Rocking the Planet...Going "Glocal"

The phrase "Think globally, act locally" is everywhere and seems to be one of those snazzy catchphrases coined by some clever eco-awareness organization.

You know the ones...preaching down at us lowly commoners and brow-beating our habits and practices while they drive around in their huge Cadillac Escalades and Range Rovers, eating imported Argentinian steaks and putting imported Sicilian blood oranges in their children's school bags. They think just because they buy free-range, organic and have some fancy solar panels on their houses and wear bamboo clothing that they are personally saving the planet. Yeah them....

I could write a whole scathing chapter on these sort of holier-than-thou ecogeeks......but that isn't what THIS segment is about. The fact is, I want to speak to you today about Going Glocal.....that means selling your wares globally but purchasing your materials locally and appealing to both local and global markets.

I know there are some of you out there that are perfectly happy to only sell locally or within your own country and if that works for you that is great. Before the economic crash I wasn't terribly worried about my global reach with Posh Brats. I felt there was more than enough consumer base in the UK to serve my needs. Right???

The answer to that was Yes and No. Yes, there is more than enough customer base for me here....but NO it would not serve my needs.
As we have all seen every economy goes through it's highs and lows and when you are in an online market you feel it even more. You need other markets to cushion those local economic blows.

Global business is big business and while it may sound quite glamorous...the fact is it's something that every small business needs to be concerned with. It doesn't matter where your web business is based or WHAT you do...once you force yourself to to think outside your target area....your customer base increases to amazing levels!

It's quite possible that you've engaged in Glocalization without even realizing it. If your business has a website, Twitter feed, Facebook page, etc.;You are already reaching a global audience. Chances are you may even have a handful of international customers....but you can have MORE without changing much but your attitude and your marketing approach.

What you need is the perfect blend of things that can appeal to your target markets. Identify the markets you wish to appeal to and reach and research the demographics for those markets. A great way to do this is to read online magazines and blogs based in these areas and see what is trending.

When I started Posh Brats, as an American I was dealing with my own tastes and knowledge of the American consumer. This meant that many of my scent and product choices were something that would interest mainly Americans.

I very quickly realized that what sold for me online was completely different to what sold for me in my shop. Part of this was because people shop differently in person and their minds can be expanded by the experience of seeing and smelling something in person. Online, you are only limited to your own ability to describe something correctly and how you can inspire your customer to visualize how your product fits into their world.

 Believe it or not, in the same way that every country has different cultures and cuisines; they also have different needs/wants/tastes in what appeals to their olfactory senses.

 

For example from my own experiences in this field, these are the types of scents that appeal to the majority of consumers.

US/Canadian: Foody ( cinnamon roll, strawberry shortcake, hot fudge), Ocean/Fresh (rain, ocean water, pine forest) and Perfumey blends (designer types, sophisticated blends like green tea, bamboo, aloe)

UK: Floral (lavender, rose, violet), Herbal/Nature (mint, tea, chamomile, honey) and Exotic (oud, sandalwood, nag champa, musk)

Western Europe: Fruity (raspberry, orange, melon, blueberry), Foody (gingerbread, buttermilk honey, vanilla, coffee) and Tropical (coconut, exotic florals, pineapple and ocean water)

Obviously those lists aren't to everyone's tastes as my customers tend to be quite open-minded and sophisticated and very willing to trust my blends....but to the appeal of the brand new or more traditional customer it's a very true to form idea.

To sum up Going Glocal with your own brand; the basic steps you need to put into action.

1. Review your company's historical sales data and identify your current markets and where your customers reside. Then seek to expand your understanding of that market and how you can hone it.

2. If you run an online business, download your sales data into an excel document and create a simple table of your top postal codes/areas and then review the correlating sales data.

3. Once armed with your historical data, you don't need local knowledge to research this to the nines. This is where your Google skills come in handy. Start reading locally targeted press, blogs and magazines.

4. Work smart and use post code and zip code tools online to research the demographics of where your customers are. You will soon find out the average per capita income, homes values, popular stores, etc. This information about your customers is invaluable.

5. Armed with all of this information, you will then be able to fine-tune your marketing strategy. No matter what form you use you will soon start to see the difference in your reach and sales.

6. When it comes to sourcing materials for your products, even if it means paying a little bit more....always use locally sourced materials with verifiable eco paths. It does make a difference and people will pay more for knowing what they are purchasing is to the best of your ability...ecologically responsible. You are already going to be selling globally and that is a huge part of your company's eco-footprint; therefore keeping a balance with your materials is essential!

