How to Sell Online – Details, episodes & analysis

Today marks a monumental occasion on our podcast because after what feels like a bajillion years, I finally have today’s ultra-special guest on the show. This incredible person isn’t just someone I admire but also someone I get the joy of speaking to every single day—my sister, Annie Iverson. She’s a powerhouse who has started, grown, and sold not one, not two, but three businesses while juggling life as a busy mom. And let me tell you, getting her to sit down for this chat was no small feat!

What We Covered:

• Introvert Power: Despite being an introvert and camera shy, Annie has thrived in her online business ventures, proving you don’t need to be the face of your brand to succeed.
• The Catalyst for Change: Annie shares how a home necessity led to her first business dive, showing that sometimes, the push we need comes from unexpected challenges.
• Starting Small: Learn how Annie began by selling unused items from around her house, using the proceeds as seed money for her business ventures.
• Marketplace Mastery: Annie discusses how leveraging online marketplaces allowed her to grow without needing to build a personal brand or website.
• Product Selection: Insights into how Annie selected products, focused on market trends rather than personal preference, highlighting the importance of responding to consumer demands.
• Quality Control: How ensuring product quality from the start can set you up for success and stellar customer reviews.
• Growth and Giving Back: Annie touches on how her business enabled not just financial freedom but also the ability to contribute meaningfully to the community, particularly through donations.
• Lessons Learned: From avoiding certain products to embracing trends, Annie shares the do’s and don’ts that shaped her business decisions.

Why It Matters: Annie’s journey is a testament to the fact that success in e-commerce doesn’t require you to compromise your privacy or comfort zone. Her story is especially inspiring for introverts or those new to online business, illustrating that with the right approach, anyone can create a thriving online business and still live their best life.

Annie’s story is not just about making money; it’s about creating a lifestyle that aligns with personal values and goals. It’s about showing that with creativity, courage, and a bit of tech-savviness, anyone can turn a necessity into an opportunity.

So, whether you're an introvert, a busy parent, or simply someone looking to make a mark in the online world without stepping into the spotlight, there’s so much to glean from Annie’s incredible journey. Tune in, get inspired, and remember—your path to success can be as unique as you are.

Don’t miss out on more episodes like this! Subscribe to the How to Sell Online podcast for regular insights and strategies from experts like Annie. Plus, discover how you can start your own online selling journey by joining our community at www.0-100k.com

Today, we're diving into something super exciting—how simple questions can turn into major cash flow. I'm thrilled to have James Bake here with us again. Remember him? He’s the genius who sold millions with those amazing conversation starters. Get ready as we uncover the secrets behind turning everyday chats into a booming business. Strap in, because this is going to be a game-changer!

What You’ll Learn:

• The Power of Conversation Starters: Discover how James helped a company sell millions of dollars worth of conversation starter cards and the impact these simple tools can have on personal and professional relationships.
• Recurring Revenue from Simple Products: James shares strategies for getting customers to come back for more, even when selling products typically purchased just once.
• Building Brand Loyalty: Learn about the importance of knowing your audience and creating products that cater to their specific needs and experiences.
• The Art of the Upsell: Tips on how to encourage customers to buy more by carefully curating additional relevant products.
• Innovative Marketing Strategies: James discusses how to keep your product offerings fresh and engaging to encourage repeat business.

Highlights of the Episode:

• James’s Backstory: From selling journals and planners to creating bestselling conversation decks, James shares his journey in the e-commerce space.
• Tactical Business Insights: Effective strategies for creating repeat purchase patterns among customers.
• Customer Engagement Techniques: How to use customer feedback to refine products and marketing strategies.

Don’t miss out on more episodes like this! Subscribe to the How to Sell Online podcast for regular insights and strategies from experts like James. Plus, discover how you can start your own online selling journey by joining our community at www.0-100k.com

Welcome to another inspiring episode of the How to Sell Online podcast, where we explore the stories of entrepreneurs who've turned their passions into profitable businesses. Today, we're joined by Sallie Dale, the creative genius behind a thriving punch needle embroidery business that's captivating crafters everywhere. Sallie shares her journey from being an art teacher to growing a multi-six-figure business, all while juggling the joys and challenges of motherhood.

In This Episode, You'll Discover:

• Sallie's Transition from Teaching to Entrepreneurship: Hear how Sallie made the leap from high school art teacher to starting her own business in the niche world of punch needle embroidery.
• The Power of Starting Small: Learn how Sallie launched her business with just 10 kits, proving that big dreams don't necessarily require big investments from the get-go.
• Social Media Strategy for Viral Success: Sallie shares her approach to social media, including how a single TikTok video skyrocketed her sales and how she uses humor and relatability to connect with her audience.
• Building a Community and Listening to Your Customers: Find out how Sallie's commitment to her community and her keen sense of listening to customer feedback have been instrumental in her business's growth.
• Leveraging Life Changes as Business Opportunities: Discover how Sallie has navigated the challenges of growing her business while expanding her family, highlighting the importance of adaptability and support.

