentor Mondays IG live series, I realized that many of the questions have been answered in previous posts. So, I'm going to link them all below.
You can always visit my page and scroll down to the bottom to read all posts. Lots of gems in there.
MARKETING
Hands down one of the most asked questions I get is about marketing. Both paid ads, and email marketing. I believe in both. You should start building your email list before you launch so you have someone to launch to. As I've mentioned in several IG lives, paid ads are how the majority of my 300+ boutiques found me. Wholesale accounts are also on IG! I do not believe in passive discovery. I believe in taking actions to help people feel like they have discovered you. As a consumer I have personally "discovered" so many great brands and resources because I was served an ad. In fact, it's how I "discovered" Formula Botanica, the formulation school where I learned to become a formulator. I also believe in organic marketing (email lists, in person, showing up on social etc..). I do it ALL.
Read my other post about marketing here.
OUTSOURCING MANUFACTURING
I started out as a manufacturer, but it was never my intention to stay that way. Being a manufacturer is a full time job. I've worked with a lot of brands out there who love the making aspect of their business. Keep in mind, if you are going to be the one making your own product, you will eventually need to hire other people to run the business if you intend to scale.
Read my post on where to find manufacturers (otherwise referred to as co-packers, contract manufacturers, co-man). If by chance you work in the food/ bev industry, you can check out this directory.
YOU NEED A BOOKKEEPER
This is a non-negotiable. If you are running a business you need a bookkeeper and CPA.
Here are some BIPOC Women bookkeeping/ CPA recommendations from my network.
OUTSOURCING SHIPPING (WORKING WITH A 3PL)
Just like manufacturing is a full time job, so is shipping. I started out doing my own shipping. But just like manufacturing, it was never my intention to do it forever. I started looking for a 3PL (3rd party logistics) company ASAP. If you intend to scale you have two options: rent your own warehouse, hire employees to manage said warehouse or work with a 3PL. Both cost money. If you think you are saving by doing your own shipping, then you are not taking the value of your TIME into consideration.
Money is a renewable resource. Your time is not.
If by the end of this newsletter you are wondering, "but Sandra, how can I afford to pay for all of this?"
The answer is simple: you need to have strong margins.
Your margins are how you survive and thrive as a business. If it costs you $5 to make something and you are selling it for $10, you don't have the margin to sell wholesale or scale.
Teaching people about COGS and margins is something I am very passionate about because I have seen too many passionate brands stay small or go out of business because they did not have a solid understanding of these critical pieces of running a business. Unfortunately, too many people launch brands out of passion only. Yes, you need passion, but you also need to understand the MATH.
Last year I taught the Margin Magic Masterclass and I'm looking for a time in my calendar to teach it again. If you are receiving this email, you will be the first to know when I offer it again.
You can read my previous post about COGS and Margins here.
S