If you are like us and use a combination of all of the main forms of online marketing such as email marketing, SEO, social media, pay-per-click and content marketing; you can easily begin to tailor your communications to target your customers exact wants and desires.

I have often been accused of having an almost psychic awareness of what my customers want. I wish this were true and the fact is sometimes I still can get it horribly wrong but I pay attention and listen to my customers. I take their feedback and emails on board and I make constant notes.
It's a LOT of work but trust me, it WILL pay off handsomely for you.

All of this aside, ALWAYS make your customer first and they will make you their FIRST choice!

Love,

Brittany xx 

All In Good Taste??

"Good Taste" sounds a little old fashioned and archaic nowadays, conjuring up images of old biddies with hats and gloves tutting over some neighbor's choice of new davenport or dinner-dance frock, whispering to each other,

 "Such poor taste, my dear, such poor taste. It ALWAYS shows in the breeding!"

Taste is relative, right? Hmmmm, maybe not.

"Good" taste is more broadly defined than it used to be, but it still exists. And people judge you on your taste... So, naturally, we get a little nervous when we have a dinner party or host an evening with acquaintances. No, I'm not talking about those REALLY close friends who can walk in our homes and flop down and happily eat cheese sandwiches and potato chips off paper plates with us.....I mean those OTHER people.

The good news is that, though you can't easily make yourself younger, taller, richer, or (very much) smarter, you CAN develop your taste!

But here's the REAL reason to want to develop a sense of good style and an eye for good design... It makes your life better every day. It makes life more satisfying and beautiful.

Who couldn't use more beauty in their lives.

Guess what, I know some of you are mumbling that it's too expensive but that's SO untrue. How many times have you seen people with loads of money and NO taste?!

"De gustibus non est disputandum"
(There's no arguing taste.)

We all have some things we like, some we dislike - personal preferences. Many preferences are quirky and individual: I like black, you like red; he likes chocolate, she hates it. (She's a freakin' WEIRDO btw!)
Personal preferences are almost impossible to argue anyone into or out of.
However, we can each, if we want to, cultivate a new taste.

Years ago I decided that I wanted to develop a taste and appreciation for Haute Cuisine. With this in mind, I read a reprint of one of the first reference works for chefs, Ouverture de Cuisine, written by Lancelot de Casteau and published in 1604, which set out rules for the preparation and presentation of food for the nobility.

This grew to my own kitchen experiments and years of learning. Today I can call myself a true Gourmand and more than a halfway decent cook.

Therefore, I developed a certain degree of taste in cuisine.

So what elements are important in good taste?

Good Taste is Appropriate to the Task

 Anything that hinders the activity or use it's meant to help is badly designed (for that use). Bad design is automatically in poor taste.

 

Good Taste Respects its Context

Have nothing in your life that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.

 

Good Taste is Well-Designed

It's possible to choose things in socially-judged "good taste" which are just ordinary in quality and appearance, but truly good "in the best taste" requires beautifully designed things. Fortunately, you can find almost anything at any budget in both ugly and good versions. And beauty can sometimes be found for free.

 

 Part of developing good taste is becoming aware of the characteristics of the stuff we see and buy and use. Become conscious of color and form and function. Learn to spot the designer's hard work in simplifying things. It's the big reason Posh Brats products are so loved and coveted: good, simple, elegant design. I also think it's one of the main reasons why so many people are flocking to Etsy and buying handmade items....they are just classier and more beautiful than mass-produced crap.

"If you mention taste nowadays, a lot of people will tell you that "taste is subjective." They believe this because it really feels that way to them. When they like something, they have no idea why. It could be because it's beautiful, or because their mother had one, or because they saw a movie star with one in a magazine, or because they know it's expensive. Their thoughts are a tangle of unexamined impulses. "
- Paul Graham

 

 

Spring Blessings Cometh..

The Goddess and Saint Brigid

Tomorrow February 1st will mark several important things....it is the Feast of St Brigid, who is both a Celtic Goddess and was adopted by the Catholic Church. It is also the eve of Pagan spring or Imbolc (Feb 2).
On Imbolc eve leave buttered bread in a bowl indoors for the faeries who travel with Brighid.