Key Takeaways:

• Start where you are: You don't need a huge investment to kickstart your dream business.
• Social media is a powerful tool: Even small followings can lead to big successes when content resonates with your audience.
• Time is more valuable than money: Learn to delegate and focus on what only you can do best.
• Community is everything: Building a loyal following can sustain and grow your business in ways you never imagined.
• Humor sells: Don't underestimate the power of making your audience smile or laugh.

Connect with Sallie: 

To explore the world of punch needle embroidery and learn more about Sallie's work, visit The Urban Acres website and follow her journey on Instagram @theurbanacres. Use the discount code "ALISON" for 20% off your purchase (but if you're able to, consider paying full price to support her hard work directly).

Don't miss out on this episode filled with practical insights, laughter, and the reminder that with the right mindset, you can turn your passion into a thriving online business.

Connect with Alison:

• On Facebook and Instagram: @alisonjprince
• Learn about the 0-$100K System and how you can launch and grow your own online business at https://0-100k.com/
• Join the Print Sprint at  https://theprintsprint.com

“It’s like a big warm hug.” 

Okay, how do you argue with a sentiment like that? You don’t—which is why Tien Nguyen has seen such incredible eCommerce success with her soft, customized and beautiful hand knitted blankets.  

My friend, as you’ll learn on today’s podcast, Tien didn’t always have that level of success. In fact, when she first joined the 0-100K System—one of the courses I teach—she only had $300 in her bank account. 

THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS. Can you imagine? 

But she took a leap of faith and started her amazing journey—and it’s a journey that I think will fascinate you. Here’s why: because as she shares it with you on the podcast, she identifies the very specific steps she’s taken (and still takes) to keep her business growing. 

So get ready to learn about hugs, reels, TikTok videos…and how many amazing hand knit blankets Tien has shipped out. (Warning: your jaw is probably gonna drop a bit.) 

Listen now. 

Additional Resources:

Shop with Tien: IsabellaRoseStore.com

Special Offer: Use the code ICAN to enjoy 15% off your order for Tien’s entire store 

Follow Tien on social media: 

Instagram: @isabellarosestore.com

Facebook: @isabellarosestore.com

TikTok: @isabellarosestore.com

Connect with Alison: 

Facebook: @alisonjprince

Instagram: @alisonjprince

Website: https://www.alisonjprince.com/

>>>

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Click here to join the 0-100K System

Do you ever procrastinate? 

Or maybe overthink things a little too much?

Or do you allow yourself to become a tiny bit distracted when really you should be working on your online business? 

My friend, I have BEEN there way too many times to count. Especially when I need to post a product. 

Yep—even after all this time I can stare at a blank screen, my fingers hovering over the keyboard, and come up with about 135 things I could be doing outside or in the house. Like taking our dog Goose for a walk, or sweeping the kitchen floor, or dreaming up a new business idea.

Procrastination is the real deal!

But I recently was listening to a podcast featuring Jack Conte, CEO and co-founder of Patreon. His insights into procrastination and distraction made me start thinking about them—and about the idea of finishing something—differently. 

Get ready to take some notes and have a few “aha” moments! 

(And if you like this episode as much as I think you will, I’d appreciate it if you’d leave a 5-star review.) 

Connect with Alison: 

Facebook: @alisonjprince

Instagram: @alisonjprince

Online: https://www.alisonjprince.com/

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Click here to join the 0-100K System

Whenever someone comes to me about selling t-shirts online, but are afraid to get started because they hear that the product is “saturated…”

…I kinda can’t help myself. 

I laugh. 

And the REASON I laugh is because I know Mae Cee. 

Mae has CRUSHED selling t-shirts online. She and her kids have worked together to take their company from basically a print business in their living room to a 7-figure company. 

Her shirts are produced in small batches, and she only uses quality products to create them. That’s why companies work with her on a wholesale basis AND why her retail customers keep going back to her.  

Oh—and if you ask HER about whether or not there’s room for more t-shirt creators and sellers online, she emphatically says YES. 

In fact, in this podcast episode she shares tips to help you start selling t-shirts online faster while avoiding the problems she ran into when she got started. Here are 5 of them—and you’ll want to listen to get all the details: 

1. Simplify, and use the resources you have available.
2. Use transfers to get started instead of trying sublimate or screen print on your own
3. Start with the basics, which means getting a high-quality heat press
4. Start with 2 colors of t-shirts with a wider number of sizes, instead of offering lots of colors while not being able to afford a balanced inventory
5. Sell quality pieces; you’ll keep garbage out of landfills while also increasing customer satisfaction and the likelihood of repeat business

And I’m excited to share that Mae Cee is rolling out the Graphic Tee Academy. It designed to help newbies in the world of selling t-shirts online. So again, you are going to want to listen to this podcast to learn more. 

Additional Resources:

Mae’s Website: 923byDesign.com

Mae’s Academy: Graphic Tee Academy

Special Offer:  The first 100 people to register get a specialty prepared box of items designed to help them.

 Mae's Other Podcast Episode: Increase Sales, Don't be the Low Priced Leader

Connect with Alison: 

Facebook: @alisonjprince

Instagram: @alisonjprince

Online: alisonjprince.com

>>>

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Click here to join the 0-100K System

Forgive me if I start these show notes with one word: ugh. 

