Bring Your Product Idea to Life

Would you love to see your products featured in a magazine, newspaper or online publication, but have no idea how to make it happen? Or perhaps you've assumed you need to hire a PR agency before anyone will take your brand seriously?In this episode, I'm joined by Bianca Barratt, a journalist who has written for Forbes, Vogue, The Sunday Times and Cosmopolitan, and cofounder of Press Flow, to talk about how to get into the press as a new brand, even if you're doing your own PR.One of the things I found particularly interesting about this conversation is that getting press coverage isn't necessarily about having the biggest brand, the most exciting product launch or the best connections. It's about understanding what journalists are looking for and finding a story that their readers will genuinely be interested in.Bianca shares what makes a journalist pay attention to a product business, why your experience and knowledge as a founder could open up opportunities you hadn't considered, and how to approach journalists without feeling like you're just sending another sales email.We also get into some really practical questions. What should you include in a pitch? Should you send product samples? Is it worth following up if you don't hear back? And how far ahead should you be thinking about Christmas gift guides and other seasonal coverage?If you've been wondering how to get into the press as a new brand, but don't have the budget for a PR agency, I think you'll find this conversation really encouraging. Bianca makes the process feel much more approachable and shares plenty of advice you can start putting into practice yourself.Whether you're preparing to launch your first product or you've been selling for a while and want more people to discover your brand, this episode is a great place to start.Find Bianca here: Website: https://www.pressflow.io/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisispressflow/ Personal IG: https://www.instagram.com/bianca_barratt/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bianca-barratt-media-pr/ Episode chaptersTimestamps based on the 38 minute 28 second recording00:00 Meet Bianca Barratt and her journalism background01:22 What makes a journalist notice a new product brand?03:44 Finding the right audience for your product05:09 How to find different press angles for your brand09:03 Using your expertise and founder story to attract coverage12:24 What makes a compelling pitch to a journalist?16:52 Making your story relevant right now20:13 How to get press coverage without hiring a PR agency23:30 What to include in your pitch email27:18 Why journalists might respond to an old pitch29:20 Following up with journalists31:11 Should you send product samples?33:18 When to pitch for Christmas gift guides35:07 Common mistakes that stop brands getting featured36:48 Bianca's number one piece of advice for getting press coverageWant some support with Amazon?Join me for Amazon Seller Support & Connect, my free monthly online session held during the first week of every month. Bring your Amazon questions, get practical advice and connect with other product-based business owners.Find out more and book your place on the next call here: https://calendly.com/vickiweinberg/new-meetingLET’S CONNECTFollow me on YouTubeFind me on InstagramWork with me Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To LifeIf you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/supportMentioned in this episode:Want some free Amazon support?Join me for Amazon Seller Support & Connect, my free monthly online session held during the first week of every month. Bring your Amazon questions, get practical advice and connect with other product-based business owners. Find out more and book your place on the next call here: https://calendly.com/vickiweinberg/new-meeting Amazon Sellers Support & ConnectAmazon Made Easy is now openMy membership, Amazon Made Easy is now open. It’s a membership for people who are selling on Amazon (or planning to) and want regular access to support, somewhere to ask questions and talk things through, and a bit of structure and accountability as they grow. Inside, there are live Q&A calls, optional co-working sessions and a small, supportive community. Find out more: https://vickiweinberg.com/membership membership