  Place three ears of corn(or some wheat stalks as shown here), tied with red ribbon, over a door as a symbol of the triple Goddess, leave til Ostara (March 20th)

Maman Brigitte with her favorite offering...Rum and Red Peppers.

Brigid is also the same as the Voodoo lwa Maman Brigitte (when making an offering to Maman Brigitte she prefers rum and hot peppers).
However you choose to believe, take some time to light 3 candles tomorrow and set out a saucer of milk to honour Brigid and ask her blessings. It is a time of great healing both physically and mentally. Tonight a red ribbon on your doorstep will be blessed by Brighid as she passes. Keep that ribbon with you all year or place it on your altar.

A simple altar to honor Brigid, 3x candles, a dish of milk, a chalice of Holy Water and a corn dolly made with dried stalks.

Here is a spell chant for when you light those 3 candles and set out your offering.

                The snake comes up from its hole in the ground
                And the snake-neck bird, the swan, goes flying
                As the light flares higher and the dark is dying.
                Rise, rise, rise in my body and soul
                The Fire! Power! Life! The flame of desire!
                Let fire within be a healing spell.
                As the new light burns, all shall be well.

On Feb 2nd (Imbolc) Pour milk upon the earth and give thanks for the returning fertility and the sun....

I leave you with this beautiful photo of a snowdrop just emerging through the snow to symbolize the blessings of the coming Spring.

Love,

Brittany

We Aren't So Vastly Different.....

I get asked all the time why a  girl raised in the Episcopal (COE) faith, who later converted to Roman Catholic.......is now a card-carrying devoted follower of Paganism.....It was a long journey here. For too long I ignored the obvious and what spoke to me to be compliant with what everyone else thought/felt. So......in a manner of speaking....I came out!
I get tired of all the arguments and insinuations by those that seem to be so damned adamant that their 'way' is the best way. Okay, it's best for YOU....go live it and be happy....let me be happy in my own faith.

A few thoughts.....

We should educate people that 'Witch' is not evil but ancient and positive. The first time I called myself a 'Witch' was the most magical moment of my life.

If you take [a copy of] the Christian Bible and put it out in the wind and the rain, soon the paper on which the words are printed will disintegrate and the words will be gone. Our bible IS the wind and the rain.

When one defines oneself as Pagan, it means she or he follows an earth or nature religion, one that sees the divine manifest in all creation. The cycles of nature are our holy days, the earth is our temple, its plants and creatures our partners and teachers. We worship a deity that is both male and female, a mother Goddess and father God, who together created all that is, was, or will be. We respect life, cherish the free will of sentient beings, and accept the sacredness of all creation.

Oh and......You wonder what I *do* personally follow in the same way you follow your 10 Commandments..........
(This also existed Pre-Christianity btw)

I am a Pagan and I dedicate myself to channeling the Spiritual energy of my inner self to help and to heal others and myself.

I know that I am part of the Whole of nature. May I grow in understanding of the Unity of all Nature. May I always walk in balance.

May I always be mindful of the diversity of Nature as well as its Unity. May I always be tolerant of those whose race, appearance, culture and ways differ from my own.

May I use my psychic powers wisely and never use it for aggression or for malevolent purposes. (* I fail at this sometimes, as you know*)

May I never use it to curtail the free will of others. (*and this*)

May I always remember that I create my own reality and that I have the power within me to create positivity in my life.

May I always take responsibility for my actions be they conscious or unconscious.

May I always act in honorable ways, being honest with myself and others, keeping my word whenever I have given it, fulfilling all responsibilities and commitments I have undertaken to the best of my abilities.

May I always remember that whatever is sent out returns magnified to the sender. The forces of Karma will move swiftly to remind me of my spiritual commitments when I have begun to falter from them.

May I use this Karmic feedback to remain strong and committed to my Spiritual ideals in the face of adversity or negativity. May the force of my inner Spirit eliminate all malevolence directed my way and transform it into positive light. May my inner light shine so strongly that malevolence can not even enter my realm of existence.

May I continually grow in wisdom and understanding. May I see every problem that I face, as an opportunity to learn and grow and to develop spiritually.

May I act out of love for other beings on this planet -- to other human, plants, animals, mineral, elementals, spirits or other entities.

May I ever be mindful that the Goddess and God in all their forms dwell within me and that this divinity is reflected through my own Inner Self, my Pagan Spirit.

May I always channel love and light through my being. May my inner Spirit, rather than my Ego self, guide all my thoughts, feelings and actions.
So Mote It Be.