I do not like social media. Okay—wait. It’s not that I don’t like social media. It’s that I would about a billion times rather be working on product development or helping my students launch their online stores than making videos.

Truth: TikTok nearly TRAUMATIZED me. 

My friend, the very idea of me having to dance and point…oh dear heavens...makes me want to lie down. 

And the thing is, so many of my students are the same way. They feel very uncomfortable about the idea of creating Instagram reels or TikTok videos that showcase themselves—and that ultimately require them to be the face of their brands.

So that leads to this question: are TikTok and Instagram reels REALLY necessary tools to use for ecommerce brands?

We will let my amazing guest Elise Darma answer that question.

Elise is an authority on Instagram and TikTok and educates business owners on how to make the most of these platforms in ways they’re comfortable with.

Listen along to this episode—the first of a three-part series—as Elise shares must-know information based on her knowledge and insights.

Additional Resources:

Look for Episodes 2 and 3 featuring Elise Darma, coming soon.

Where to Find Elise: 

Online: EliseDarma.com

On Instagram: @elisedarma

On YouTube: youtube.com/ElisaDarma

On TikTok @elsedarma

Connect with Alison: 

Online: alisonjprince.com

Facebook: @alisonjprince

Instagram: @alisonjprince

>>>

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My friend! Thank you for joining me on the podcast today. I think you’ll be glad you did, because I have yet another great guest—and we’re chatting about where to buy products to sell online. 

Posey Duncan is one of my students, and she is one of those people who has a never-give-up spirit. As you’ll hear, she’s had kind of a crazy pants experience getting her business license…but she is NOT backing down. 

I love her tenacity! 

This podcast is the third in a series of hotseats (random students are interviewed and we talk through their ecommerce questions) I enjoyed during a recent workshop I led. That workshop focuses on how to find success by using marketplaces to sell physical products. 

During our conversation, Posey and I talked about where to buy products to sell online, the difference between wholesalers and manufacturers, and what to look for in choosing where you purchase products. 

If you missed the first two hot seat interviews about product pricing and products not selling, click to go listen now!

Connect with Alison: 

Facebook: @alisonjprince

Instagram: @alisonjprince

>>>

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I’m not sure who originally coined the phrase “the riches are in the niches,” but can we all just agree that they were a genius? 

I mean, whether you pronounce it “nitch” or “neesh”, the fact is that when you’re looking to sell products online, the more drilled down you can get when it comes to your customers, the better.

Which is why I’m psyched to have Maria Simpson as a guest on this week’s episode. 

Maria found a profitable niche just by looking around her. Her customer base boils down to others who love the great 208—the beautiful state of Idaho. It’s been so successful in fact that, in her words, she’s “close to that hundred thousand mark” and cannot wait to get there. 

Her story is 100% the perfect example of how when you really niche down, you can explode your business. 

And here’s what else she does that I think will drop your jaw a little: she’s created a profitable partnership with a local company who takes care of all of the production, packing and shipping for her. That means Maria gets to do what she enjoys most (designing her products and marketing them) without having to carry inventory or buy any specialty equipment. Talk about winning!!

Listen now to learn more about Maria, her marketing strategies, and how she’s making Idaho an even cooler place to be. 

Additional Resources:

Where to Shop: 208SupplyCo.com

Follow on Facebook: @208supplyco

On Instagram: @208supplyco

Connect with Alison: 

Facebook: @alisonjprince

Instagram: @alisonjprince

>>>

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Do you remember that Friends episode with the couch? With Ross yelling “PIVOT!!!!!!” as Rachel and Chandler tried to navigate the staircase? 

I seriously cannot even THINK about that episode without laughing. And you KNOW that when my husband Jared and I are in the process of moving furniture at least one of us says it. 

All humor aside, though, pivoting—or being willing to pivot—is such a huge deal in business. That's why I’m really excited to have you get to know Donna Evans, who I’m interviewing in this episode of my podcast. 

When Donna decided to start her online store, it was a time in her life when she was already pivoting. A change in her job led her to pursue a dream she’d held for 6 years: starting an ecommerce business. 

But as you’ll hear in the podcast, that wouldn’t be Donna’s last pivot. And one pivot probably won’t be the last you experience when you start your own business. Here are three reasons to pivot in your online business: 

Reason 1: When you test products, but they don’t sell. 

Reason 2: When products are selling, but you don’t feel interested in them/ passionate about them. 

Reason 3: When products you are handcrafting are becoming too much for you, and it’s time to bring in a manufacturer

Listen as Donna tells you more about her story, where she’s headed next, and how she and her daughter are figuring things out together. 

Additional Resources:

Shop with Donna: Rockthisout.com

Follow on Instagram: @rock_thisout

On Facebook: @rockthisout

Connect with Alison: 

Facebook: @alisonjprince

Instagram: @alisonjprince

>>>

Get your free Because I Can planner here (you just pay shipping)

Click here to join the 0-100K System