If you sell products online, you’ve probably put a lot of time, money and energy into building your brand. But how well protected is it?In this episode, I’m joined by Sam Turton, a UK Chartered Trade Mark Attorney, to talk about protecting your brand online, and some of the things it’s worth thinking about before a problem arises. One of the biggest misconceptions is that registering a company name, buying the domain or securing the social media handles means the name is yours to use. Unfortunately, it isn’t quite that simple, and finding that out after you’ve ordered stock and packaging could become a very expensive problem. We get into the practical questions product founders often have. What should you check before settling on a brand name? Is it more important to protect your name or your logo if your budget is limited? What happens to your protection when you start selling overseas? And what should you actually do if someone copies your brand, or you receive an infringement notice yourself?We also look at protecting your brand online when you sell through platforms such as Amazon, including what Amazon Brand Registry can and can’t do for you.If you’re starting a product business, already selling online or thinking about expanding into new markets, this is one of those episodes that could help you avoid some costly mistakes later on.Find Sam here:Website: https://www.secerna.com/Sam Turton - Trade Mark Attorney | Secerna LLP Twitter https://x.com/Secernallp Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SecernaLLP/ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/secerna/Sam Turton | LinkedInChapters00:00 Meet Sam Turton00:45 Why selling online creates additional risks02:27 What to check before choosing your brand name04:38 Does owning the company name or domain protect you?09:21 Should you protect your name, logo or both?12:30 What happens when you start selling internationally?19:56 What to do if you receive an infringement notice21:47 What if someone copies your brand?26:29 Protecting your trade mark after registration29:04 Common trade mark mistakes30:13 Amazon Brand Registry and protecting your brand onlineWant some support with Amazon?Join me for Amazon Seller Support & Connect, my free monthly online session held during the first week of every month. Bring your Amazon questions, get practical advice and connect with other product-based business owners.Find out more and book your place on the next call here: https://calendly.com/vickiweinberg/new-meetingLET’S CONNECTFollow me on YouTubeFind me on InstagramWork with me Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To LifeIf you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/supportMentioned in this episode:Want some free Amazon support?Join me for Amazon Seller Support & Connect, my free monthly online session held during the first week of every month. Bring your Amazon questions, get practical advice and connect with other product-based business owners. Find out more and book your place on the next call here: https://calendly.com/vickiweinberg/new-meeting Amazon Sellers Support & ConnectAmazon Made Easy is now openMy membership, Amazon Made Easy is now open. It’s a membership for people who are selling on Amazon (or planning to) and want regular access to support, somewhere to ask questions and talk things through, and a bit of structure and accountability as they grow. Inside, there are live Q&A calls, optional co-working sessions and a small, supportive community. Find out more: https://vickiweinberg.com/membership membership

Have you ever looked closely at what’s actually in the products you use on your dog?My guest this week, Kiera Harrison, did exactly that after noticing that her Labrador, Buddy, was itching and uncomfortable after every bath. What she discovered led her down a rabbit hole of ingredients, pet cosmetics and regulation, and eventually to creating her own natural dog grooming brand, Fido and Oak. In this episode, Kiera shares how she went from having an idea for a better dog shampoo to developing a range of products here in the UK.We talk about how she found the right manufacturer, what it was actually like developing the formulations and testing samples, and why creating a shampoo alone wasn’t enough for the experience she wanted to give customers. Kiera ultimately developed a three step grooming collection with a shampoo, conditioner and coat mist. We also talk about some of the decisions that have gone into creating Fido and Oak, from natural ingredients and sustainability to packaging and branding, and why Kiera has chosen not to launch certain products rather than compromise on what she wants the brand to stand for. There’s also a really interesting conversation about pet cosmetic regulation and what Kiera believes dog owners should know about the products they’re using. This has become such an important part of the mission behind Fido and Oak that Kiera is now campaigning for higher standards across the industry. If you’re interested in how an idea becomes a physical product, particularly when you’re creating something where ingredients, formulation and your choice of manufacturer really matter, I think you’ll find Kiera’s story fascinating.Find Kiera here:Website: www.fidoandoak.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/fidoandoakInstagram: www.instagram.com/fidoandoakofficial/TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@fidoandoakLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kieralharrisonChange.org petition: https://c.org/vgjcyGZWFYWant some support with Amazon?Join me for Amazon Seller Support & Connect, my free monthly online session held during the first week of every month. Bring your Amazon questions, get practical advice and connect with other product-based business owners.Find out more and book your place on the next call here: https://calendly.com/vickiweinberg/new-meetingLET’S CONNECTFollow me on YouTubeFind me on InstagramWork with me Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To LifeIf you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/supportMentioned in this episode:Want some free Amazon support?Join me for Amazon Seller Support & Connect, my free monthly online session held during the first week of every month. Bring your Amazon questions, get practical advice and connect with other product-based business owners. Find out more and book your place on the next call here: https://calendly.com/vickiweinberg/new-meeting Amazon Sellers Support & ConnectAmazon Made Easy is now openMy membership, Amazon Made Easy is now open. It’s a membership for people who are selling on Amazon (or planning to) and want regular access to support, somewhere to ask questions and talk things through, and a bit of structure and accountability as they grow. Inside, there are live Q&A calls, optional co-working sessions and a small, supportive community. Find out more: https://vickiweinberg.com/membership membership

