Getting Started on Your Subscription Box Journey

It’s 2022 - Happy New Year! This time of year makes so many of us think about starting something new. Maybe it’s an exercise program or a new hobby, something about a new year makes it feel like anything is possible. And when you’re dreaming about starting a subscription box business, anything really is possible…

Starting a new exercise program is easier when you have a trainer telling you and showing you what to do. And learning a new hobby? That goes a LOT more smoothly when someone who’s already REALLY good at the thing is teaching you. The same is true with starting a subscription box business.

Is starting the subscription box you’ve been dreaming about on your list of goals and resolutions for 2022? You’re in the right place!

This blog, my podcast, and my membership group - Launch Your Box - are all dedicated to helping people just like you start, launch, and grow their subscription box businesses. You’ll hear me say - more than once - there are no shortcuts.

The truth is, starting a subscription box business is hard work. It’s incredibly rewarding and the recurring revenue it brings can be business and even life-changing.

But you have to do the hard work. You have to take the steps to get set up and give yourself and your subscription box the best chance at success.

Starting a subscription box is about more than just packaging and products.

Today, I’m talking about four areas you need to focus on when you’re getting started. Each is important. And each will help you start - and continue - strong.

Don’t miss episode 48 of the Launch Your Box podcast: I Want to Start a Subscription Box - Where Do I Start?

Marketing

If no one knows about your subscription box, how many subscribers can you expect? No, that’s not a trick question. The answer is obviously none.

Marketing means creating awareness of your offer. It means producing content that informs, educates, and entertains your audience. It’s showing your audience why they should care about your subscription box. And what subscribing would mean in their lives. It means sharing your story and making your box personal.

I use text marketing, email marketing, and social media marketing to interact with my audience. Different channels for different purposes. I also use paid ads - again for a different purpose.

When you’re getting started, the first thing you need to do is attract people. That means gaining followers or getting them to visit your website or join your waitlist.

One of your goals is to get people’s email addresses. This allows you to continue the conversation.

Opt-ins are a great way to build your email list. And you want to build your email list. In this blog post, I give you seven downloadable opt-in freebie ideas!

Audience Building

You can’t launch a box without an audience to launch it to. Well, I guess you can, but it won’t be successful.

Audience building is hard work. It takes time. It takes consistency. It takes showing up for your people - and then showing up again and again.

Audience building means finding those people who your box is right for and inviting them into your world. Then you need to engage them, provide them with value, and build connections with them. It is so important to serve before selling!

People buy from people, not from brands. Audience building means letting them get to know you - building that all-important know, like, and trust factor.

Plan to start your audience-building efforts 90 days before you want to launch. It takes time. When I looked at my top ten podcast episodes for 2021, I was not surprised to see so many of them were about audience building. It’s that important. Listen to Episode 50: The Hottest Topic of the Year - Never Stop Audience Building.

Mindset

Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” To me, this means if you believe something is possible, you take action. If you don’t, you’ll continue sabotaging yourself and remain stuck.

I see the effects of mindset every day inside Launch Your Box. Mindset stops some members from moving forward and is the certain something that allows others to push past obstacles. Your mindset is so important to the success of your subscription box. There will be challenges and obstacles along the way. Things will go wrong.

Mindset means believing in abundance. There is enough business for all of us. There are enough subscribers for all of us.

Mindset means embracing your imperfections. Listen, I get it. This can take a minute. But the truth is, people don’t want to buy from perfect people. They want to buy from people they can relate to!

Mindset means seeing your glass as half full. See the positive. Recognize and celebrate the small wins. This will help motivate you to continue to move forward.

I talk more about the top 5 mindset beliefs for subscription box success in this blog post.

Tech

Ah, tech. It holds so many people back from taking that next step on their subscription box journey.

Choosing products and designing packaging are fun. Researching and getting to know your ideal customer is fun, too. But to those non-tech entrepreneurs looking to start a subscription box, figuring out the tech they need to make it all work? Not fun. I get it. I let my own tech fears hold me back for more than a year. I had the idea. I knew what I wanted to put in a box and who the box was for. I knew how I would deliver not just a subscription box, but a truly special experience. But… the tech.

Don’t let tech be a four-letter word.

You’ll need four tech solutions in your subscription box business:

• Website
• Payment processing
• Shipping software
• Customer relationship management (CRM)

Realize you don’t have to do all of this yourself. Hire it out! Don’t let “fear of tech” be the reason you don’t launch your subscription box. This blog post talks more about the four tech solutions you need to start a subscription box business.

Want to know more? I gathered all my “getting started” must-have information and put it together in an eBook. Get your copy of the Subscription Box Blueprint eBook and get started on your own subscription box journey. It’s a new year. The perfect time to get started on your subscription box journey.