Have you ever wondered what actually happens to your products once you send them into Amazon FBA?I recently visited Amazon’s LCY3 fulfilment centre in Dartford, the biggest Amazon distribution centre in Europe, and in this episode I’m taking you behind the scenes and sharing what I learnt. I followed the journey products take through an Amazon fulfilment centre, from arriving at the loading bays and being checked into stock, through to stowing, picking, packing and eventually being sent out to customers.There were quite a few things that surprised me, including just how much of the process still involves people, despite all the automation and robots you might expect to see.More importantly, I came away with a couple of things that I think are really useful to know if you sell on Amazon. Some of the information you enter into Seller Central has a very real impact on what happens to your products and customer orders inside the Amazon fulfilment centre, so there are some simple things worth checking in your own account. If you sell through Amazon FBA, or you’re simply curious about what happens behind the scenes after you send your stock to Amazon, I hope you find this episode interesting and useful.Want some support with Amazon?Join me for Amazon Seller Support & Connect, my free monthly online session held during the first week of every month. Bring your Amazon questions, get practical advice and connect with other product-based business owners.Find out more and book your place on the next call here: https://calendly.com/vickiweinberg/new-meetingLET’S CONNECTFollow me on YouTubeFind me on InstagramWork with me Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To LifeIf you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/supportChapters00:00 Inside Amazon’s biggest European fulfilment centre02:21 What happens when your FBA stock arrives04:43 How Amazon stores your products07:02 Why Amazon deliberately spreads your stock around09:21 How customer orders are picked and packed11:46 What happens before an Amazon order is dispatched14:05 Damaged stock and Amazon returns16:30 The important Seller Central checks I’d make nowMentioned in this episode:Want some free Amazon support?Join me for Amazon Seller Support & Connect, my free monthly online session held during the first week of every month. Bring your Amazon questions, get practical advice and connect with other product-based business owners. Find out more and book your place on the next call here: https://calendly.com/vickiweinberg/new-meeting Amazon Sellers Support & ConnectAmazon Made Easy is now openMy membership, Amazon Made Easy is now open. It’s a membership for people who are selling on Amazon (or planning to) and want regular access to support, somewhere to ask questions and talk things through, and a bit of structure and accountability as they grow. Inside, there are live Q&A calls, optional co-working sessions and a small, supportive community. Find out more: https://vickiweinberg.com/membership membership

What does it really take to start a product business when you have no experience in the industry and no idea where to begin?In this episode, I’m joined by Louie Watkins, founder of Clear for Men, a British skincare brand with a mission to encourage more conversations around male mental health. Louie didn’t have a background in skincare or business. In fact, before starting Clear for Men, he was working on the railway and thought that was where his career was heading. We talk about how Louie took his idea and turned it into a real product, from finding a UK manufacturer and developing his cleanser to getting his first customers and gradually building trust in the brand.Louie is also really open about how difficult those early stages were. His first year brought just 31 orders, and without a big advertising budget, he had to work out how to get people to discover and trust a completely new brand. We also talk about building a brand around a genuine purpose, why community comes before product for Louie, and what he’s learnt about focusing on what works for your business rather than getting distracted by what everyone else is doing.If you have a product idea but feel like you don't have the experience or knowledge to make it happen, I think you'll get a lot from Louie's story.Find Louie here:Website: https://clearformen.co.ukLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/louis-watkins-29637126aInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/weareclear_TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@weareclear_Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weareclear1Chapters00:00 Meet Louie Watkins and Clear for Men00:28 Where the idea for Clear for Men came from05:17 Developing a skincare product from scratch07:59 Finding the right UK manufacturer13:46 Creating packaging and the customer experience16:27 Putting community and mission before product18:44 Conversations around male mental health and self care25:40 Finding the first customers28:30 Building an audience through live streaming32:48 The reality of growing a product business37:04 Where to spend your time as a solo founder41:10 Focusing on what actually works45:37 Business, purpose and wellbeing47:11 Louie’s number one piece of advice for product founders49:36 Why you don’t need to do what everyone else is doingLET’S CONNECTFollow me on YouTubeFind me on InstagramWork with me Buy My Book: Bring Your Product Idea To LifeIf you enjoy this podcast, and you’d like to leave a tip, you can do so here: https://bring-your-product-idea.captivate.fm/supportMentioned in this episode:Amazon Made Easy is now openMy membership, Amazon Made Easy is now open. It’s a membership for people who are selling on Amazon (or planning to) and want regular access to support, somewhere to ask questions and talk things through, and a bit of structure and accountability as they grow. Inside, there are live Q&A calls, optional co-working sessions and a small, supportive community. Find out more: https://vickiweinberg.com/membership membershipWant some free Amazon support?Join me for Amazon Seller Support & Connect, my free monthly online session held during the first week of every month. Bring your Amazon questions, get practical advice and connect with other product-based business owners. Find out more and book your place on the next call here: https://calendly.com/vickiweinberg/new-meeting Amazon Sellers Support & Connect